Apple Aperture 2 review

[ganeshbala]

Apple Aperture 2 review

Aperture is a Mac-only program, but anyone using a PC might want to keep reading, just to see how Apple approaches image cataloguing.

The features in Apple Aperture 2 are much the same as those in Aperture 1.5 and, for that matter, Lightroom. Images are stored in an image library, which acts as a giant database that can be searched for keywords, copyright information and other IPTC and EXIF data.

A welcome redesign from Apple

RAW conversions are handled by a brand-new RAW engine and adjustments are stored in the library rather than being applied permanently to the image.

Related images can be grouped in 'stacks' which can be expanded or collapsed, and individual collections of photos can be stored in Albums or Smart Albums.

Aperture 1.5 was great but very slow. Its RAW conversions, while decent weren't as good a Adobe's. It was expensive, too. Aperture 2 has changed all that.

The database structure has been redesigned, and now Aperture is extremely fast, even on a MacBook.

Improved, and cheaper too

The RAW conversions are improved, with lower noise, better highlight recovery and more tools, including a Vibrancy slider to increase saturation only where it's needed.

The highlight recovery is as good as Lightoom's, and Aperture produces lower noise levels more consistently.

Finally, the new price easily undercuts Lightroom, which is starting to seem ponderous and expensive. Where the Lightroom interface is dark and claustrophobic, Aperture's is light and 'open'.

Lightroom looks like a lugubrious old labrador, while Aperture is like a sleek greyhound.

[ganeshbala]

Manufacturer's Description     Aperture 2 gives photographers incredible tools to manage massive libraries, speed through photo edits, make essential image adjustments, and deliver photos online and in print using one simple, integrated workflow. Whether you shoot RAW or JPEG, Aperture lets you get the most out of your photography.

MPN    MB284ZA

Features    New features include: Image adjustment controls such as Highlight Recovery, Definition, Vibrancy, and Vignette / Retouch tool with soft-edged brush to remove unwanted elements from photos / Next-generation RAW image processing for highest-quality images / Quick Preview mode for rapid-fire photo browsing / Simplified user interface that maximises screen space and provides direct access to your iPhoto library from within Aperture / Integration with .Mac Web Gallery to instantly publish your photos, allowing visitors to view and download images

Recommended Processor Speed (Ghz)    2

Platform    Mac

Processor Type Required    Intel Core Duo, Mac Pro 2GHz or above, Power PCG5

RAM Recommended (GB)    2

RAM Required (GB)    2

Required Hard Disk Space (GB)    5

Additional Requirements    Aperture 2 supports digital cameras from a wide variety of manufacturers. It offers support for all standard image formats (such as JPEG, TIFF, PSD, and DNGs from most cameras) and provides optimised support for the RAW formats of more than 100 digital cameras and camera backs. / Operating system: Mac OS X v10.4.11 or later (Tiger) or v10.5.2 or later (Leopard) required / One of the following graphics cards: ATI Radeon X800 XT Mac Edition, 9800 XT, 9800 Pro, X1900 XT, X1600, or HD 2600 XT, NVIDIA GeForce 6800 series, 7300 GT, 7800 GT, or 8800 GT / NVIDIA Quadro FX 4500