Aperture 1.1 was available this morning via Software Update on my PowerBook G4. I’ve been using Aperture on a PowerBook from the beginning, and have been waiting for the 1.1 release to provide better performance when working with big RAW files. That day is here. I downloaded the update and went to work.
Many people will comment on the new color values readout that’s available in the HUD and the Digital Loupe. Nice addition, but the three truly important changes are improved RAW decoding, faster performance on a PowerBook G4, and UB compatibility on the new MacBook Pro. After just a morning of testing, Apple appears to deliver on all three counts.
When you first fire up 1.1, you’re greeted with this screen (below). The library update went smoothly on one of my smaller libraries, and I’m going to test updating a bigger one later today. The workflow was smoother on the G4 that previously with the 1.0 version, and I’m looking forward to burning through a large project with this update, just so I can get to know how all the different functions perform.
As for RAW decoding… well, that’s going to take some side by side testing with 1.0 decodes. My first impression is that the rendering of my .CR2 files from a Canon 5D and Digital Rebel XT look good. Very good.
Of course the real temptation is to get a MacBook Pro. If only they had the 17″ model ready…
If you don't have Aperture yet, and are considering it, Apple has sweetened the pot by lowering the price to $299. That's the price I was looking for from the beginning. Glad they made that adjustment.
Not only that. If you already bought it they are offering you a $200 voucher good at the Apple Store. Aperture Acedemic users get $100.
http://www.apple.com/promo/aperture/
Do you know if it's compatible with the Canon EOS D30?
I know that's an ancient camera, but for me it has a lot of life left in it.
Many thanks.
D
Aperture does support the Canon D30
Here is a link that shows all of the camera support....
http://www.apple.com/aperture/raw/
I've really been wanting Aperture for use on my PowerBook G4 and Canon 20D. So, this is good news. In your experience do you think the Aperture performance would be acceptable with the following specs?
Machine Model: PowerBook5,6
CPU Type: PowerPC G4 (1.2)
Number Of CPUs: 1
CPU Speed: 1.67 GHz
L2 Cache (per CPU): 512 KB
Memory: 2 GB
Performance on a PowerBook G4... well, after further testing, it's clear that Aperture 1.1 does not improve performance on the G4, but it runs great on a MacBook Pro. So at the moment, I don't recommend buying Aperture if you're going to run it solely on a PowerBook. And I highly recommend it for running on a MacBook Pro.