Aperture 1.5 vs. Lightroom beta 4

[Giedo]

I just ordered an iMac 24 inch screen and expect in to be delivered in about 2 weeks. In the mean time I'm looking at new editing software.
Until now I did my workflow on Photoshop / Windows.

As I need to buy Mac based software anyway, I wonder which route is best: Aperture or Lightroom. The new version of Aperture looks great. Both apps are not perfect and I will need PS as backup (I do have an old CS for Mac that I'll use)

Ofcourse for now Lightroom is for free, but I'm sure in the end Adobe will ask about the same amount as Apple does ($ 299).

Any suggestions? Or worthwile articles that I should look into?
Thanks, Giedo

[bob mccarthy]

It's unfortunate that Apple doesn't do 30 day trials like Adobe and others. I would like to give Aperture a test drive.

Bob

[Frere Jacques]

I have started using Aperture more and more lately (mainly after upgrading my video card!) and I like the app. It has a tendancy to over-simply some tasks and some of the interface elements are eye-candy. (The Loupe IS cool, but maybe overkill...) You do need up-to-date hardware to run it properly (v1.5 is supposed to fix this & the 24" iMac should work well) You will need to drop into PS for perspective correction and fine/heavy image edits. Overall, I am glad Apple entered the market and seems committed to delivering good software. Their Pro Video apps are excellent and I hope they continue in the photography space.

I would bet Adobe is going to release a Creative Suite Photo with maybe PS, Lightroom, Acrobat and Dreamweaver or GoLive packaged together. Many photographers never touch Illustrator or InDesign or even Acrobat. We'll see...

Alternately, check out RAWDeveloper from Iridient Digital -- it is a Mac only RAW converter that is a very nice piece of software. It has very flexible conversion options and the output is superb -- tech support email is even answered directly by the developer!!!

Good luck!

I just ordered an iMac 24 inch screen and expect in to be delivered in about 2 weeks. In the mean time I'm looking at new editing software.
Until now I did my workflow on Photoshop / Windows.

As I need to buy Mac based software anyway, I wonder which route is best: Aperture or Lightroom. The new version of Aperture looks great. Both apps are not perfect and I will need PS as backup (I do have an old CS for Mac that I'll use)

Ofcourse for now Lightroom is for free, but I'm sure in the end Adobe will ask about the same amount as Apple does ($ 299).

Any suggestions? Or worthwile articles that I should look into?
Thanks, Giedo
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[Guntis]

As I need to buy Mac based software anyway, I wonder which route is best: Aperture or Lightroom. The new version of Aperture looks great. Both apps are not perfect and I will need PS as backup (I do have an old CS for Mac that I'll use)

Ofcourse for now Lightroom is for free, but I'm sure in the end Adobe will ask about the same amount as Apple does ($ 299).

Any suggestions? Or worthwile articles that I should look into?
Thanks, Giedo
[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=78124\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

I run Aperture 1.5 on PowerBook G4 1.5GHz and 1GB RAM. It's not fast, but I cannot say that it's slow either. Approximately as fast as iPhoto. I've tried Capture One, but Aperture for me is much better. Somehow I get results much faster and they are better. Maybe I didn't know how to work with C1 properly, but for me Aperture is the best. I've tried Lightroom as well, and it worked fine, but the latest beta 4 didn't make me happy -- it looks more and more similar to any Windows app (rectangular buttons, etc.), and why RAW quick development is in Browser view and then "full" development in another view, but then I cannot export images from there, but have to switch back to the Browser view? And I could never understand Lightroom's library structure. I imported files and then hunted where they are lost... So I find Aperture much more consistent and easier to use. At least for me. Adobe Lightroom had some predictable "feeling" how image will look, but Aperture is much more neutral. It's hard to describe, you have to use and see it. After a month or so you start to get that feeling. If you think about Aperture 1.5, go ahead, it's worth every penny now!

[Giedo]

It's hard to describe, you have to use and see it. After a month or so you start to get that feeling.

I want to beleive you, but to spend 200 euro on software that ' you have to use and see'  is sth. I'm not too sure about (allthough I just might buy it because I just have to go somewhere...)
I would love to see some objective comparison, but I guess it is a bit early for that.

Thanks for sharing your experience with me.
Giedo

[Guntis]

I want to beleive you, but to spend 200 euro on software that ' you have to use and see'  is sth.[a href=\"index.php?act=findpost&pid=79718\"][{POST_SNAPBACK}][/a]

No, it's not about 'try and see if it fits you', it's about try and see how photos will look when you adjust them. In Lightroom I could almost imagine how Lightroom will adjust my pictures, but Aperture is more neutral in this regard. I think that somehow white balance adjustments are done better on Aperture. I can't say that Lightroom images were bad, but in Aperture I can work 3 times faster with better results. Somehow Aperture is done not only the way Hollywood wedding photographs think, but also the way I think. And that's important for me.