Aperture vs. iView as a photo manager

So, I've been reading a lot of the pro's and con's of aperture as a raw conversion tool, but I haven't been able to really find anybody talking about the pros/cons of Aperture as simply a photo management tool against programs such as iView. Opinions? Basically I'm wondering if it's going to be beneficial to buy the program now, learn the interface and use it as I would use iView so that once they get all the bugs worked out I can start doing my raw conversions with it as well.

They really are difficult to compare, as each does things the other doesn't. And you are asking about Aperture's strongest features.
I have not yet used iView 3, so my comments are about 2.6, 3 has some new features that compare favorably to Aperture
So my take:
iView:
Pro -
Handles very large libraries (I currently have about 85000 images in my iview catalog)
Handles images regardless of where they are stored (online, offline, across many drives, dvds, tapes, whatever)
Extraordinarily fast
Very robust file-format support
Fantastic slideshow and web export, adequate contact sheets
Extremely deep (and correctly implemented) metadata support
Seamlessly integrates with all third-party "helper apps" - whatever, and however many you choose
Con -
No side-by-side compare
No raw editing
Limited file conversion options
Can be a little sluggish when importing (not when viewing) raw files
Raw support depends on third-party drivers
Slightly clunky interface
Aperture -
Pro -
Beautiful, realtime interface
Stacks
Raw editing (though low-quality)
Versions
Side-by-side viewing/comparing
Con -
Files locked up in local library
Only handles online, local files
No archiving support
Very limited file-format support
Poorly implemented metadata support (ignores metadata from other apps, does not export metadata to other apps)
Poorly implemented "external editor" support (very difficult to access raw files)
Limited slideshow/web export. Adequate contact sheets
Very poor quality exported files
Basically - if Aperture could handle files from multiple locations (especially offline files) it would completely clobberize iView. But it doesn't, and although the side-by-side compare and stacks and versions are wonderful, Aperture's library and "doesn't play well with others" attitude makes it a mediocre (if not outright poor) digital asset management tool at this point in time.

Similar Messages

  • Aperture as a general photo managment tool

    Hi
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    using the vult would only back the libarary photos and i am not sure how i can export photos to clear some harddisk space at the same time be able to access them using aperture.
    is there any web site or books about "how to manage you photo library "
    thanks

    Jeff - I have a PB and have no issues using the external Lacie FW800 with this. What's really neat is once I have it mapped right in preferences on both the G5 and PB, I can go anywhere and still have the most updated records go with me, eg ratings etc. The problem with running dual systems is when you for example add a keyword on one system - it is written within the local system, not in the Aperture library, so it is not in the menu when used on the other system.
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  • Re-locating metadata after migration to Aperture 3 from ACDSee photo manager

    Hi all,
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    I've faced the same problem too, and am making a little progress. The most important metadata for me is the rating (I'm still working on keywords etc) and I've managed to port that to Aperture by embedding it in an unused IPTC field in ACDSee and then searching for that field in Aperture, setting the rating as I go.
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  • Work Flow + Two External Drives + Aperture -vs- iView MediaPro

    Greetings!
    Hoped for end result: 30 GB of photos available at home and office. Freed up hard drive space on MacBook Pro. An organized system for locating photos.
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    Recently, I have moved 30 GB of images from iPhoto to an external drive (actually to two different external drives). I do not plan to use iPhoto in the future (only minimal use). Insights on the following would be appreciated:
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    (3) The majority of Apple Discussion users seem dedicated to using Aperture. What do you see as the benefits of Aperture -vs- iView MediaPro? Yes, I know the latter in now owned my MS.
    (4) Still not totally sure, the best way, to workflow my photos with with the dual external drives and Aperture. Your guidance, please.
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    STEP THREE - load them into my home external drive.
    STEP FOUR - The next time I am in the office load the original jpegs (folder "A") onto my office external drive.
    STEP FIVE - Delete the originals photos from folder "A", keeping my MBP hard drive space freed up.
    STEP SIX - unsure ... somehow connect the new photos on the office external drive with Aperture (or iView MediaPro).
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    Kind regards,
    Bill Siegrist
    [email protected]

    Bill-
    If all you are doing is managing 30 GB of pre-existing JPEGs in 2007 iVMP is probably superior. However I would venture a guess that you also intend to capture new images with your DSLR. For that you very much want Aperture. And IMO moving to 2008 and beyond Aperture's potential far exceeds iVMP's.
    And you did note that iVMP is now owned by MS; not good.
    Solving an entire workflow is not something easily done in a few forum paragraphs. I strongly recommend that every DSLR photog with adequate computer hardware first spend $33 and work through the tutorial CD Apple Pro Training Series: Aperture 1.5 (Apple Pro Training) by Orlando Luna and Ben Long (Paperback - Oct 18, 2006).
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    You say JPEGs, no RAW. I would in the strongest possible terms recommend that you consider switching to a RAW workflow. In addition to allowing extraordinary post process editing, RAW image files contain much more image data. I believe that your DSLR will capture up to a dozen RAW pix before the buffer fills. Shooting JPEGs is a serious under utilization of a capable DSLR.
    -Allen Wicks

  • Updating photo management strategy with add'l laptop?

    Hello -
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    1. You need two drives: one to hold the Photos and one to be a back up for that.
    2.
    What I'm debating is whether I should go with the larger storage of a desktop storage drive - or go with the portable with the largest storage capability just in case I *ever* want to take it and use it with the laptop (now or in the future)?
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    SmugMug is excellent as off-site storage (as is Flickr) for your photos. But if whatever you choose to manage your apps has a library of any form, then you need to also back that up. And everything pretty much uses a Library - Picas, iPhoto, Aperture, Lightroom etc  - of some form or other.
    The thunderbolt to Firewire adaptor will not make an appreciable difference in performance. But frankly, I'd go for USB, I'm not sure of the long term prospects for Firewire.

  • Aperture File Transfer?  Where photos are stored?

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  • I just put snow leopard 10.6.8 on my macbook pro and I was told that I could purchase Apature for photo management- now its says I need a different version.... is there an older version I could get? so frustrating.

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  • Photo Management including captions online and print

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    I just purchased Aperture and have 20,000 + photos in my iPhoto Library. I see that I can create a unified library between the two. I am wondering if I can import only certain events from iPhoto (like only 2014 events) into Aperture or do I have to merge the whole iPhoto library? Are there any benefits to bringing the whole iPhoto library over to Aperture (iPhoto is SO SLOW for me, I wonder if it is because I have so many photos). Or, any detriment to only bring a few events over?
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