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Aperture to Photo Transition - Adjustments

I have just been looking at the presentation video "Advance in Core Images" from WDC: https://developer.apple.com/videos/wwdc/2014/


What I have just realised, is that although images, folder structure and metadata can be migrated from Aperture to Photo - Images adjustments very likely cannot be migrated - Apple are changing the underlying mechanism by which image adjustments are being made and the stage in image processing where they are being made. For example, even if both tools have a "Brightness" adjustment, the effect of a 14% change in brightness may well be different.

Also, the set of editing adjustments in Photo will different than Aperture - even if you could migrate some adjustments - what would be the value of migrating some adjustments, but not all?

In an Aperture to Lightroom migration metadata and folder structure information can be retained, original and final images can be retained, but the sticking point for may is that the adjustments and the reversibility of those adjustments cannot be retained. You cannot say, I want the same image, but with a little less sharpening and no noise reduction.

It will be no different in the Aperture to Photo migration.

Posted on Jun 28, 2014 7:51 AM

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Posted on Jun 28, 2014 3:25 PM

The RAW converter in OS X (and thus used by Aperture) has changed significantly 2 or 3 times in the life of Aperture. In each case, you've had the ability to keep the adjustments as-is, or to reprocess the originals with the "new" RAW converter which may introduce some changes in appearance, but may give a better overall conversion. Lightroom has done this as well, I believe twice.


I don't know one way or another, but I'd hope that migrating to Photos would maintain some amount of the adjustments. It's not overly difficult to do this, and again Apple has done it numerous times with Aperture/OS X upgrades over the years.

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Jun 28, 2014 3:25 PM in response to ericnepean

The RAW converter in OS X (and thus used by Aperture) has changed significantly 2 or 3 times in the life of Aperture. In each case, you've had the ability to keep the adjustments as-is, or to reprocess the originals with the "new" RAW converter which may introduce some changes in appearance, but may give a better overall conversion. Lightroom has done this as well, I believe twice.


I don't know one way or another, but I'd hope that migrating to Photos would maintain some amount of the adjustments. It's not overly difficult to do this, and again Apple has done it numerous times with Aperture/OS X upgrades over the years.

Jun 29, 2014 9:22 AM in response to William Lloyd

According to this source, Apple stated that adjustments would be saved "non-destructively":

The company also confirmed that when users transition to the new Photos for OS X app, all their albums, folders, keywords and captions will be preserved. Apple also noted that any edits applied to photos will be retained non-destructively, so hopefully the transition won't be too difficult. (Emphasis added.)

http://www.theverge.com/2014/6/27/5849756/apple-stopping-development-of-aperture -and-iphoto-for-osx

Jun 29, 2014 11:19 AM in response to ericnepean

I hope that these blue dots in the screenshot are buttons for brushes, not just checkmarks to toggle that effect.


But to be honest - after test driving C1 and LR - I am now more concerned about photo management. None of the alternatives have capabilities anywhere close to Aperture. Projects, folders, smart albums and keyword management are close to perfect. Not to mention library handling.

Jun 29, 2014 2:13 PM in response to Chris CA

No?


Note the session is on "advancements in Core Image" and covered iOS and OS X. The session was NOT titled "Here's what's coming in Photos and how it will replace Aperture and iPhoto." It's a developer conference and is intended to show off future technologies to a developer audience. Therefore there was pretty much nothing at all missing.

Jun 29, 2014 6:29 PM in response to Kirby Krieger

Thanks Kirby, that part (in bold) really had me worried, now not so much. The big picture now looks not to bad at all:

- metadata will come across

- organization (albums and projects) will very likely come across - perhaps called by different names

- stacks and smart folders - who knows - manageable I think

- adjustments will come across

- we should get some improved tools regarding sharpening, raw conversion, noise reduction

- plugins will all change - some to be replaced by built in functionality - if plugins can become non destructive this will be a big plus.

- processing speed should be better - might be needed as the world moves beyond 20Mp images and 4K video

- cloud storage - useful option

Jun 30, 2014 2:13 AM in response to ericnepean

I must admit I am worried; with over 250 000 RAW pictures (over 2 T on external hard disks) and hundreds of folders, subfolders, slide shows etc etc, does this mean I'm dead in the water ?

I started using Aperture when it first came out after I heard photographers at National Geographic say it was better than sliced bread. And I learned to love it and quickly totally gave up LR and Adobe products...

Can someone reassure me ?

Jun 30, 2014 8:28 AM in response to Marc P

Aperture's big update is in facts the new Photo app. Aperture is very old code, and simply can not be kept up any longer. Making it open source would be like making a model T open source, fun, but useless. The new technologies in OS X now, and in to Yosemite will open up huge abilities. Third party apps can access the library, interact with Photos, 3rd party plugins will be infinitely easier to write and implement, and the speed and power will increase 10 fold.


I do not understand why anyone is "worried" that Aperture is being replaced with a BETTER application?


Use Aperture for now. Watch what happens when Photos is release, we'll all be blown away and using it.


Yes, this is FANTASTIC news for us Aperture users. And I'm a certified Aperture trainer!

Jun 30, 2014 8:34 AM in response to William Lloyd

William Lloyd wrote:


No?


Note the session is on "advancements in Core Image" and covered iOS and OS X. The session was NOT titled "Here's what's coming in Photos and how it will replace Aperture and iPhoto." It's a developer conference and is intended to show off future technologies to a developer audience. Therefore there was pretty much nothing at all missing.

Yet, notice the OP is questioning migrating away from Aperture?

Jun 30, 2014 8:49 AM in response to Chris CA

Note that the WWDC video on the CoreImage session use an interface IDENTICAL to Photo, but white instead of gray. I think we can put 1 and 1 together. Apple also told an interviewer that Photo would have the same adjustment, metadata, cataloging, search power of Aperture and iPhoto, and more so.

Jun 30, 2014 10:17 AM in response to BenB

After thinking it through Ben, I agree with your assessment. I think Apple has a more strategic objective here.


Adobe, Apple and others all have the problem that most plugins are "destructive" or non reversible, and so to maintain feature set parity with reversible edits, the tool vendor has to develop all those leading edge tools, which becomes more and more difficult as feature sets become more advanced, diverse, and complex. It also the case that not every tool is used by every user (even advanced users), so many users end up paying for tools they do not use.


I was wondering some months ago if it would make sense to develop a photo platform where 3rd party vendors can provide plugins with reversible effect. This would take the burden off Apple to develop all the latest tools. It would also allow Apple to provide incremental tools sets as plugins. And it allows the user to customize his photo platform according to his skill level and preferred way of working.


In a sense this is a business/ technical decision similar to smart phones, where much of the SW and features are provided by 3rd party vendors, and the platform vendor provides a store where users can buy 3rd party SW, which integrates deeply with the platform due to the API provided by the platform vendor (Apple, Google etc.)


I think Apple is way ahead of me here.

Aperture to Photo Transition - Adjustments

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