Apple Aperture 2.1.1 Reviews

• Very easy to use

  
  By A1N7GAYPK8N5C9 on 2008-02-28
  I've been using the free trial of Aperture 2.0 for a couple of weeks now. Within a couple of hours of working with the trial, I ordered the full product.
  
  I was given version 1.5 of Aperture for Christmas, so I was a little disappointed to find that Apple released a new version so soon after I got it. Apple also dropped the price by $100, which now makes it an incredibly good deal for anyone who hasn't bought this type of software before.
  
  However, after getting over the shock of having to spend another $89 to upgrade software that was only 1 month old, I downloaded the free trial to see if it was worth upgrading. In the month I'd owned Aperture 1.5 I had spent quite a bit of time working out what it could do and how to make it use it. I could quickly see that 1.5 was a power piece of software, but it would definitely take some time to get the best out of it.
  
  After upgrading to the trial of 2.0, and watching a couple of the Apple tutorial videos that are online, I was able to get impressive results very quickly. As I already had Aperture 1.5, I had already began shooting all my photos in RAW format on my Canon Rebel XT. I also tried editing some JPEG photos I had previously organized in iPhoto.
  
  Results with RAW format photos are amazing. Aperture makes working with RAW so easy. I am able to correct exposure problems, which is just not possible with JPEG. I had a image that had lots of white in waves crashing over a rock. By adjusting the exposure in Aperture, and by using the highlight and shadow adjustments, I was able to bring out an amazing amount of detail, turn an average shot into a great one. The automatic correction of exposure levels makes a big difference to many of my shots.
  
  With JPEG images, the results are less impressive. This is not a limitation of Aperture, but a limitation of shooting images in JPEG which loses a lot of the information that was actually captured with the camera's sensor. You are still able to make adjustments, but making big adjustments quickly introduces noise into the image. The tools available in iPhoto 08 produce good results with JPEG, and I wouldn't pay for Aperture if I only shot JPEG images. The automatic exposure correction that worked so well on many of my RAW images is not available on JPEG images.
  
  If you have a camera that can shoot RAW images, such as almost all digital SLRs, and a few compact point-and-shoots such as the new Canon PowerShot G9 12.1MP Digital Camera with 6x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom, I would definitely recommend shooting in RAW and getting a trial of Aperture to see if it works for you.
  
  You should be aware that shooting in RAW creates much bigger files, so consider this when making your decision. Getting the most out of Aperture means you have to shoot in RAW, and the biggest cost in moving from JPEG to RAW will be larger memory cards and hard drives.
  
  Aperture is so easy to use that I'd recommend it to anyone with a basic knowledge of photography that wants to learn more. Download the free trial, shoot some RAW images with your camera, and only order the full version if it works for you.
  
  

• Outstanding RAW Conversion and Photo Organization/Management - Highly Recommended!

  
  By A2Q78OZKS0YJR8 on 2008-02-23
  I have been using Aperture since version 1.1, and love it. The few issues/disappointments I had were resolved with version 1.5.x. Version 2.0 takes the performance and capabilities of Aperture to the next level. While I have only been using Aperture 2 for a week or so, I have been thoroughly impressed. (I will update this review as my experience grows.)
  
  In terms of cameras, I use both a Nikon D2X and a Nikon D300. As such, the RAW files that Aperture has to deal with are large 12-megapixel images. And Aperture handles said images with ease. (Bear in mind that I am running Aperture on a first-generation MacBook Pro 17" laptop, running at 2.16 GHz.)
  
  Among other improvements, Aperture 2 provides superior high-ISO noise reduction. For example, images taken with my Nikon D2X at ISO 1600 and ISO 3200 show massive improvements in quality. Not only that, but Aperture's noise reduction finally matches -- or even exceeds -- that of Nikon's own Capture NX software. Comparing high-ISO images side-by-side, it is clear that Capture NX utilizes a high dose of "chroma blur." Aperture 2.0 does not, and the difference is quite visible.
  
  As for other changes, Aperture 2 provides some nice UI refinements, increasing the amount of screen real estate for viewing your photos. More generally, Aperture 2's UI is even more "transparent" than that of version 1.x, i.e., it does not impede your workflow.
  
  Besides the UI improvements, Aperture 2 also adds additional image enhancement options. Among others, Apple added "de-vignette" and "vignette" image adjustments. These allow you to correct for, or add/increase, vignetting from lens optics.
  
  And finally, a few words about performance. I found Aperture 1.5.x to be quite responsive, though it would occasionally become sluggish during certain operations. I have not been able to find any such sluggishness in Aperture 2, a welcome improvement. Plus, the software is even faster and more responsive that Aperture 1.5.x.
  
  The bottom line? Aperture 2 provides welcome improvements over 1.5.x, including superior image quality. If you like Aperture 1.5.x, you will love Aperture 2. And if you shied away from 1.5.x, I highly recommend giving Aperture 2 a try. Download the free trial from the Apple website, and see the improvements for yourself. Try it, you just might like it!
  
  

• Avoid Apple Aperture 2.0

  
  By A2Y8SMMQ6ZWOOK on 2008-06-25
  I strongly advise anyone considering buying this product to save your money and buy Adobe Photoshop CS3, Lightroom, Corel or Nikon Capture NX. I had used Aperture 1.5 and upgraded to Aperture 2.0 and then 2.1. I run a G5 MAC with the Leopard OS. The Aperture program crashes repeatedly, loses projects and will corrupt your images. I used it to process upwards of a thousand photos at a time for sports professionally and had constant problems. Despite submitting over 2 Dz. crash reports and over 1 Dz feedback reports I received no response. Apple's published policy is they will not respond to these reports. They also do not provide any direct email support or phone support for this product. They will advise you to join the Aperture forum for submission of questions, tips and answers by other users. I highly advise you to read the forum entries before buying. They are filled with other dissatisfied users like myself that have faulty bug ridden Aperture software and problems that are not being solved by Apple! And beware any advise given on how to resolve problems does not come from Apple trained and software certified professionals! Anyone can claim to be an expert and submit solutions that may cause your system more damage that Apple will not assume any liability for! I now rely on Adobe and Nikon software because these companies care about you, the consumer. They will answer your questions and they make available email and phone numbers for questions and inquires. Nikon even ran my images and files through their lab to resolve an issue with their software and gave me prompt and accurate responses!
  
  

• Excellent!

  
  By AYF7CR4ZR41TN on 2008-05-02
  I had switched to Lightroom because of performance issues with Aperture 1.5 and, too, at the time Lightroom had a more extensive array of develop tools, but I always preferred the mon-modular work flow of Aperture. The minute 2.0 was released, I switched back and am very pleased that I did...Aperture now has all the features of Lightroom and more and the performance issues are no longer an issue. Both are great apps, but for me, Aperture is the one.
  
  

• Aperture 2.0 Rocks!!

  
  By A1F68F25W7SI1E on 2008-04-02
  I've used Aperture since it's initial release. It won out over Adobe's product only because it became available first and I had a mighty need to organize my photos and work flow. My frustrations with the initial release of the Aperture 1.x series was non-intuitive menu items, viewing problems and sluggishness when downloading photos much less while running photoshop or some other memory hog. Aperture 2.0 is a pleasant surprise by a company that seems to listen to their customers. The menu items are much easier to understand and use and the performance on my Macbook Pro is not perfect but much much faster.
  
  
• Excellent product, glad I bought it.
  By A2IFEBJN6QVRDV on 2008-04-21
  I have LIghtroom and Aperture on my MBP. I have decided to uninstall LIghtroom after using both for about a year now. Both are excellent,but with Aperture integrating my images into all my other programs is effortless. Also the price is now more competitive and the ability to use Photoshop style plugins make it a no brainer. Highly recommend.
  
  
• Outstanding RAW Workflow Manager
  By A15Y2FQ5WNR63Y on 2008-07-01
  If you shoot in RAW and manage large numbers of photos, you need to give very serious consideration to Aperture 2. The program provides truly outstanding RAW conversion tools - greatly superior to Adobe's free Digital Negative Converter. It provides very flexible, easy-to-use tools to compare and rate photos, including stacks, ratings and comparison tools. The library management tools are truly outstanding, giving you multiple levels of keywords, a variety of tools for organizing your shots, and a hierarchical system for organization. And it links tightly to the photo editing application(s) of your choice.
  
  Batch processing is well-supported, both on import and on photo selections. Essentially all data associated with the photos - both image details and EXIF - can be handled individually or at a batch level.
  
  Famously, Aperture makes its edits to photos by linked mathematical formulas; the RAW photo itself is not touched. So manipulations can always be reversed. This also keeps the photo database from growing through duplicate files; there's just one file, and a series of small files representing the edits.
  
  Aperture isn't perfect. While it is adequate for simple edits to photos, you'll still need a tool like Photoshop of Elements to perform serious adjustments to your photos. Aperture does a fine job of working with those photo editors. And Apple can be slow - sometimes, seriously slow - supporting the RAW formats of newly released cameras. In the case of the Olympus E-3, the camera was released for five months before Aperture could import its RAW format. There are always worksarounds - Adobe DNG if nothing else - and in fairness to Apple, its Aperture RAW converters are outstanding, but be prepared for a wait if you have new model camera. And Aperture demands significant resources: at least G5 (an Intel chip is better), at least 2 GB RAM (4GB _much_ better), an approved video card, hard rive space adequate to your projected ibrary and a backup or removable drive to hold a backup (a "vault").
  
  Perhaps best of all, Aperture lets you define your own workflow. Adobe Lightroom, by contrast, pretty much imposes its workflow structure on you. You can do things in the order you want, not the order some programmer wants.
  
  If you are new to Aperture, I recommend the Classroom in a Book tutorial, Apple Pro Training Series: Aperture 2 (Apple Pro Training Series).
  
  I could not be happier with this program. I have some 25,000 shots, and add 1,000-2,000 per month. It has been flawless. And I've never lost a photo.
  
  My highest recommendation.
  
  
• A photographer's workflow
  By A13K3ZLWAWN1EI on 2008-04-18
  Using Aperture for awhile, I can see it is geared toward the pro photographer who wants to have their workflow in one program. It does a really good job targeting that traditional photographer market gone digital. The interface uses analogies for the different areas that a photographer feels comfortable with. You shoot, get it into Aperture, and then organize and process.
  
  
  Photoshop is a competing product, not not really so. Its a complimentary product if you need to do photo work of a different sort, like photo illustration and retouching.
  
  If you are a photographer first, and want an application that is going to get you organized and efficient, this is a great program. Other users can get by with Photoshop just fine.
  
  
• Superior Product
  By A22K08WPR5LLJO on 2008-07-24
  I'm a professional photographer, and after extensively testing both Aperture and Lightroom, I'm throwing my hat on the Aperture side.
  
  Lightroom, to be honest, is a great application. The layout is easy to understand, and the modules guide a first-time-user. I also find the plugin architecture compelling, allowing me to preview changes before applying filters, and then having the ability to delete and adjust applied filters. Having said that, Lightroom is clunky. It seems to be more of a Photoshop product than a digital image catalogue product. Quite frankly, nothing will replace Photoshop--it is the end all and be all of photo applications. However, I need something to convert RAW files to workable JPEGs, and need an easy way to adjust white balance, exposure, tones, and noise. Although Lightroom makes this process reasonably easy, the module system (though helpful at first) begins to irritate me. I hate the thought of switching between one module and another simply to make one adjustment. I also don't like to follow a structured format--that is, I don't want to first view my files and select them, THEN move on to the editing module to apply changes, THEN work on web development. To me, that's too structured.
  
  Aperture, on the other hand, allows me to do everything at once. I can browse my RAW files and rate them; if I find one I like but needs exposure control, I can bring up the transparent HUD, make my adjustments, and skip to the next file...all without being forced to switch between modules.
  
  Aperture 2 is a superior product, much better than the first version. It is much faster than Lightroom (I'm running a Mac Pro with dual core 2.66ghz, 9gb RAM). Importing files is a lot easier--hell, I can even start browsing photos before they're all downloaded. The interface is nice and clean (although, I must admit Lightroom's interface is more attractive to me). Aperture 2 also has multi-display support--something Lightroom lacks. And the Loupe tool comes in handy every single time I use the application.
  
  In short, Apple has done an incredible job building upon Aperture 1, and updating this fantastic application. As a professional photographer, Aperture is absolutely essential, no less so than Photoshop.
  
  
• Purchased on the Strength of Aperture 1.5
  By A2QI2NTDTMK2FV on 2008-03-04
  I own the non-upgradable Aperture 1.5 Academic, so I had to buy the full version of Aperture 2. Other than this ridiculous and expensive policy, I am thoroughly pleased with Aperture. 1.5. Knowing this, I ordered my Aperture 2 copy with much enthusiasm!
  
  I am very excited about the user interface changes, database structure changes, speed increases, and the new tools (vignetting, vibrancy, definition, etc).
  
  It looks like Apple has still ignored everyone's request for easy dvd burning directly from within Aperture though. Correct me if I am wrong (please!)...why do I have to export my versions/masters to a folder and then burn the folder? I'd like to be a able to click on an Aperture Project or Album and burn! Its a simple request.
  
  
• Good software is hard to find
  By A2VXAHY0ECBMBS on 2008-06-13
  Aperture is a fantastic piece of software for managing and enhancing all your photos. You can manage master photos with various versions, which unlike iPhoto will store the adjustment parameters rather than a copy of the photo.
  
  Importing and generation of previews is threaded so you can continue working while it churns away in the background.
  
  I am a strong user of keywords and Aperture does not dissapoint. You can search on these keywords, any of the EXIF data, import date, photo date etc.
  
  I also recently designed and printed a book using Apples book printing service embedded in Aperture. It was an absolutely seemless process. I designed the book with ease. Apple pay attention to many of the minor details which make authoring a joy rather than a chore. Uploading, paying and receiving the book could not have been more seemless.
  
  I have not noticed any major bugs. One niggling bug, however, is that occasionally the thumbnails are not displayed correctly. Fortunately you can force a rebuild of those thumbnails.
  
  
• Great software!
  By A120KA7N5V5MRV on 2008-05-27
  I wasn't sure about this product at first because I was so used to Adobe Photoshop that I use at work but could not afford for my personal use. The aperture 2 software works great with my digital camera and the program is very user friendly and fun to use! Highly recommended for beginners all the way to pros that are looking for a great photography editing software for the price.
  
  
• Mwright
  By A2781M6ANGEYNS on 2008-08-28
  As someone who comes from an IT background, who has been a Photoshop user since version 3, I have to say the latest version of Aperture is a grand slam out-of-the-park home run. I used the trial versions of Adobe's Light Room, and Aperture, and came away from my experience with a clear preference to Apple's product primarily because Aperture's user interface is much more clear and intuitive.
  
  A number of 3rd party developers have been busy making plug-ins for Aperture, but I've found, once you understand to basic tools included in this program, you won't find it lacking much at all. On those occasions you might want them, you can pop out of Aperture into Photoshop with ease.
  
  If you feel you've outgrown iPhoto, and have any doubts this is the tool for you, download the free demo from Apple and take a test drive. Apple's site has 50 free tutorials to show you all the core elements and get you started. You'll be back to Amazon soon enough to get your copy...
  
  
• Not as good as Picassa, which is free!
  By A1RO710J8HCM1V on 2008-07-08
  Apple is selling what should have been a free update to iPhoto. Worse, it confuses iPhoto into creating multiple copies of each photo, and has a schizo stacking algorithm.
  
  The omissions are glaring.
  
  No duplicate finder, no layers, weak cropping and poor output controls.
  
  They have, however, jumped on the "pug-in" train to up-sell even more "features" which ought to come with a program like this.
  
  No where near as good as even Photoshop Elements, and even slower, even on fast hardware.
  
  Apple should go back to photography school.
  
  
• Aperture 2 - Easy way to work a lot of photos
  By AI38DRR1G5NT9 on 2008-07-25
  I used this product on a trial basis after shooting over 100 photos for a local dance performance. I was able to quickly crop, tweak, eliminate red-eye and perform a lot of other things quickly. I have Photoshop CS, but I have to upgrade in order to import my Nikon D300 images, so I thought I would give this a try as it is a less expensive answer than upgrading.
  
  Obviously it is not as powerful as Photoshop, but I have found it to handle a lot of the basic photo modifications well. Aperture is not quite as complex or intimidating to use and doesn't require reading a book in order to figure out how to do the simple tasks. If I have a single photo that I need to spend a lot of time with or want to really change its' appearance drastically, it's off to Photoshop or Nikon Capture. If I have 50 pictures that need only minor tweaking, I'm using Apple's software.
  
  I doubt that there's much Aperture will do that Photoshop won't, and if one takes the time to learn how to program Photoshop batch functions, maybe large numbers of photos can be handled just as quickly. But I do not think that many people could be as productive as quickly as they can with this software. It has Apple's hallmark intuitive processes that you would expect to be a part of the package. You can export a selection of photos to low or high resolution jpg files very easily. And for those who've not yet learned to shoot in the native RAW formats of their Nikons or Canons, you will be surprised to see just how many sub-par unprocessed JPG files can be transformed into winners by shooting in RAW and using the features in this software.
  
  It's fairly priced, pretty powerful, and relatively simple to use. So shoot RAW, tweak, upload, print, frame up those stunning 8x10 photos in your office and start hearing people tell you how good a photographer you are!
  
  
• way better than 1.5
  By A3RXLGXFRSYS2O on 2008-03-24
  If you want more control than iphoto, but easy to use this app is great.
  
  
• Good but a bit buggy
  By A394HRV80ROLDB on 2008-08-18
  A good program for serious photographers, with a few caveats: while it has helped studio workflow regarding photos tremendously, it has a few flaws: 1. performance: at times, it can seriously bog down. Improved quite a bit after the last 2.1 update, but still a bit of a problem at times. 2. Interface: its very non-standard interface can be *EXTREMELY* irritating at times. Oddly-shaped windows, strange, docking palettes and downright bizzare keyboard shortcuts really mar this product. I do enjoy some of the streamlining offered by the interface, and the fact that many shortcuts are single letters/symbols (esp. rotation and picking images) but wish that some of its interface were a little less "effect-y" and a little more effect-IVE.
  
  
• It's not Photoshop but it is VERY good...
  By A38Y8UCRYCJ4C0 on 2008-09-24
  Aperture 2.1.1 is Apple's considerable step up from iPhoto that lets hobbyists do much more in the way of digital editing. Having used (and dismissed) Aperture 1.0, this new version was a welcome and overdue improvement. Aperture operates very similarly to iPhoto -- it has a library, projects, folders, etc and has all the Mac ease of use. Creating slide shows and books are flawless and simple.
  The greatest ease of use, however, is in mid-level photo editing. One can handle workflow in a completely manual format or can rely on Aperture's impressive auto editing options. The interface is intuitive and easy to use. However, for the experienced Photoshop user or anyone needing to do serious photo manipulation and detailed editing -- especially those functions involving masking and color filtering -- they will find Aperture to be a little light on abilities. To be fair, this is not the intended use of this program. It is intended for the competent hobbyist wanting to do more than remove red-eyes but is not wanting to open and learn (or re-learn) Photoshop for the two or three times a year he or she might need it.
  This is a good, inexpensive program and for most tasks I have used it for, is more robust and easier to use than either Elements or Nikon Capture.
  
  
• Only average. A disappointment
  By AI6VBTYVBC081 on 2008-10-15
  I bought Apterture to help manage and provide advanced editing to my photos. I am also a user of Adobe Photoshop CS3.
  
  Aperture's Pluses:
  - larger database for photos than iphoto
  - slightly enhanced editing tools
  - better selection of online books to purchase
  
  Aperture's Negatives:
  - Overly high system requirements when not necessary
  - Bloated and creates its own directory of photos (so it gets duplicates from iphotos) - what a waste of hard drive space
  - editing tools are not very good
  - Slow
  - Overall a major disappointment
  
  If you use iphoto, Aperture is a minor improvement. You get a larger index (where iphoto has a tendency to freak out at 5000 photos or so). Editing tools are only marginally better. Nothing great. If you do editing - save the $200 and use it to buy Photoshop CS3.
  
  The only positive is that it has better 'photo books' that you can purchase and are custom to Aperture - typical of Apple's closed environment.
  
  This product is only 2 stars at best. Major disappointment.
  
  
• Better than 1.0
  By A2J5QMXQ6PGQK6 on 2008-03-19
  This runs far smoother than 1.0 and the updates. The browsing on my macbook pro feels more like it does for iphoto making the experience much more pleasurable. If you're an amatuer just stick to iphoto though for the most part the only thing i can think of that feels better with aperture 2.0 are the workflows and the presentation of work. All in all it's not much of an upgrade except performance improvements.
  
  
• Best photo program ever
  By A15FN52KCDK0C on 2008-09-10
  Aperture 2 is the best editing program ever. It blows Adobe Lightroom away. Apple went to the top photographers of the world asked them what they would like to see in editing software and Aperture 2 was created. If you are a PC owner this product alone is worth switching to an Apple computer. I did partly because of it.
  
  
• Excellent for photographers
  By ANQI2T6JCLHBV on 2008-06-27
  I was an iPhoto user before, but I'm very happy with the expanded capabilities in Aperature. The only drawback I've seen is that I can't figure out how to convert/save a picture into black & white or sepia. But I can always use iPhoto to do that. I also love the custom books part - all the pages are customizable (you can change the layout, fonts, sizes, etc on each page), which you can't do in iPhoto's custom books.
  
  Overall, I'm very happy with Aperature 2 and would recommend it to anyone that's serious about photography!
  
  
• A-poor-ture
  By A1NKQVK8NORSYX on 2008-07-25
  I originally bough this product for the web-publish feature in Aperture, but to my disappointment this feature is terrible slow if you have large files it could take hours to publish them to the web and It distorts your image size. Bottom line, don't waste your money.
  
  
• Best choice for Apple Macs
  By A32VDW9K9DTQ96 on 2008-08-24
  Everyone knows Aperture, so simply - the best program for photo-editing on Mac. BUY IT.
  
  
• Thoroughly Pleased with Aperture 2
  By A2UVKJGZF3KZWC on 2008-11-03
  I am an amateur at best and I took advantage of both free trial offers from Aperture 2 and LightRoom. Although LightRoom was similar, to me there was no comparison. I went into it with no experience and was totally objective in my opinion and found Aperture to be much much better. Used the same photo in both and consistently got better results in Aperture, with a more seamless flow to the work. One mans opinion !!
  
  
• Aperture Vs Nikon Capture NX2
  By A2FC888AWO10L0 on 2008-10-24
  I used the trial version of Aperture and Nikon Capture NX2 back to back for about a month. Both are great programs and I believe I would be happy with either. Ultimately I choose Aperture for its familiar interface and believe Apple will continue to ensure compatibility with OSX for a long time to come. Nikon support is excellent but their new proprietary RAW format that works only with Microsoft Windows took me by surprise. Not that I am affected because so far the new RAW format is only on their point and shoot cameras, I still felt slightly betrayed and uncertain what the future relationship with Apple will be. I figure no matter what happens I will still be able to use the same software to catalog and edit my photos.
  
  
• Graduated from iphoto
  By APC62CJCI0KE1 on 2008-10-24
  Quick access to photos for very easy modification. Much more editing, organizing, and viewing options then iphoto and is worth the $$. Iphoto was too basic plus it did not provide and option for use with an external editor like PT Lens. I have used Photoshop Element, ACDC and like Aperture the best.
  
  
• A MUST HAVE
  By A14Y5TRH8BH54S on 2008-11-25
  APERTURE 2 for MAC is a complex program. You will need to get a large detailed manual, or better yet, sign up for some classes at your Apple store. There are plenty of photo editing tools, all of the usual ones plus plenty more, allowing you to be as creative as you want to be. But probably the main purpose of this program is a way to organize and categorize your images within Aperture. In iPhoto, I have so many copies of the same image in so many folders, and sometimes the one I want is still hard to find. Aperture gets you away from folders. It takes time to do it right, but when you do, finding the image you want is a breeze. You assign various keywords to each image, whichever ones are appropriate for you, and as many as you want per image. When you complete that project, you can search by any keyword, and all of the images you have assigned that keyword to will show up. It couldn't be easier. But you will need help in getting this done so you do it right. I take classes at my Apple store, the One-to-One classes.
  
  
• Excellent!
  By A2O8XRC59WS85Y on 2008-09-10
  Wrote a prior review recommending this product. Still learning it's features but what a great piece of software...I highly recommend it.
  
  
• Excellent
  By AF4F7OJRXW7T0 on 2008-09-20
  This is such an easy product to use. I am extremely happy with the purchase.
  
  

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