PopPhoto.com: Review: Apple Aperture 3

Debbie is incredibly pro-Photoshop and biased in my opinion. I value her Photoshop/PSE tips and tricks, but don’t rely on her assessment of software outside of Adobe products.

I stopped buying/reading Pop photo long time ago because I found their articles shallow and repetitive. They lack any real substance and they are more hype for their advertisers than anything else.

One of two thing happened: (1) She really didn’t use the software much or (2) most likely Adobe spends much money than Apple in ads in PopPhoto and they cannot make Aperture looks better that a major contributor to the magazine.

I think one can learn more about Ap and what it can do by viewing the movies at Aperture’ apple site.

I believe the omissions are either ignorance or a clear bias, and I suspect the second one.

What’s the trick to having Aperture keep layered PSDs from flattening then? If I bring a photo from A3 into PS and then back to A3 and THEN make some adjustments in A3 then PSD is flat next time I open in PS. Maybe I’m missing a trick here but that’s a huge difference between how LR and PS treats PSDs.

Susan: I’m not sure what the trick is, but I just open an image as a psd in photoshop made a layer and saved it. I opened it back up in photoshop through aperture and the layers were preserved. I did check the box that says maximize compatibility that came up when I saved it.

Also, make sure to have your export preferences set to open a .psd and not a tiff.

@ David – I know Debbie, she’s a solid journalist. I think your first suspicion about what happened is more likely correct. She’s been using Adobe apps for a long time and Aperture, without a really good intro, is too deep of a program to get in the period of time most journalists have for a review.

When last I had dealings with Pop (admittedly before it was sold) they had a pretty good firewall between advertising and editorial.

PSD and Tiffs can both support layers. In fact Tiffs are being recommened by Adobe these days as they more compatible with other applications. There is nothing you can do in a PSD that can’t be done in a Tiff now.

Nik: Thanks, I just figured that out. Any idea what Susan is doing to that nukes her layers?

Having written for Pop Photo, before it was sold, I never felt any pressure to write towards a more advertising than editorial standpoint.

I’m not sure what’s happened with Debbie and her review but I completely agree with David’s comments, I agree that she probably has not had enough time with Aperture to really appreciate its depth.

I think this further supports my long held contention that you can’t simply “try” Aperture. The same can probably be said for LightRoom.

These are not just “programs”… they are all encompassing environments that allow you to blend and manage their capabilities to suit your needs. Until you are aware of all the capabilities, you’re not going reach the maximum potential. It’s like learning a language.. sure you can carry on a conversation fumbling with each word/sentence translating it in your head… but until you actually “think” in that language without translation, you’re never really fluent and in control.

How many times over the years have you heard someone say “I tried Aperture… but I just think Photoshop is more powerful?”

JT

I think that’s a great point John. I totally agree. The problem is when people dabble with it and then talk about it as if they’re experts. I see it everyday in my Aperture 3 Google alerts.

I have just done a test with an 8bit TIFF.

1) Select raw file (NEF in my case) and right click to select Edit in CS4 (Aperture generates Tiff)
2) In CS4 I added a layer by using text to write the word LAYER on the image
3) Saved the file and exit PS (did not flatten or compress the Tiff)
4) Back in Aperture I see both files including the word ‘LAYER’ on the new Tiff.
5) Right click on the TIFF and select edit in CS4
6) The image opens complete with the layers (Aperture didn’t render a new flattened Tiff)

I have Max Compatibility set to Always in CS4

I wonder if Aperture treats Tiffs & PSDs differently if they have been imported rather than rendered from within Aperture for external edits.

I have just read Susan’s post again and I think I see the issue.

If you make an adjustment to a Tiff or PSD in Aperture and then select Edit In CS4 Aperture has to render a new Tiff or PSD to be able to pass the image on with the Aperture adjustments. Aperture will render a flattened file, it has to because it can’t create a layer with just the Aperture adjustments. The reason this is different in Lightroom is because the adjustments you make in Lightroom can be understood by ACR when it is passed to Photoshop. (Unless of course your ACR versions are different and then it reverts back to the Aperture flattened method)

Just wanted to add that I agree with John too. I also think there is a ’sheep’ factor involved whereby people just follow the most common track and assume it must be the best.

I joined up as a premium member yesterday and have just finished watching Micah’s workflow video. I picked up a few nice tips there. I’m currently planning my Aperture workflow before I create a new library so I have a good base to start from. I’m still using Lightroom 3 at the moment but I plan to swap over to Aperture shortly. I’m hoping the effort I put in planning will give Aperture the best chance it has to impress me. I have been playing with AP3 since it arrived but haven’t used AP seriously for about a year.

My biggest worry at the moment is the performance grief I hear so much about, I’m working on the assumption that it will fixed by the time I get serious with Aperture 3. Having said that we imported our 10,000 image iPhoto library into Aperture and have had no issues at all, we are using Faces too. (We being my wife and I)

Nik, reading your posts I notice you are using LR3 at the moment. I’m just curious to know what make you feel having to swap over to AP3? Is it filemanagement, or making books or…? I like AP3 too, but at the moment I like the way LR3 is handling my NEFs better. But that is a personal taste I think…..

Fred, I have always liked the Aperture interface and file management. I find certain management aspects of Lightroom frustrating but I’m currently working on both to finally make a choice that will suit me. I’ve spent a fair bit of time recently moving over to Aperture and planning a good workflow. When I have used it for a while I will probably make a choice between the two and stick with it. To be honest I’m struggling to make that choice at the moment.

Nik, yes I think we are in the same boat at this moment, it’s difficult to make a final choice. I like the Aperture interface more, but when it comes to adjustments….. I.e. yesterday I imported just a few old snapshots (wintersports) from a LX2, guess what; they are all blue in AP3, and in LR3 they aren’t. Sure, I can do some corrections in AP3 but… With my D3 NEFs I have problems too. So for now I’m using LR3, btw nice integration with PS CS5, workaround for my slideshows or books; I can do an export from LR3, import in AP3 etc. etc. Hopefully an update of LR3 soon, will give us some improvements…. we will wait and see