Tech Shout!

Apple Aperture 1.1 had been updated. Apple Aperture is the all-in-one post production tool for photographers that runs on both Intel- and PowerPC-based Macs.

Apple Aperture 1.1 has an improved RAW image rendering and a new set of advanced RAW adjustment controls.

Apple Aperture 1.1 offers an impressive speed gains on any Mac including desktop performance on a MacBook Pro with image adjustments and searching up to 4x faster. Apple decreased the price of Aperture to $299, bringing Aperture within reach of anyone shooting with a digital SLR camera.

Rob Schoeben, Apple’s vice president of Applications Marketing said, “Since Aperture launched just over four months ago, we’ve been incredibly focused on improving image quality and performance, working closely with pro photographers to get it right in 1.1.”

“Apple Aperture’s 1.1 RAW quality and overall speed and its new low price has never been a better time for professional and hobbyists alike to take the art and craft of photography to the next level.”

Apple said that RAW image rendering in Aperture 1.1 has been significantly improved in areas such as noise reduction, sharpening and highlight recovery. New RAW Fine Tuning controls allow photographers to tweak decodes settings such as boost, sharpening and chroma blur. Aperture 1.1 also sports a new built-in color meter displays pixel values in RGB, Lab or CMYK in the Adjustments HUD (heads up display) or in Aperture’s Loupe magnifying viewer.

Apple Aperture 1.1 has enhanced export controls, which make it easier to output images at specific resolutions and improve the handling of layered Photoshop files. Aperture 1.1 offers support for the Nikon D200 and Canon 30D, as well as dozens of reliability and performance improvements.

Apple Aperture 1.1 gives significant performance gains on both PowerPC-based and the new Intel-based Macs providing photographers with desktop level experience on the new MacBook Pro and delivering a powerful entry-level photography workstation on the new Intel-based iMac.

Apple said that performance tests on a MacBook Pro have shown that common repetitive workflow tasks such as Lift and Stamp and searching are processed up to 4x faster on a MacBook Pro than on a PowerBook G4.

Aperture 1.1 is available as a free Software Update to current Aperture 1.0 customers. Additionally, early adopters of Aperture 1.0 can claim a $200 coupon redeemable at the Apple Online Store by visiting www.apple.com/promo/aperture/.