It can be easy to get a bit lost at first, when clicking around through albums, smart projects, faces modes, and search filters. It's all there for a reason, though, and the advanced options generally don't intrude. The Aperture user interface is festooned with gewgaws: gears to tweak control settings, arrows to revert adjustments, icons in text input fields to filter searches, buttons to issue commands. Previously, Aperture permitted only changes that affected the whole image, but the local brushes are much more powerful. New features-in particular the ability to brush on a wide range of changes-mean Aperture users won't have to detour as often into other software such as Photoshop to get the look they want. Photo editing is the core of the Aperture experience. Typing "v" cycles the central view through an array of thumbnails, a single photo, and a combination with a photo at the top and the thumbnails in a filmstrip. Typing "w" switches the major control to the library for file management, then the metadata panel for keywords and the like, then the adjustments panel for editing photos. Two basic keyboard commands rapidly cycle you through the major modes you'll need. The Aperture interface consists of a central working area surrounded by controls. And tasks that combine multiple images-high-dynamic range (HDR) photography and panorama stitching, for example-don't mesh easily with an approach that's fundamentally about changes to a single image. Some chores are computationally difficult, especially as more effects are layered on. And when yet another engine arrives, with better algorithms for sharpening, color reproduction, or noise reduction, you'll be able to process the originals yet again. Aperture 3 has a better engine than Aperture 2 for converting the raw originals, so photos you shot earlier can be reprocessed with the new engine. One reason the nondestructive approach is important: editing software changes. It's an approach well suited to the raw images higher-end cameras produce and that enthusiasts often prefer over JPEG. With Aperture, the original image is always unscathed. These tasks Aperture handles capably, for the most part.Īnother difference in the modern era is nondestructive editing, in which changes are overlaid on a raw image foundation without altering it. You can import the photos from a camera or memory card, edit them, add metadata such as captions and keywords, present slideshows, print them or create photo books, and upload them to Facebook or Flickr. Aperture is geared for this latter philosophy. Now, though, photographers can deal with batches of pictures: a photo shoot, a vacation trip, a wedding, a soccer match. In the old days, people edited photos one at a time. Finally, Aperture's basic video support means it's equipped to deal with photographers' explorations into cinematography enabled by newer dSLRs. On top are face recognition and geotagging-features that pay dividends later when it comes to locating or identifying a particular photo. At its heart are an improved image-processing engine that produces nicely toned photos and a new editing system that's powerful yet flexible. But Aperture is well matched to the photo enthusiast or professional-the sort of person who carries a dSLR and prefers the benefits of raw image formats to their inconveniences.įor that growing number of people, Aperture 3 has what it takes at a cost of $199 new, $99 to upgrade, or free for a 30-day trial. If you mostly take snapshots of smiling friends and the occasional outing, look elsewhere.
#Aperture software free download upgrade
It's a slam-dunk upgrade for Aperture 2.x owners, an option worth investigating for iPhoto users, and a worthy competitor to programs from imaging powerhouse Adobe Systems.Īperture, like Adobe's Photoshop Lightroom, isn't for everybody. With Aperture 3, Apple has dramatically improved its software for both photography enthusiasts and professionals. It hits the sweet spot of image editing for photo enthusiasts. The bottom line: Apple Aperture 3 breathes life into photos, handles cataloging well, and keeps Adobe at bay. The bad: Performance slows with large images or heavy editing no image stabilization for video easy for beginners to get lost in the interface.
Face recognition, geotagging, and video support are compelling advantages. The good: Apple Aperture 3 is a powerful, modern photo editor.