14 DAY TRIAL // A big update has been released for Aperture 3 customers this week, following the introduction of several new MacBook models at WWDC 2012, as well as multiple other software updates for the company’s own iPhoto and iMovie applications.
Aperture 3.3 gets a new unified photo library for both iPhoto (v 9.3 or later) and Aperture. Users aren’t required to carry out any import/export actions and are being assured by Apple that Faces, Places, slideshows, albums and web sharing all work across both apps.
The professional photography application gets support for AVCHD video, and the ability to use camera-generated previews for faster browsing of RAW files immediately after import.
An updated Highlights & Shadows tool delivers higher quality results and works with extended range data, while a new Auto Enhance button now aids users who frequently visit the Adjustments panel.
There’s a new White Balance tool which includes Skin Tone and Natural Gray modes to simplify color balance. The White Balance tool also gets an Auto button for one-click color balancing.
Users can now set desktop commands via the Share menu and a new Manual option allows them to drag and drop projects to customize the sort order in the Projects view.
Setting the background brightness of the full screen browser can now be done via a newly added option in the preferences.
When accounts are selected in the source list, the various album functions in Aperture (Facebook, Flickr, and MobileMe) are now displayed as thumbnails in the main window.
Aperture 3.3 also addresses issues related to overall performance and stability, Apple says. Other changes include:
· 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