bvargas Loc: Palm Harbor, Florida

Any Pros & Cons on which is better/easier to use? I use Mac and have just gotten Aperture. I see more articles and looks like more are using Lightroom. The main reason I can conclude is, if you are using Photoshop, then you should use Lightroom.
Any suggestions would be helpful. Also what is the best way to learn how to use each. Thanks BVargas

DebiB

I started using Aperture right before Lightroom came out, so I am married to it at this point. It is basically the same engine underneath, but Adobe has really put some work into Lightroom so that it has more features, and subsequent headaches. If given the chance to do it over, I would choose Lightroom, but that being said, I get great results with Aperture. Cataloging, tagging, image manipulation are all there. I can pop images right into Photoshop or Photomatix plug-ins. If you already have it, embrace it an learn to use all of its amazing features. It will keep you busy for quite some time.

Creakj

Can I ask Aperture user a simple question? How do I rename a master/version after I downloaded the photos? I can't figure out that simple problem. Thanks.

JimH Loc: Western South Jersey, USA

Aperture is an Apple-only product, so the size of its user base will never approach the offerings from Adobe. However, that should not be taken as a measure of its quality or suitability for the job at hand. Most of the reviews I've seen have been glowing, but by the same token, most Apple users would never think of bad-mouthing a Cupertino product, for fear that the Ghost of Steve will visit them at night and install Windows Vista on their iPhones...

Adubin Loc: Indialantic, Florida

I have a Mac Laptop with Lightroom 3 and PS CS4 where I do all my PP. I think the combination of both are great. You can add Plug-ins to LR3. Also these both programs work seamless together. You can download LR3 for 30 days to try out too see if you like. Adobe, Linda.com, NAPP (Scott Kelby), YouTube have training videos and books (Some are Free). LR3 is more popular because it works both on Mac and PC and Adobe is associated with it. Hope this helps, Arnold

DebiB

To creakj:

Select all photos that you want to change. Go to Metadata, select Batch Change. Version Name Format is a drop down menu, select custom name, choose the option you prefer. Check the box Apply to Master Files. This will rename the files.

Poke Loc: West Virginia

That is a tough question to answer. I think if someone tells you flat out one is truly better than the other, they have more a bias than anything. I have both Lightroom 3 and Aperture 3. Both have incredible editing abilities making trips to photoshop only necessary for advanced editing. Both give you all the necessary elements to organize your photos and when properly used allows easier access to your photos. I use Aperture 99% of the time because I love it and I started using it before LR3 and am therefore, more familiar with its interface. Once you get use to one type of interface, it makes the other one more difficult to navigate. I do find that Adobe seems to get raw support out faster than Apple. Both have plug-ins and of the plug-ins that I have been interested in they all were supported in both softwares. Both LR3 and A3 easily link to Photoshop. I find the interface in A3 more simple and faster to work in but that probably has more to do with my familiarity with the software than anything. I think this is one of those you can't go wrong decisions. I also prefer Final Cut Pro to Adobe Premiere Pro but for much of the same reasons as discussed (delivers what I need and am familiar with it). Lightroom has been better for a longer time therefore once you start with it you would tend to stay with it due to the pain of learning a new interface and transferring your photos from one library to another. That is why I think LR is probably more popular. Aperure IMO was not that good, Aperture 2 was significantly better and Aperture 3 is great. A good reference is Aperture 3 Tips, Tricks and Tutorials Volume 1 by David Schloss.

Adubin Loc: Indialantic, Florida

Poke, I agree with what you are saying, and the main thing is once you master an application it becomes a waste of time to switch to another equivalent one. Arnold