Going back/away from aperture

Question

i have this problem with importing DNGs with all my settings (see my other post).
that made me think, what if in a year or two i decide to migrate away from aperture to another software (lightroom, captureone, unknown)?
is it possible to export your files/adjustment/settings and import them in another application?
i don't seem to be able to do it, as of now.
also, how do you make IVMP to read aperture adjustments? not keywords, image adjustments.
thanks,
@lberto

Answer 1

I'm not sure how helpful this will be Alberto, as your needs for metadata probably overshadow mine. Plus I have a RAW supported camera: key issue!!!
Prior to Aperture, I used PS CS2/ACR/Bridge combo. I set date/time in camera and diligently changed for time zones.
Import from CF card to "Unprocessed" folder under project/event under location under year folder structure
Rename in Finder using "Renamer4Mac" utility
Save to DVD
Select in Bridge, open a select into ACR and save as PSD to "Part Processed" folder
Continue (hand notes for images processed I've done ... ugh) [BTW, comments/notes in Aperture has been requested by some folks and its a great idea in my mind]
Open each image in CS2 and adjust/crop/save ... as different versions for different print or crops. Save to "Processed" folder
Burn folder to DVD
Post-process in Pages, InDesign ...
With Aperture .... BTW: I do not generate Previews until I've completed the project
Copy CF card to disk
Burn DVD
Import from disk to new Project: name files using import naming options (I tend to use custom). Add Copyright and keywords (I tend to add a superset and then remove ad hoc later). Set auto-stack time to make as much sense as possible (adjust discrepancies manually later). Then import.
First pass:
Scan images sequentially and reject, or mark as 1*, 3*, 5*. Note that Aperture caches the next/last images so this speeds up image "Loading" times considerably.
Adjust any stack membership
Second pass:
Adjust RAW settings ad hoc (for shadowy or very bright or shiny surface images I use different RAW presets)
Adjust for any exposure, levels, shadow/highlight, WB etc.
Adjust straighten then dust
Create different crop versions
Amend * ratings up/down and esp. for crop preferences
Alter keywords (delete or add additional if necessary)
Output to external editor (around 2% images) for filters or blemishes above/beyond spot/patch
Set stack pick
Once this pass is complete, I generate full res. JPG's
Back up to Vault
From that point I'm into post-process, and I'm doing the majority of that from Aperture direct into Pages and iWeb or from Aperture itself.
Except for panoramas, where I export TIF's to Calico, and re-import the new image, then manually stack with the original images, I hardly move out of Aperture. My use of CS2 has dropped from 100% to a couple of %, and those tend to be for soft filter actions applied to unmask, liquify filter or occasionally I'll use Nik plug-in's or clone stamp and healing brushes with pen sensitivity.
As I said up front, I'm not sure how useful this will be. I didn't feel a need for PhotoMechanic or iView, and my level of pain with Bridge/ACR/CS2 was easy for me to leave .... even Aperture 1.0 with less than ideal hardware was a significant productivity gain.
Working between Aperture and other apps. is likely to be tiresome. Working within Aperture becomes really smoooooth.
So, unless you absolutely must have can't live without the world will end some function of these, consider how you could make do with Aperture's nearest equivalent. Give a negative score to Aperture though. If a function is required, then can you export to/import from at a point in an Aperture centric workflow? If so, score as a negative to Aperture. (If you cannot see how to interface to Aperture, ask. If the answers still no, then you know.) Then, score the things that Aperture gives you as a benefit. If your tally is net positive (and I trust that it will), or a net negative, you've answered your question.
G.