# Best alternatives to Aperture?



## 50730

I always used Aperture to edit and enhance my photos, but not long ago Apple stopped its development. *(why!? )*

Since the app is no longer available and won't be getting any future updates I think it's time to switch to another app. Do any of you know some good alternatives to Aperture? I would like an app that lets me do about the same stuff that I could do in Aperture. *Please don't name Photoshop, I don't want to pay every month for a software. I also don't want to use the built-in Photos app to edit photos because it doesn't have as much features as Aperture.*

Thank you everyone!


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## IllusionX

Go with Lightroom

Edit: oh wait, Lightroom has been upgraded to monthly plan too.


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## Captstn

You can still purchase the stand alone Adobe Photoshop Lightroom 6
Lightroom
But I am not sure how much longer this option will continue.


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## 50730

Thanks, I think I'll go with the stand alone version of Lightroom.


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## keebler27

Hi Writer,

I wouldn't jump ship too fast.

Sure, Aperture's development is dead, but the app still works and most likely (no official confirmation) will for another OS version or 2.

It still works for me.

That said, some alternatives are:

LR as mentioned

Capture 1 (apparently very good). Standalone version is approx. $300 I believe

Mylio is another interesting app. Cross platform between Windows & Mac. Not cheap - $50 to $250 billed annually (USD funds so tack on more for CDN I believe).

There are a few others, but those are the big ones.

I'm hanging on for now and hoping Apple adds Aperture-like features or allows third party features for Photos.

This isn't for my business so I do have the luxury of time so I don't know what I'd do if not.

Cheers and good luck,
Keebler


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## macfoto

Photos should improve with the next version of OS X as it will support third party extensions. I don't know how it compares to Aperture or Lightroom, but GraphicConverter is a versatile program.


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## pm-r

I do very little with any photos but I got an email suggesting a possible Arperature replacement not long ago, called *Emulsion*.

Just a suggestion and I don't use it but available via here:
http://www.macupdate.com/app/mac/54376/emulsion


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## IllusionX

Writer said:


> Thanks, I think I'll go with the stand alone version of Lightroom.


Development for CS6 also has halted just like aperture. I would continue using aperture for a while still...


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## 50730

IllusionX said:


> I would continue using aperture for a while still...





keebler27 said:


> I'm hanging on for now and hoping Apple adds Aperture-like features or allows third party features for Photos.


Yeah, I think I'll continue using Aperture until it stops working. I will also look into the apps you suggested me. Thank you for the suggestions.


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## 50730

macfoto said:


> ...GraphicConverter is a versatile program.





pm-r said:


> ...I got an email suggesting a possible Arperature replacement not long ago, called *Emulsion*.


I'll look into these too, thanks.


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## yeeeha

There is the open source darktable. Steep learning curve. But give it some effort to learn the app, the processing result can be slightly better than using Lightroom. I am learning how to use it on and off in the last half a year.


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## eMacMan

> There is the open source darktable. Steep learning curve. But give it some effort to learn the app, the processing result can be slightly better than using Lightroom. I am learning how to use it on and off in the last half a year.


Will give this one a try. Have not rebuilt yet the sandbox volume after a recent HD fail. This will give me an excuse to do that. Poor old PS Elements is very long in the tooth but still does the job. 

Sadly other potential replacements require Lion or even Yosemite, and I will be hanging in with Snow Leopard for as long as I can.


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## slipstream

Maybe check out the new Affinity Photo https://affinity.serif.com/en-us/photo/ . If their intuitive and powerful Affinity Designer vector drawing app is any indication, especially at that introductory price, Photo looks very interesting.


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## Jazzboy

*Photos a disaster*

Made a huge mistake moving my Aperture library into Photos. It somehow corrupted the file, and now when I open Aperture it is empty, my carefully planned categories for my 32,000-odd photos lost, star ratings lost, inability to find the pictures in Finder, inability to edit pictures via Photoshop ... Lightshop, here I come ...


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## eMacMan

There is a reason many of us recommend having a tested clone or disk image before tackling such changes. It makes it really easy to get back to the pre-disaster starting point.

Alternatively make sure everything post switch is backed to the hilt then use Time Machine to get back to where you started.


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## hexdiy

Affinity Photo? http://www.ehmac.ca/photography-focus/134178-anyone-trying-affinity-photo-beta.html
Edit: sorry, I see this has already been posted.


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## Jazzboy

Good idea, thanks.


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## slipstream

Jazzboy said:


> Made a huge mistake moving my Aperture library into Photos. It somehow corrupted the file, and now when I open Aperture it is empty, my carefully planned categories for my 32,000-odd photos lost, star ratings lost, inability to find the pictures in Finder, inability to edit pictures via Photoshop ... Lightshop, here I come ...


Are you sure the file structure is gone? Did you open the sidebar in Photos? I had thought the same thing until I expanded the folders. Then I just dragged all my original folders into the root and all was well. Although I had a managed library, not referenced.


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## eMacMan

yeeeha said:


> There is the open source darktable. Steep learning curve. But give it some effort to learn the app, the processing result can be slightly better than using Lightroom. I am learning how to use it on and off in the last half a year.


Interesting approach with absolutely no menu items. I eventually found the control to rotate an image but found a simple 90° rotation very difficult to achieve. Still trying to find the undo command, hint it's not the universal "command z". Never did manage to get an image to display big enough to allow me to work on it.

FWIW I don't use iPhoto or Aperture, or Light Room to organize my images. My folder method is adequate for my needs and Preview allows me to go through an entire folder in a few seconds as I pick images for a particular need or slideshow.

Doubt that this is for me, although there are some fairly powerful tools available. Will play a bit more later. It is completely non-destructive, original image was never touched.


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## Moscool

Writer, it depends what you shoot and if the library functionality and advanced key wording are important to you.

Lightroom, like Aperture is particularly suited to shooting RAW: non destructive editing and very small side-car files indicating all the changes. It has brilliant keywording and multiple tools which render Photoshop almost (but not quite) redundant.

I have played with Photos a little bit since release and the basic editing tools aren't too bad. The problem is the file duplication.

I use Lightroom for all my 'proper' photos and Photos for snaps. Adobe has made it easy to migrate to them:

Adobe Lightroom

A word of caution: the RAW 'engines' are different on both apps, so you may find some differences. For critical images you may want to export to TIFF or be prepared to carry out some minor adjustments once in Lightroom.

In term of version, Adobe has committed to supporting a stand-alone version of LR but their promises are roughly equivalent to Google pledging to do 'No Evil' and Apple supporting pro apps...

I'm working off version 4 and the only thing I miss in version 6 is HDR. Not an issue as I also have Photoshop 5. I would suggest you invest in LR6 or purchase a cheap copy of LR4 or 5 (check out that the Serial is unused/unregistered).


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## CubaMark

eMacMan said:


> Still trying to find the undo command, hint it's not the universal "command d". Never did manage to get an image to display big enough to allow me to work on it.


I've played with Aperture a bit, but I'm pretty sure that UNDO was the regular, universal Command-*Z*.


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## eMacMan

CubaMark said:


> I've played with Aperture a bit, but I'm pretty sure that UNDO was the regular, universal Command-*Z*.


Oops typo should have been "command z"

Was referring to the open source Darkroom app. No idea why they wandered from that universal key command for undo, or where they wandered to.

Like I said so far this one falls into the may be useful but not for me category.


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## SoyMac

*Warning For Aperture Users, re: El Capitan*

*Warning for Aperture users:*
If you upgrade your Apple OS to OS X El Capitan (10.11), you will permanently lose the ability to open Aperture.
Gone.
It happened to me today.

Now I'm desperately trying to find an Aperture replacement that isn't Adobe ransomware.


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## SoyMac

I watched the impressive demo of Affinity, so I downloaded the trial tonight.

For anyone who is interested in Affinity, here is an Affinity comment thread from DP Review...

Re: Affinity Photo Review: Mac Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review


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## CubaMark

SoyMac said:


> *Warning for Aperture users:*
> If you upgrade your Apple OS to OS X El Capitan (10.11), you will permanently lose the ability to open Aperture.(


SoyMac, all hope may not be lost. Aperture is reported to *work* and *not work* depending on the case at hand. I suggest you poke around in Apple's Discussion Forum and do a few web searches, you may find that Aperture isn't as dead as you think!


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## Captstn

SoyMac said:


> *Warning for Aperture users:*
> If you upgrade your Apple OS to OS X El Capitan (10.11), you will permanently lose the ability to open Aperture.
> Gone.
> It happened to me today.
> 
> Now I'm desperately trying to find an Aperture replacement that isn't Adobe ransomware.


You can still get Adobe Lightroom as a stand alone program.
Here


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## yeeeha

eMacMan said:


> Interesting approach with absolutely no menu items.


That's the big surprise/shock when I tried darktable the very first time.



> I eventually found the control to rotate an image but found a simple 90° rotation very difficult to achieve. Still trying to find the undo command, hint it's not the universal "command z".


Image rotation is in the "crop and rotate" module on the right side panel. To get exactly a 90 deg rotation, right-click on "angle" to call up a curve panel. Type "90" on the curve panel and hit return. In fact this is how users enter an exact value for most adjustment in darktable. I can't remember if I learn this through the darktable manual, or the pretty good ebook but written based on an older version of darktable, or after watching a video tutorial.



> Never did manage to get an image to display big enough to allow me to work on it.


I roll the mouse wheel to enlarge the display.



> It is completely non-destructive, original image was never touched.


This is the good thing with darktable, just like Lightroom.



> No idea why they wandered from that universal key command for undo, or where they wandered to.


This is a puzzle for me too. I read it here that darktable started out as a s/w for the Linux community, and probably because there wasn't (and still isn't) a version of Lightroom for Linux OS. Then someone wanted a Mac version of darktable, so a group ported the s/w over. Perhaps the non-Mac keyboard shortcuts came from the initial Linux development.

As to "undo", I still don't know how to do that with a keyboard shortcut.

As much as darktable is quite powerful, Lightroom is still my primary s/w for image processing. I only open darktable every now and then to learn how to use it, just in case one day Adobe finally abandons the standalone version of Lightroom.


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## CubaMark

*For those considering Lightroom, Adobe just gave you a gift:*

*Adobe Makes iOS Lightroom Apps Completely Free*

Adobe has made the iPhone and iPad Lightroom photo workflow apps completely free to use, no longer requiring a signup for a Creative Cloud subscription, or ownership of the desktop application.

_“We’re seeing alot of people come in first on Lightroom mobile, so now we’re allowing people to use it locally on their local assets, their local photos and videos on their phone and tablet for as long as they like,” Adobe’s director of product management for digital imaging, Tom Hogarty, explained to The Next Web._​
The iOS apps have always been a free download, but previously could only be used for a thirty-day trial without a license or subscription.

Adobe has updated the apps with several new features, including built-in camera app, a dehazing tool, and more. The apps also hook to Photoshop Fix and Premier Clip. Clip still requires an Adobe ID.​
(AppleInsider via MacTrast)


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## SINC

Thanks for the heads up CM, will give it a test to see if it improves my current programs that I use now that it is free.


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## SoyMac

*Affinity: Not yet?*

This blogger's warning about Affinity:

Affinity Photo — No Good For Photography | inconsequence


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## SoyMac

Captstn said:


> You can still get Adobe Lightroom as a stand alone program.
> Here


Thanks, Captstn.
I would consider purchasing LightRoom outright, but I'm not interested in the subscription (paying for it forever).


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## SoyMac

*Aperture back and now working under Mavericks!*

Hi Friends!
Big positive news!
I got Aperture back, upgraded, and working fine under Mavericks. 

Here's how I did it (from the Apple Help discussion boards):

1. Check appstore purchases to ensure Aperture is there.
2. Log-out of the AppStore
3. Move your own Aperture 3.5.1 to the trash - do not delete.
4. Open App Store and go to purchases.
5. Aperture should now show an install button. Press the install button.
6. Aperture 3.6 should now install.

Check it works, then empty the trashed copy.
Job done !


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## chas_m

If that's the final version (and I think it is), you should be good to go through El Capitan. Beyond that ... nobody yet knows.

In the meantime, extensions have started appearing for Photos. I have some from Macphun, waiting (impatiently) for Athentech and OnOne to get on board. If the great PS plugin makers create extensions for Photos, I have to admit that this will largely replace Photoshop for what I use it for (mostly photography enhancement) alongside Pixelmator (for other PS type image editing).


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## pm-r

SoyMac said:


> Hi Friends!
> Big positive news!
> I got Aperture back, upgraded, and working fine under Mavericks.
> 
> Here's how I did it (from the Apple Help discussion boards):
> … … …
> Job done !



Some will appreciate this I'm sure and maybe you could send your comments and fix to
Application Compatibility Table â€” RoaringApps
where it seems it has an unknown rating for Mavericks.


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## OldeBullDust

Opps

Sorry! I posted into the thread, meant to start another

Didn't mean to jump into the middle of this one - just trying to do way too much at once.

Althought, it is slightly related

EDIT: 15/10/19


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## egremont

Henry's is offering a 50.00 deal on the Macphun bundle, which includes: Creative Kit and Focus Pro 2. 

Considered opinions about this software please. 

I am an Aperture user currently. Not using many of the features beyond basics , cropping, straightening, sharpening, exposure. I have Photoshop Elements 10 installed but not in use.

I have the winter coming to play and learn.


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