Yosemite 10.10.3 update

[Jeremy Roussak]

As for Dropbox, they have an app and will sync photos.

One of the nice (IMHO) things about Dropbox photo sync is that, using the Camera uploads feature, it's one-way: new photos are uploaded to Dropbox and can then be deleted from the device without being deleted from Dropbox. I don't use it for "proper" photographs (insofar as I take any), but for snaps I take with my iPhone, it's very handy. Every snap is backed up, even if deleted from the phone; and I can periodically delete stuff I don't want from the Camera uploads folder on one of my Macs.

Jeremy

[ppmax2]

I've been experimenting with Photos to discover how I would fit this new application into my existing workflow. FWIW, I'm an abandoned Aperture user...who has spent significant time investigating the likes of C1, LR, RT, Iridient, etc. to find a new "home." Since I was delaying my decision until Photos was released I can now rest easy with my conclusion to stay put with Aperture until they pry it from my cold dead hands. All of the other tools offer something compelling...but (for me) none of them provides the whole enchilada as competently as Aperture.

As some of the others have noted, there are some "real" tools in Photos...and it's clear (to me) that Apple made an effort to provide "enthusiasts" (not including Pros in this category) with more than just a "one click enhance" type feature set. For me, the big question is if Photos will provide hooks for 3rd party applications and integrated 3rd party tools. The inclusion of a healing brush gives me some hope that one day there will be a mechanism to apply more local adjustments within the Edit interface. On the whole, I continue to be impressed with the RAW rendering capabilities that Apple provides (the RAW support in Aperture uses the same libraries as Photos). I can still get great looking images out of Aperture...but the one area it really falls down is related to noise suppression.

As is the case with most 1.0 releases, there are some missing features in Photos (geo-tagging) that I imagine will come soon. There are some really nice UI improvements (assigning Faces), and the "ubiquity" that Photos plus iCloud provides is pretty awesome...and it's clear that Apple's vision to provide access to all your photos on all your devices is finally coming to fruition.

For now, I'll continue to manage my library in Aperture, and will PP the majority of my images in that application...but will fire up RT, Iridient, or C1 when Aperture can't produce the results I want. I'll likely use Photos with iCloud to share all my DSLR keepers (exported JPGs from Aperture, etc) and Phone pics.

One day I'll need to abandon Aperture...but that day isn't today. For what it attempts to do and be, Photos looks promising, and I'm interested to see how it evolves regarding library organization and management. Ideally, Photos will provide a way to select an image and "Edit in..." or similar functionality. If, in a few releases, it ends up being a good DAM that can sync images across all my devices...and provide decent editing capabilities (with the ability to edit externally, if necessary) I'll have found my Aperture replacement.

thx
PP

[trichardlin]

Good write up, PP. I am in the same position as you, using Aperture to manage all of my photos and export family photos to Photos for sharing. At the same time, I keep Lightroom close just in case.

[BobShaw]

First, for photos I take on my iPhone (and there are many), I have access to them wherever I am. This is super easy, and I have no importing to do at all.

Second, for DSLR pictures, ..., I generate JPEGs of them, and I import those into Photos. Then I immediately have access to those versions on all my Macs, and my iPhone and iPad. I can also share that out to my Apple TV for a slide show, and for others to view.

You don't have to generate JPG. That is a waste of disk space. When you sync iPhone, iPad, iAnything you just use the drop menu in iTunes to select where you want to sync them from, iPhoto or Aperture, and you can select which folder. This can be a Smart Album which picks up the one you want to sync by keyword. iTunes then just does it.

If you keep the original Raws as referenced files then all of Aperture, iPhoto, CaptureOne or Lightroom can all use them. I never create jpg except to email or for web.

[CatOne]

You don't have to generate JPG. That is a waste of disk space. When you sync iPhone, iPad, iAnything you just use the drop menu in iTunes to select where you want to sync them from, iPhoto or Aperture, and you can select which folder. This can be a Smart Album which picks up the one you want to sync by keyword. iTunes then just does it.

If you keep the original Raws as referenced files then all of Aperture, iPhoto, CaptureOne or Lightroom can all use them. I never create jpg except to email or for web.

I'm syncing via iCloud, with the new sync. This requires the photos to be inside of Photos itself. Because I'm doing the processing inside of LR, and it's nondestructive, I'm not aware of any way to do this without generating JPEGs?

I don't want to point Photos at the RAW files and leave them as referenced and have to duplicate all my adjustments for favorite photos inside Photos as well.

[trichardlin]

Photos absolutely eats Lightroom for lunch on two things: speed and healing brush.