Mac Aperture compared to Nikon NX-2 for switchover
Jun 15, 2015 16:00:49 #
I have Mac Aperture and I really appreciated its ease of use.
Now Apple is going away with it and I need a new Software program.
I purchased Creative Pro one 8 and I found it to be too cumbersome and designed to the Pro level.
I keep hearing Lightroom is not a favorite of Apple users.
In my search, Nikon's NX-2 seems to do all the adjustments I need, so the question is:
[B]Is it an easy to use software similar to Aperture?[B]
I have Photo Elements 12 for any extensive adjustments.
Now Apple is going away with it and I need a new Software program.
I purchased Creative Pro one 8 and I found it to be too cumbersome and designed to the Pro level.
I keep hearing Lightroom is not a favorite of Apple users.
In my search, Nikon's NX-2 seems to do all the adjustments I need, so the question is:
[B]Is it an easy to use software similar to Aperture?[B]
I have Photo Elements 12 for any extensive adjustments.
Jun 15, 2015 16:22:51 #
[quote=greg14]I have Mac Aperture and I really appreciated its ease of use.
Now Apple is going away with it and I need a new Software program.
I purchased Creative Pro one 8 and I found it to be too cumbersome and designed to the Pro level.
I keep hearing Lightroom is not a favorite of Apple users.
In my search, Nikon's NX-2 seems to do all the adjustments I need, so the question is:
[B]Is it an easy to use software similar to Aperture?[B]
I have Photo Elements 12 for any extensive adjustments.[/quote]
Don't know a thing about Nikon NX but like lots of UHH members, I am an Apple user and Lightroom user for many years and have not experienced any particular problems other than what you'd having learning any software for the first time - what problems are you hearing about? There's sure to be people who can answer your questions about either of the softwares you mentioned.
Now Apple is going away with it and I need a new Software program.
I purchased Creative Pro one 8 and I found it to be too cumbersome and designed to the Pro level.
I keep hearing Lightroom is not a favorite of Apple users.
In my search, Nikon's NX-2 seems to do all the adjustments I need, so the question is:
[B]Is it an easy to use software similar to Aperture?[B]
I have Photo Elements 12 for any extensive adjustments.[/quote]
Don't know a thing about Nikon NX but like lots of UHH members, I am an Apple user and Lightroom user for many years and have not experienced any particular problems other than what you'd having learning any software for the first time - what problems are you hearing about? There's sure to be people who can answer your questions about either of the softwares you mentioned.
Jun 15, 2015 16:55:42 #
greg14 wrote:
... In my search, Nikon's NX-2 seems to do all the adjustments I need, so the question is: Is it an easy to use software similar to Aperture? ...
I have not used the Aperture version but NX2 is very easy to learn and operate. I has been my favorite for years with Nikon raw files.
Lately I have started to use Capture One 8 Pro, which is much more complex (comparable to Lightroom/Photo Shop) and a bit more expensive. It handles Sony and other raw file formats and you can buy it outright like most decent products, unlike the Adobe offerings.
Jun 16, 2015 06:19:43 #
[quote=greg14]I have Mac Aperture and I really appreciated its ease of use.
Now Apple is going away with it and I need a new Software program.
I purchased Creative Pro one 8 and I found it to be too cumbersome and designed to the Pro level.
I keep hearing Lightroom is not a favorite of Apple users.
In my search, Nikon's NX-2 seems to do all the adjustments I need, so the question is:
[B]Is it an easy to use software similar to Aperture?[B]
I have Photo Elements 12 for any extensive adjustments.[/quote]
Word of advice - don't choose or reject a software application because "other Apple users" don't like it. Decide for yourself.
Lightroom is a widely used application by pros and amateurs alike. I teach all of my beginners to use it - both Mac and PC users. Once someone shows you how easily the catalog works, you'll find it's editing controls not all that different from Aperture and you'll be able to start editing images right away.
NX2 is not bad. It is discontinued but still available for around $160. For that you can get 17 months of LR and Photoshop (not Elements but full Photoshop) - one month free trial and $10/mo after the first month. If you are using a camera that produces 12 bit or 14 bit raw files, you are not getting the best out of it if you are usin PSE, which is only an 8 bit application. Both LR and PS are aggressively updated, and PS has been upgraded (new version) 3x in the past 2 1/2 yrs - twice as fast as before.
Now Apple is going away with it and I need a new Software program.
I purchased Creative Pro one 8 and I found it to be too cumbersome and designed to the Pro level.
I keep hearing Lightroom is not a favorite of Apple users.
In my search, Nikon's NX-2 seems to do all the adjustments I need, so the question is:
[B]Is it an easy to use software similar to Aperture?[B]
I have Photo Elements 12 for any extensive adjustments.[/quote]
Word of advice - don't choose or reject a software application because "other Apple users" don't like it. Decide for yourself.
Lightroom is a widely used application by pros and amateurs alike. I teach all of my beginners to use it - both Mac and PC users. Once someone shows you how easily the catalog works, you'll find it's editing controls not all that different from Aperture and you'll be able to start editing images right away.
NX2 is not bad. It is discontinued but still available for around $160. For that you can get 17 months of LR and Photoshop (not Elements but full Photoshop) - one month free trial and $10/mo after the first month. If you are using a camera that produces 12 bit or 14 bit raw files, you are not getting the best out of it if you are usin PSE, which is only an 8 bit application. Both LR and PS are aggressively updated, and PS has been upgraded (new version) 3x in the past 2 1/2 yrs - twice as fast as before.
Jun 16, 2015 06:33:56 #
Gene51 wrote:
... If you are using a camera that produces 12 bit or 14 bit raw files, you are not getting the best out of it if you are usin PSE, which is only an 8 bit application. ...
Although I seldom use it, PSE 11 can open and save 16-bit TIFF files.
Jun 16, 2015 07:12:11 #
selmslie wrote:
Although I seldom use it, PSE 11 can open and save 16-bit TIFF files.
It is limited in it's 16 bit functionality. Layers, many filters and effects are still 8 bit. Opening, saving and converting 16 bit files in ACR doesn't make it a 16 bit capable application.
Jun 16, 2015 07:43:56 #
RON 11
Loc: Pittsburgh
I keep hearing this about Aperture all the time. But it is not going away. If you have it you can continue to use it. I do not see the problem. Downstream you may buy a new camera body that the old Aperture cannot recognize, but other than that, your golden.
Jun 16, 2015 07:47:11 #
RON 11 wrote:
I keep hearing this about Aperture all the time. But it is not going away. If you have it you can continue to use it. I do not see the problem. Downstream you may buy a new camera body that the old Aperture cannot recognize, but other than that, your golden.
The problem is that it is no longer being updated. You get a new unsupported camera you are out of luck. Besides, staying with old software is a false economy, especially with the rapid pace of computer software/hardware and camera development.
Jun 16, 2015 07:49:51 #
Gene51 wrote:
It is limited in it's 16 bit functionality. Layers, many filters and effects are still 8 bit. Opening, saving and converting 16 bit files in ACR doesn't make it a 16 bit capable application.
It is certainly limited and not particularly capable or sophisticated. I sometimes use it to remove spots and scratches but other programs do this well also.
You can easily get around its desire to catalog everything for you, which you can't avoid with Lightroom. I can do that nicely without help.
Jun 16, 2015 08:15:02 #
selmslie wrote:
It is certainly limited and not particularly capable or sophisticated. I sometimes use it to remove spots and scratches but other programs do this well also.
You can easily get around its desire to catalog everything for you, which you can't avoid with Lightroom. I can do that nicely without help.
You can easily get around its desire to catalog everything for you, which you can't avoid with Lightroom. I can do that nicely without help.
I've taken maybe 40 digital pictures of the moon over the past 15 yrs. I have close to 100,000 images in my catalog. Yesterday someone asked me for a specific one. I opened LR, Library module, ctrl-F typed in moon - in less than 1 sec I had all 40 images on my filmstrip. And I still use the file organization scheme I started back in 2000. The LR catalog is just an overlay. No system I have used, manual, homegrown or file browser, can provide this level of access to my "stuff" and only 3 of the images were actually tagged with a keyword. The other 37 were in folders where the word "moon" was in the folder name.
Jun 16, 2015 08:22:59 #
Gene51 wrote:
... No system I have used, manual, homegrown or file browser, can provide this level of access to my "stuff" and only 3 of the images were actually tagged with a keyword. The other 37 were in folders where the word "moon" was in the folder name.
To each his own. I have 1300 folders of scanned negatives and slides that are cataloged in MS Access and another 500 folders of digital images with dates and key words in the folder name.
Not as many images as you have but it does not take me any longer to get to them.
Jun 16, 2015 08:46:01 #
selmslie wrote:
To each his own. I have 1300 folders of scanned negatives and slides that are cataloged in MS Access and another 500 folders of digital images with dates and key words in the folder name.
Not as many images as you have but it does not take me any longer to get to them.
Not as many images as you have but it does not take me any longer to get to them.
The catalog is the key -
Having it inside LR, being able to make collections and smart collections on the fly, etc - totally worth it. I did the access thing back in 2010, got tired of all the extra work involved in adding files to the catalog (using scripts), and extracting metadata (using exiftool), etc - If I want to see all of the pictures I took with one of my D70s's (by serial number) and a 28-105 lens - that information is just a couple of keystrokes away. LR reads all the metadata automatically and EVERYTHING is searchable in a filter, which can be set up as simple or complex, and stored as a preset.
But I feel I am preaching to the choir - since you already have a catalog-based organizing system.
Jun 16, 2015 08:57:30 #
Gene51 wrote:
... But I feel I am preaching to the choir - since you already have a catalog-based organizing system.
Yes, but with one distinction. Having it in Lightroom makes you dependent on Adobe. If something better comes along, what will you do with the Lightroom catalog information?
I am free to use any other editor (I ended up uninstalling Lightroom). I currently use Capture NX2, Capture One 8 Pro and Picture Window Pro. These offer me all of the capabilities I need for digital as well as scanned film and my catalog system is independent.
Jun 16, 2015 09:05:33 #
selmslie wrote:
Yes, but with one distinction. Having it in Lightroom makes you dependent on Adobe. If something better comes along, what will you do with the Lightroom catalog information?
I am free to use any other editor (I ended up uninstalling Lightroom). I currently use Capture NX2, Capture One 8 Pro and Picture Window Pro. These offer me all of the capabilities I need for digital as well as scanned film and my catalog system is independent.
I am free to use any other editor (I ended up uninstalling Lightroom). I currently use Capture NX2, Capture One 8 Pro and Picture Window Pro. These offer me all of the capabilities I need for digital as well as scanned film and my catalog system is independent.
That's why I kept the old filing system. I could stop using LR and start using CaptureOne for instance without missing a beat. More than likely if a better filing system/raw converter came along, in all honestly they would have to provide a LR import tool - if they are serious about making a viable software for professional photographers. So I am not really too concerned. I could always resurrect my Access database and bring it up to date - (not likely, though).
Jun 16, 2015 09:45:48 #
Look in launchpad,,,,aperture is still there and and can still be used...just does not have the seamless interface with I photo or photo...I still use aperture and then upload photos to smug mug. so no long term storage on my computer
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