Aperture 3.3 Released June 11. 2012

[StuartOnline]

Just now released.

What's New in Aperture 3.3

New unified photo library for both iPhoto (v 9.3 or later) and Aperture; no import/export required; Faces, Places, slideshows, albums and web sharing work across both applications

Support for AVCHD video has been added

Aperture now lets you use camera-generated previews for faster browsing of RAW files immediately after import

Highlights & Shadows tool has been updated to deliver higher-quality results and work with extended range data

A new Auto Enhance button has been added to the Adjustments panel

White Balance tool now includes Skin Tone and Natural Gray modes to simplify color balance

Auto button has been added to the White Balance tool for one-click color balancing

Set Desktop command has been added to Share menu so you can set a desktop background from within Aperture

A new Manual option allows you to drag and drop projects to customize sort order in the Projects view

New preference allows you to set the background brightness of the full screen browser

Facebook, Flickr, and MobileMe albums are now displayed as thumbnails in the main window when accounts are selected in the source list

Minor terminology changes, including "Original" instead of "Master" and "Info" instead of "Metadata"

Source list includes a new "Recent" section, showing Last Import and recently-viewed projects

Raw Fine Tuning is no longer displayed in the Adjustments panel by default

Faces can now be named by dragging them from the Unnamed Faces browser to existing snapshots on the corkboard

The Faces corkboard now includes a menu that allows you to set the order of face snapshots

Newly designed monochrome source list and toolbar icons

Addresses numerous issues related to overall performance and stability

The update is recommended for all users of Aperture 3.

[michswiss]

I saw this this morning and went to software update to grab it.  It requires Lion.  I'm still on Snow Leopard on my primary machine.  I'm a long-time user of Aperture and like the software, but I wonder sometimes on the emphasis of features like Faces.  Do any Pro Photogs use this?  I can understand it's usefulness for the FB crowd, but it's completely irrelevant for what I do.

It's also odd that there's additional integration of MobileMe galleries.  I thought those were going away with the advent of iCloud?  Hiding RAW tuning by default also seems like an odd decision.  Seems like this is being more and more tailored to the advanced family shooter.  I'll probably hang tight for a while with the package.  Still wondering what A4 might hold.  But the move to, or addition of C1 might be close.

[trichardlin]

This is a nice upgrade.  The addition of extra white balance and highlight/shadow controls are quite useful.  If you don't use Faces (as I don't), it doesn't get in your way.

Richard

[Alto]

Hi All
Bring back the colour icons.

Jon

[marcoborghesi]

In my opinion it's a good update. I notice good improvements in reliability and performance.
Honestly i prefer the old Highlight and Shadows panels just because in my opinion was more complete. Anyway ... with time i can say how and if i like the new ones.
The grey interface it's not really bad ... i think need just time to feel comfortable.
Really nice the new WB Palette and could be useful the iPhoto TAB but not necessarily. I think could be more amazing if they introduced the grain tab in that to.
In generale it's good.

Now i hope they will move on soon for a new release with really new important feature.
M

[gfsymon]

Having a feature doesn't make the software less good than 'not having' a feature.

This is a very good 'point' upgrade.

I think the decision to dumb-down the Highlights and Shadows brick was a mistake, but it's still there if you want it.  Just make a 'Preset' with it and assign a keyboard command to that preset and apply the brick/adjustment at will.  I don't think Apple can remove it, because they need to cater to older images ... so it has to be in there.

Aperture still has many areas where it is much better than Lr (IMHO) and some where it is less good (IMHO).  Overall, I feel that it is a much much better database (Lr isn't a database ... it's a Finder replacement) and as such I feel happier with it.  But apart from that ... honestly ... just the UI of Lr is enough to make me switch to Aperture.

[johnbeardy]

"Lr isn't a database ... it's a Finder replacement"

Nonsense. Its UI provides you both control over Finder, and virtual folders, while Aperture only provides the latter.



[Edit] added a comma for clarity

[gfsymon]

It's not nonsense.

Lr doesn't organise your files internally.  It simply adds its own UI.  It doesn't move them into any system away from the Finder.  They remain in the Finder at all times.  So it is the Finder that is the database.  Aperture offers a Finder UI (referenced) and a true database via 'managed'.

[johnbeardy]

It certainly is nonsense. There's a SQL database that powers everything, and which records and displays where the files were when they were imported or where LR has moved them. In no meaningful sense does LR use Finder folders as a database.

[gfsymon]

There's no option in Lr, that I've ever seen, to have files managed within a database.  Therefore, it seems to me that the Lr system is always at the mercy of missteps made by the user in the Finder.  That's why I suggest it's not a true database, which manages everything from A-Z.

[johnbeardy]

I'm sorry, but you seem to have a very shaky definition of what a database is. Aperture's "managing files in a database" is actually more like "storing managed files in a Mac OS package" or using the OS's file id (I forget what it's called) instead of the folder path (as in LR) to record referenced files' locations in the database SQL. And the last time I looked it only updated properly with referenced files on internal drives. To be honest, you'd be better off looking at the detail before arguing too much over this one

[gfsymon]

Oops.  If you look inside an Aperture library, you will find a true database structure.  (SQL).  The last time you looked must have been before it shipped.

The point I'm making and I don't want to be contentious about this, so I'll just stop here, is that Aperture offers a managed SQL database, where there is no possibility of the database files being handled outside the UI of the database itself (Aperture).  It also offers a referenced system (like Lr) where the database content can be handled in more than one place (Finder and Aperture/Lr).  This AFAIC, is only a half database, because it is using the Finder's filing system and adding its own layer on top.  For example, you wouldn't find a bank running a system where data could be manipulated in 2 separate places (well ... actually all bankers manipulate money in an as many places/ways as they can ... but that's another issue).

[JWB]

Upgraded my copy of Aperture last night. I love the new white balance feature. The auto balance for skin tones works beautifully! I'll probably continue to use the temperature and tint feature for landscapes, but I'll definitely be using the new skin tone white balance feature for portraits in mixed lighting!

I'm not sure about the new highlights and shadows tool. It certainly works differently and produces different results. It's going to take some getting used to on my part.

The application in general seems faster--quite snappy actually.

The new gray interface, to me, seems to emphasize that Aperture is a pro application. It's a nice touch. This means that if I'm not in full screen, the only color on my screen now is the color in the image I'm editing and possibly in the histogram.

Great job Apple. Now, please give me an updated RAW converter with lens profiles! I'll hoping we're getting that with Mountain Lion next month.

For those of you still on Snow Leopard, I wonder what's keeping you from Lion? Don't bother upgrading now for Aperture 3.3. Mountain Lion will be out next month and it will only cost $19 and can be used to upgrade from any previous version of Mac OS X. It's probably worth waiting one month.

[gfsymon]

I'm not sure about the new highlights and shadows tool.

The old one is not lost.  Here's how you get it back :

Find an image that you've used H&S on previously and you will see the old H&S adjustment brick still there.
Make a copy version of your image
trash the other bricks
set H&S to zero and apply to the entire image (in case you had previously brushed it)
Save as preset
(Optionally apply a keyboard shortcut to your preset)

You can now apply the old H&S adjustment to any of your new images if you wish.

(FWIW ... IMO the old H&S adjustment was/is the most interesting tool in Aperture.  I hope they bring it back as an alternative.  File Aperture Feedback if you feel the same.)

[johnbeardy]

"Oops.  If you look inside an Aperture library, you will find a true database structure.  (SQL).  The last time you looked must have been before it shipped."

Try not distorting what I said about "last time I looked" - I specifically referred to the last time I looked how Aperture records file locations, not whether Aperture records data in its SQL database (which of course it does). "Managed", incidentally, is the standard term for one way in which Aperture records file locations and stores them inside the library. I'm sorry, but it's pretty clear you have a loose grasp of what you're talking about. You're not far away, but you need to get your terms sorted out.

[gfsymon]

I wasn't trying to distort anything.  What would be the point in that?

"Aperture's "managing files in a database" is actually more like "storing managed files in a Mac OS package""

I guess this is what I'm responding to.  What does it mean?  It certainly suggests you don't fully understand what Aperture does or what a MacOS package is.

Anyway, aside from that.  I have a pretty good understanding of what a database is and Aperture offers one.  Lr offers a DBMS and that is not a database.  Aperture also offers a DBMS to manage a database outside its own system, as a user choice.  It's not my choice, because I think it's flawed/dangerous in terms of data integrity.

[gfsymon]

OK ... I understand now.  You're actually just trolling because you sell Lr stuff.

[johnbeardy]

Oh, I see, because I prefer Lightroom means I'm not giving you simple facts. Hm. It's more like your failure to understand basic terms like database or package kinda exposes that you're out of your depth.

[johnbeardy]

It's always a mistake to debate anything with someone hiding behind anonymity.....

[michswiss]

Having a feature doesn't make the software less good than 'not having' a feature.

This is a very good 'point' upgrade.

Some of the new features certainly sound interesting.  That said, I make a lot of use of the current H&S tools so am a little wary of the new shadows tools.  Still, I won't be making the update until Mountain Lion comes out.  I can't think of a compelling reason to do two major OS upgrades within a six week period