jimmymac928 Loc: NY & FL

Given I have 25,000 images in Aperture, I was just a little upset to find that Apple is no longer supporting that software.

I think that new versions of the operating system will not be compatible and I assume new cameras shooting in RAW will not be handled.

So, what to do? And, how to do the conversion most efficiently.

Does one go to Lightroom and move existing raw "masters" and edited "versions" over?

Any help would be most appreciated.

Bill_de Loc: US

Shouldn't be a problem.

http://www.google.com/search?q=convert+aperture+files+to+lightroom&rls=com.microsoft:en-US:IE-Address&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&sourceid=ie7&rlz=1I7ADFA_enUS433&gws_rd=ssl

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Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

Apple announced Aperture was done over a year ago, when they did I moved my 20,000 odd images from an Aperture Managed Library over to Lightroom fairly easily. I exported all my originals (a section at a time) into a temporary folder then imported them into Lightroom and placed them in a folder structure making them referenced in aperture terms. With each section successfully moved I became bolder and did larger and larger sections, then a final section that was quite large - everything went without a hitch. Lastly any finished files were exported as the edited version and imported into Lightroom.

Newer versions of Lightroom make the process a bit easier since it can access the aperture library file and handle the conversion for you.

If you were comfortable with Aperture, you should feel right at home with Lightroom, and be pleased with the improvements ;)

As for Aperture supporting newer cameras for raw conversion - Aperture did not do any raw conversion, that was built into the OS - always was, and as new cameras come out, Apple Digital Camera Raw Conversion will be updated to support Photos - Aperture would get that same ability to read new raw formats, HOWEVER, Aperture would get zero support from Apple, no new features, and may be phased out completely with a new OS.

BTW - I found that I prefer Adobe Camera Raw conversion vs Apple Digital Camera Raw. BUT that is a personal choice.

Get comfortable with Lightroom concepts for how to manage your files - there are tons of videos on the internet that will point you in the right direction, including a huge library free from Adobe here: http://tv.adobe.com

You can download Lightroom free for 30 days to try before buying, and look at the Creative Cloud Photographer's Package - $9.99 a month for Lightroom AND Photoshop - best deal around in my opinion.

And just because it has Cloud in the name - all software resides on your computer, all editing resides on your computer, and all your images reside on your system wherever you wish to place them. Nothing is uploaded to the "cloud" unless you want.

JD750 Loc: SoCal

You missed that memo from Apple back in June of 2014?

The good news is Apertures still works, at least up through El Capitan. The bad news is nobody knows how long it will continue to work and at some point it will cease to work. It is not supported anymore. So making a plan to move on is a really good idea.

The other bad news is any Versions created in Aperture will not translate to another software. In other words all the Aperture edited Versions must be exported from Aperture as JPEGs or TIFFS in order to preserve the edits.

It sounds like you are using a Managed library. You are going got have to convert that entire library to a referenced library. Additionally you are going to have to export edited versions.

I spite of all the posts that will say "no problem move to XXX software" I am going to say:

(1) Make a plan for exporting and filing/cataloging all the Masters AND all the Aperture Versions. Do this First. Do this ASAP. This must be done while Aperture still works.

After that....

(2) create a test folder. Copy some files, projects, etc into it.
(3) Test out different softwares using the test folder. Find a software you like
(4) Try converting using the test folder.
(5) Convert the Aperture Library slowly don't expect to be able
to do it in one step. It will take time.

jimmymac928 Loc: NY & FL

This guidance is very helpful.

The conversion will be time consuming, and I hope I do not encounter and "speed bumps" along the way.

I wonder if there are any Aperture or Lightroom experts that will do the conversion for a fee, as a consultant?

jimmymac928 Loc: NY & FL

Very thoughtful. Now how do I find the time to do all this?

f8lee Loc: New Mexico

There is a program called Aperture Exporter (from Blue Pill software) - https://apertureexporter.com - that will perform the exporting of versions (as well as raw files) out of Aperture and creates a target that you can import in LR.

I did this (50K+images) and it worked, but the Projects I created in Aperture did not 'translate' over to become LR Collections.

Since I didn't have that many edited versions to worry about (and I realized i could replicate whatever cropping etc I had done anyway) I canned that process and, after ensuring that ALL the Aperture images were set up as referenced files I just did the direct Import from Aperture process that now comes with LR CC2015. That worked pretty well, actually - my Projects are no appearing as Catalogs in LR so at least I can find images where I originally placed them.

The reason I mention ensuring the files are all referenced in Aperture is that any images not referenced get "exported" and stored in a new folder that Aperture sets up (by default in your Pictures folder) called Lightroom Masters (as i recall).

BigBear Loc: Northern CT

Even though Apple stopped producing updates to Aperture, it will continue to work and the people at the Apple stores will still help people with it.

As long as it continues to work, I will keep using it.

Dngallagher Loc: Wilmington De.

The problem is that it had to be patched to work with Yosemite, and now Macs are running El Capitan as the most current OS - there will be no support to keep it running, so you pays your money and you takes your chances ;)

At some point Aperture may stop working in El Capitan or in the next OS, just like other software stopped working as operating systems advanced (Windows, Mac & Linux).

IMHO, if your life revolves around your photos, why would you run old software till it stops working? Why would you run an OS that is well past?

Not me, I would look to move away from Aperture well before it denies access to the files ;)

JD750 Loc: SoCal

And the Ostrich sticks it's head in the ground and thinks it is safe from harm because it can't see the danger.

Presumably you have a plan for what to do when Aperture quits working. It ultimately will quit working one day the OS marches onward. Making a plan is really what this thread is about.

If you choose not to make a plan that's fine with me. :)

I'm here to help OP, who is thinking about the future.

JD750 Loc: SoCal

Hi Jimmymac, nice handle.

I am sorry that this chore is so time consuming. Perhaps there are those who will do this service for you. Inquire around. Please make sure to sign a contract and keep a backup of the library you give to anyone who provides this service.

So how does one eat an elephant? Ans: A little at a time.

I did it by sitting down for an hour, here a half hour there, whatever I could manage, I tried to do a little every day. I kept a notebook, on progress so as not to lose continuity during gaps when I couldn't do it. This was a marathon not a sprint.

It would be nice if there was a converter that one could press Go on and presto the Aperture library, Projects, Folders, edited files, Slideshows, and all metadata are now reproduced in the New Editing software library. But there is no such thing.

There are Apps that can aid in the exporting from Aperture and Adobe has an importer. These apps IMHO can help with the process but are not perfect turnkey solutions.

If you do it yourself you will have much more control over the process and the end results. If you let someone or something (software) do it for you it will save time initially but you lose some control of the results and perhaps lose some data too. And time may be required to restore that data.

So those are the things to consider.