Photoshop or Aperture on MBA

Anyone out there using Photoshop CS5 or Aperture on a MacBook Air? I'm looking to maybe sell my MacBook Pro, get a new iMac for the heavy lifting, but maybe buy a MBA for travel for importing, tagging, and doing light work in Aperture and maybe Photoshop.
If you have it, or tried it, any thoughts? Is ridiculously slow? I have a core 2 duo MBP. With the SSD drive I'm thinking it can't be too much slower than that.
Thanks

Hi Scott,
I've used both of those programs with perfectly acceptable performance. I would however strongly encourage you to consider the 13" model with 4GB. I was quite disappointed with the screen real estate on the 11" MBA and I question the "future proofing" of a machine with only 2GB of RAM that cannot be upgraded, especially using CS5.
My local Apple Store has Aperture and CS5 loaded up on their MacBook Airs, if you have a local store it might be worth calling them to confirm if they also have the same image on their floor machines. It's worth playing with the machine before the investment.

Similar Messages

Using Photoshop With Aperture-Flattens Layers

I am running into some slight issues when using Aperture 3 and Photoshop CS6.
I have used Aperture 3 for quite some time. As part of my workflow, I use Nik Software plug-ins for quite some time. In order to fully understand the issue, it would be best to understand a bit about my workflow.
After I go out and shoot the images, I download the images onto my internal drive so that the images are managed within the library.
I then proceed to rate the images. When the library is imported all the photos get one star.
I then go in and star photos that deserve a two star rating.
With these photos I take all the two stared photos and use the NIk Define plug-in to decrease the noise of the images. After this process this outputs TIFF files that are placed into my library.
I then make all these new TIFF files that have the noise lessened to three stars.
Previous to my new workflow, I would go from here utilizing the NIk plug-ins and then further rating the images.
New Workflow:
From here I enabled Adobe Photoshop CS6 is an external editor.
I would export the images I would want to work on in Photomatix Pro to my desktop. After using Photomatix, I would open up the file in Photoshop without importing into Aperture.
After all my work is done in Photoshop, I would reimport the photo back into Aperture 3.
While the file was in Aperture 3, I would reopen it in Photoshop.
The file would show as my layers being applied but not shown. I think it was a flattened image file.
What I would like to do:
Be able to reopen with Photoshop photos in my Aperture library but continue preserving the layers from Photoshop.
Would I need to save the files as PSD files in order for this to work? Any thoughts?
Anyhow for device would be appreciated.

leonieDF wrote:
Aperture does not handle layers, as far as I know. If you import an image with layers, as tiff or as psd, the layers will be preserved, but not displayed with transparency, since Aperture does only handle RGB. If you export the original (master), your layers will be preserved, but if you adjust the image in Aperture and export the edited version, then the resulting file will no longer have layers, all will be flattened.
If you Aperture only use as a database and not as editor, your approach should work, but if you want to use Aperture's editing tools and export versions, then the layers will be gone.
Sorry to revive this old thread, but I have a follow up question on exact subject...
I have run into the same issue and understand your explanation. I have confirmed that I can import a layered master to Aperture, its layers are preserved and if I export it later the layers are still there.
What I am really surprised about is that if I edit in Photoshop from Aperture, the file opens up in Photoshop, but the layers are not there. Is this right or avoidable?
Thanks

Workflow Differences - Photoshop vs Aperture

I am no expert. That said, everything that I have read or learned in forums, how-to books and other sources suggest that there is a difference in the recommended workflow when one compares Photoshop to Aperture.
Here's my contention: In Photoshop, I think one is supposed to crop, RESIZE, adjust the image, sharpen (USM) and then save (export).
In Aperture, the suggested workflow, if you follow the list in order of the Adjustment Hud, is to crop, adjust the image, edge sharpen and then export the image at a size of one's choosing.
I like the easy to follow Aperture workflow. But doesn't an image suffer somewhat if it's sharpened before being re-sized (as the last step during saving during export)?

I am no expert. That said, everything that I have
read or learned in forums, how-to books and other
sources suggest that there is a difference in the
recommended workflow when one compares Photoshop to
Aperture.
Here's my contention: In Photoshop, I think one is
supposed to crop, RESIZE, adjust the image, sharpen
(USM) and then save (export).
In Aperture, the suggested workflow, if you follow
the list in order of the Adjustment Hud, is to crop,
adjust the image, edge sharpen and then export the
image at a size of one's choosing.
I'm going to come at this at a bit of a tangent from the discussions so far....
First of all, the thing to know about the order of adjustments in the HUD (or inspector) is that they are not necessarily in the order you would work with them - instead think of that ordering as adjustment layer ordering, in that each of the steps in that list is performed on the image before the next one. As mentioned they are a lot like adjustment layers in that you can change any one at any time and all of the adjustments following will then be performed on the new, changed image - so you can for example duplicate a version and change the exposure and all of the color/shadow/sharpening adjustments are automatically re-applied based on the newly exposed image.
Another important thing to keep in mind for this discussion is that cropping does not actually change the size of the image - it reduces the number of pixels but leaves the pixels in the crop region alone. It is only on export that Aperture up or downsamples. Aperture also seems to do some sharpening on export, so that is where a resolution specific sharpening occurs. I'm not sure yet if it sharpens on upsampling or just downsampling.
I like the easy to follow Aperture workflow. But
doesn't an image suffer somewhat if it's sharpened
before being re-sized (as the last step during saving
during export)?
That's where you must carefully evaluate how much sharpening is OK to apply before you export. One possibility here is to make duplicate, unsharpened (or more mildly sharpened), versions for the intent of export at smaller sizes if it bothers you to export an already sharpened image. Or, if you want to print really large versions of images you may export a version, upscale that using something like Genuine Fractals, and then re-import that larger version for a last step of sharpening.
The key I think it to try some sample exports at the size you are thinking of and evaluate how they look after export with the settings you are thinking to apply (like sharpening).

Photoshop or Aperture?

Which is better/more recommended? Photoshop or Aperture? I use photoshop sometimes but have never used Aperture. What is the main difference between these two? Thanks

They are not the same
Photoshop is photo editing software
Aperture is digital asset management software
Read http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Digital_asset_management
They are two complettely different things
Allan

How to make Photoshop save Aperture imported JPEG images as JPEGs

Recently, I upgraded from Photoshop CS 5 to CS 5.1.
My point and shoot cameras record in JPEG format. Often, I'll import those photos into Aperture and then tweak them in Photoshop using the Edit in External Editor command. My preferences for the external editor in Aperture were set to 8-bit, Photoshop
With Photoshop CS 5, I would edit the photo and choose Save and the edited photo would be saved back to Aperture as a new version, in a JPEG format.
Now, using Photoshop CS 5.1, when the imported image from Aperture is converted into a PSD file and when I save back to Aperture, I end up with a PSD file.
How can I revert to how it was before? JPEG image in Aperture, opened in external editor Photoshop as a JPEG, edited in Photoshop, then saved back to Aperture as a new version JPEG?
(Though this question is approached in this forum, a solution to my question is never found as each dicussion ends up going off-topic from the original question)

clapperincus wrote:
Any further ideas from anyone who's experienced trying to open a JPEG from Aperture in Photoshop as a JPEG?
Like I said before, you cannot open a jpeg as a jpeg, the file must be decompressed to open in PS or in Aperture, and that has always been the case.
I do not know how it used to work, but I tested and you are correct that with PS 12.1 and with Aperture 3.2.2 a JPEG sent to open in external editor (PS) is opened into your choice of lossless format and then goes back to Aperture in the lossless format you chose.
IMO this is the way it should be, because every save into JPEG loses image data, so such saves should be limited to the final export, in this case when the image actually leaves Aperture. If the file was compressed as a JPEG when leaving PS, decompressed and edited in Aperture, then compressed again to export as JPEG from Aperture, unnecessary additional image data loss would occur.
It is always better to save the application of lossy compression until the very last step in a workflow because other usages (printing, for instance) may occur before applying the lossy compression.
-Allen

External HD, Photoshop and Aperture

So I need your help. I have Aperture on my Mac but have also got Photoshop on a netbook. I am running an airport extreme wireless network and am trying to figure out how I can make both the PC(with Photoshop) and the Mac (with Aperture) read wirelessly from the same catalog of pictures on my external hard drive. I have formatted the disc to Mac journalled and the pc will read but not write. So I formatted to fat32 and the mac will not work wirelessly but will work if I plug in the HD via usb. Is this possible to have them both work over the wireless network or am I just dreaming??
Thanks to anyone that can help

For the future, the app should live on the boot drive. Keep from overfilling the MBP's internal hard drive by using a Referenced-Masters Library rather than the Managed-Masters Library that Aperture most unfortunately defaults to.
-Allen Wicks

Photoshop vs Aperture (need opinions)

I would really appreciate the opinion from users of Both. While I have become more proficient with Aperture than I ever thought possible, I find myself struggling in trying to achieve certain results in my photo post processing. Things like desaturating layers is quite impossible on Aperture and I have been told by many of Photoshop's rich feature set for such things (not to mention other keen tools). I think that Aperture remains one of the best tools for cataloging and level of post processing.
*What are your thoughts people?*
Thanks,
Pierre - Toronto

In an earlier post I analyzed thusly:
Group A
Aperture is Apple's pro app for RAW images capture management. Lightroom is Adobe's pro app for RAW images capture management. iPhoto is Apple's free entry-level app for images capture management.
Group B
Open-source GIMP or inexpensive Adobe Photoshop Elements are for basic to intermediate image editing, adequate for most photogs. Very expensive full Adobe Photoshop is for pro graphics work and very advanced image editing. Other free and/or low cost editors are also available. Many folks consider the open-source GIMP a superior app to PSE.
Two apps are needed. Digital photographers ideally should own and learn reasonable competence with one app from each of groups A & B above. Note that Aperture and GIMP/PSE are in different groups.
IMO the evolution of a digital photog is to start with iPhoto and quickly outgrow it. After that I recommend that the next step is to own both Aperture and GIMP or PSE.
If one advances to the point of doing really advanced graphics work the upgrade from GIMP/PSE to full Photoshop is easy enough, just expensive and with very substantial additional learning curve. I use the full Design Premium Creative Suite, and the upgrade to CS4 from CS3 is so expensive I am staying with CS3.
Bridge is Adobe's pro app that comes with full Photoshop and manages files handling within the Creative Suite. I do not include it in Group A above because it is far inferior to Aperture and Lightroom for digital photographers managing DSLR image capture.
Bridge is a file-management app, not a database. The folks who like Bridge are usually very experienced Photoshop graphics folks (often coming from a long history with film scans, which involves totally different workflow than modern DSLR capture) rather than primarily digital photogs.
Note that PSE should not be used for RAW image conversion because the RAW conversion engine in PSE is a compromised version of ACR, not the complete version of ACR found in full (very expensive) Photoshop. Use Aperture or camera vendor (e.g. Nikon) software for RAW conversion prior to PSE edits if PSE edits are necessary. In my case for 98% of pix Aperture does it all, no external editor required. Like e2photo said, Photoshop has become a giant plug-in for Aperture .
-Allen Wicks

Saving a file directly from Photoshop into Aperture

I am interested in saving a file while in Photoshop back in to Aperture. Proposed workflow:
Load digital file from camera into Aperture>Drag file to CS3; edit/print>save new file in same folder as the original in Aperture.
I would like to do this directly- I can save the edited file in CS3 to my desktop and then go to Aperture and import the file from my desktop but this seems arcane to me. Anyone know a direct route?
Thanks in advance- Jay

BUT, you must save the Photoshopped image using Save (not Save As using a new name or saving to a new location) so that a Photoshop file is saved back in the Aperture library. It would be nice if you could use the Apple-Shift-O to open in Photoshop, and save back as a Jpeg automatically, but we're not quite there yet.
Those full size Photoshop files will swell your library size pretty quick, which is a good thing; you'll begin to appreciate non destructive editing more fully

RAW Image appears sharper in Photoshop than Aperture

Using the 20in screen Raw files that I have imported into Aperture 2.1.1 appear significantly less sharp than when the same file is imported into Photoshop CS3
I also have not found a way of significantly sharpening the Raw based image in Aperture -
The files are from an Olympus E3 with the current camera firmware installed.
Thanks for any suggestions.

adobe camera raw applies significantly more sharpening (and noise reduction) to images by default. I find the edge sharpen in aperture to be far superior, and i also feel i can squeeze just a little more detail out of my raw files in aperture, especially at higher iso's.
to sharpen, just select the image and press control-S and adjust to your liking. you can also tweak the sharpening applied by default to the images in the raw settings of each picture.
j

Editing with Photoshop from Aperture - getting it back into Aperture

I have Aperture 3, and Photoshop Elements 9 & 10, but for some time now, when I send a photo from Aperture to Photoshop I have problems. The photo opens in Photoshop fine (set as default in Preferences), but when I save the file in Photoshop, it simply opens a 'save as' dialogue, and expects me to save the file on my hard drive somewhere. Even doing this doesn't 'send the edited photo' back to Aperture as it should.
I'm sure I'm missing something obvious! Can anyone help?
Thanks...

I got the same "save as" window the OP did when I pressed Cmd-S (save). I even cancelled out the first time, thinking I'd accidentally pressed Cmd-Shift-S (save as), and went up to the menu to select Save to be sure. The dialogue box still came up.
You can see the file (a PSD in my case) along with with the masters listed in the folder that the dialogue box defaults to, so it's not an issue with the file not being saved upon creation by Aperture. The file does already exist. Trying to save it prompts a "save as" style dialogue box though, as if it wants you to save it as another version. It's weird.
I'm pretty new to Aperture, so I don't know for sure that this pop-up save window behaviour is new, but it sounds like it is (the manual doesn't mention it). Until someone states they are experiencing this with Snow Leopard, my guess is that it's a Lion/versions thing.
Doug

NEF exposure value difference in Photoshop and Aperture

We shoot paintings with a Nikon D2X and 4 SB-800 flash units. We keep a Macbeth in the frame until we get an LAB value of around 85-90 (RGB around 230, 230, 230) in the white patch. Until recently we have used Nikon Capture to control the camera and then opened the images in Photoshop (by way of Adobe Camera Raw) to read the exposure values. On our last shoot we moved to Aperture. Testing had previously shown a variation in the range of three LAB points for previously shot NEFs between Aperture's raw interpreter and Adobe Camera Raw. When we returned to the office and began to process the images we discovered that NEF files opened in Aperture showed the LAB exposure of 85-90 we saw in the field, but when the same NEF files are opened in Photoshop, the white patches are blown out. If we open them in Aperture and transfer them to Photoshop as TIFFs the exposure is the same as Aperture shows -- 85 to 90. As an experiment we opened one in Nikon Capture NX. The values match Photoshop and not Aperture.
If anyone is interested in helping on the diagnosis, here is a link to one of our NEFs with the offending white patch:
http://www.catalogueraisonne.org/tmp/2008-06-19_144.NEF
Does anyone have an explanation of this huge difference of exposure values between Adobe and Capture NX on one side and Aperture on the other?

Hi,
Well I've downloaded your NEF file but I'm afraid I'm not seeing the difference that you are. I've loaded the image into Capture NX2, Aperture 2.1, and Lightroom 2 Beta (which is, in effect, using the ACR engine. There is a slight difference in values between them all, but only very slight. Aperture gives readings of 95.3% for luminance; LR gives me R:98%, G:99% and B:99% and Capture NX 2 gives me Readings that average 254 (which must be 99%). None of them are therefore technically blown out, however both LR and CNX2 show them the white patch as blown out if you switch on the lost highlights indicator. Aperture doesn't show them as blown out.
So the difference range is a matter of 4% roughly, which I think can simply be put down to slight differences in RAW converters and the contract curves that they apply.

IMac 24" Wonder-Land - Adobe Photoshop Elements, Aperture, Leopard et al

Hi
I am on the verge of purchasing a 24" iMac but have a number of questions and would value the advice.
I am an enthusiastic (non-pro) photographer. family and memory stuff. I use a Nikon D40.
I currently use Photoshop Elements, but as I understand it this cannot be used on Intel Macs. Anyone know when Elements will be available. I have considered full Photoshop but feel it may be a bit too overkill for my needs, especially cost. Aperture may fit on a cost basis but still may be over spec for me. Any thoughts?
Finally as Leopard is due out in the next few months (?) is it worth waiting before purchasing the iMac?
Many thanks
Jon

Where did you hear that PE would not work on an Intel Mac? My understanding is that you have two choices. You can run the mac version and rosetta will handle it though it may be slower than on a G5. Or you can run the windows version on Parallels - this may also be slower than running it on a pc. Either way, you have it until a new version gets released.
You may want to check out Photoshop CS3 on their site or the NAPP site to see if it is worth the extra $ to have not only a program that will work on the Intel Mac smoothly but will also do some extras for you that PE won't. Several if not all of the photo programs you have listed have 30 day trial periods. Download and play - it will give you a better idea of what you want.
Cheryl

Installing Photoshop CS3 on a MBA

Hey guys, I need your help.
Here's my problem: How to install Photoshop CS3 Upgrade on a MBA?
I've tried first using Remote Disc - it installs but when I open PH CS3 there's a window saying that a few files are missing because the original installer is out of place, and asking to reinstall. It doesn't work.
Second try _ I copy PH CS3 from my MacBook using an USB stick and install- the same window appears.
Third try- I copied the whole PH CS3 install DVD to an USB stick, copied to my desktop and the same thing.
I believe the installer is looking for a previous version, but how can I tell PH that I've a previous version and how to point in that direction.
Any help is welcome.
P.S. With Illustrator CS3 I didn't have any problem, and it's also an Upgrade.
Thanks
Pedro

Happy ending of the "saga".
I tried downloading from the Adobe site more than 20 times, and never got it through, so, I did what I wasn't willing to do: bought a SuperDrive for the MBA, trashed everything with the word "Adobe", and reinstalled first PH CS3, which went very smooth, then, reinstalled Illustrator CS3, and it also went perfect.
The reason I decided to buy the SuperDrive was simply because I didn't want to spend endless hours doing the installation of PH and Il using Remote Disc.
Remote Disc is a good idea, but not for massive installations, since it crawls when compare to the SuperDrive.
Anyway, thanks for all the suggestions and help.
I love my NBA.
Regards
Pedro

I can't roundtrip from Aperture 3.3.2 to Photoshop!

Hi,
I am having significant problems with Aperture and Photoshop interaction. As a working professional photographer it is a serious issue that is causing me real stress and it is commercially important that I rectify it quickly.
After extensive testing I am unsure as to the root cause of this problem, different things point towards different causes, however at this stage I am unsure as to wether this is being caused by an Aperture software issue, a Photoshop software issue or indeed a hardware problem.
Mindful of this, I am sending this email to Apple, Adobe, the NAPP help desk, Aperture Expert forum in the hope that somebody can resolve this issue.
THE PROBLEM
When I try and roundtrip images from Aperture v3.3.2 to Photoshop CS6, Aperture prepares the files as tiffs (8 bit) as per the export settings in my preferences dialog box. I can see them being duplicated in the Aperture window but when Photoshop opens only 1 image is available, the others whilst sitting in Aperture are not shown in Photoshop CS6?
I have run the same round tripping process with images sent from Lightroom 4 and they DO all appear in Photoshop? This does point towards an Aperture problem rather that Photoshop.
I have tried the same process using Photoshop CS5 from Aperture 3.3.2 and the situation is the same.
Thinking that it could be a hardware issue or old preference files etc, I did a completely clean install of OSX Mountain Lion, Aperture 3.3.2 and Photoshop CS6 and still all is the same. Additionally I tested the problem on different hardware (MacBook Air) and the problem is replicated there?
There was a time in recent months before the introduction of Aperture 3.3.2 and Mountain Lion that this problem did not occur and the process did work on both bits of hardware that they are being produced on now...
I have trawled painfully through all my preferences in Aperture and Photoshop to see if this is a simple setting issue but to date cannot identify one.
I have posted the problem on the web in various forums and can only find a very small handful of people having this issue, it doesn't seem to be widespread.
Please can you help me to rectify this significant issue. I am a professional trying to get work done and this problem is increasing my workflow exponentially.
Best regards
Richard

Another user changed Aperture to read Aperture 3. Of course if did not update as the app needs to be named simply Aperture. BUT, when he changed it back to Aperture, he was able to update.
Maybe there is an invisible character in there like a space or something.
If that doesn't work I would contact the App Store Support.

Why Aperture doesn't send the RAW file to Photoshop

I've seen the complaint about Aperture not passing the original RAW file to Photoshop in several places in this forum. I think I have a reason for why Aperture doesn't work this way.
The reason has to do with the 1st law of digital RAW photography. "Never, ever, overwrite the original RAW data from a camera's RAW format file."
Because of the above rule, both Aperture and Photoshop do not actually work on the original RAW file. They transform the RAW image data into a usable image using user specified settings (which may be the camera's default setting for that image). The original RAW file is left untouched.
When you open a RAW file in Photoshop and try to save it, you'll be prompted for a new file name. You wouldn't want to overwrite the original RAW file by writing the edited image data back to it.
When you edit an Aperture RAW file using Photoshop as the external editor, Aperture first creates a TIFF or PSD version image file in its library and then passes that file name to Photoshop. Photoshop opens the TIFF or PSD file and directly edits it. Since this version file is already in Aperture's library, when Photoshop is finished editing it, Aperture automatically sees the edited file because its already in the library.
If Aperture were to send the RAW file name to Photoshop, Photoshop would open the RAW file and create a new PSD file. When it came time to save your edits, where would you save it. In order to get it back into Aperture's library, you would need some form of Photoshop to Aperture communication so that Photoshop would know where to save the edited file and Aperture would know to add it to the library. This would require collaboration between both Adobe and Apple and doesn't seem likely.
I have a couple of ideas someone can try. These are only ideas and completely untested. I'd do it myself but I don't own Aperture (see my computer info below for the reason).
1. Create two folders with automator actions. You export your RAW files from Aperture to a "Photoshop-IN" folder. Any new RAW image found in this folder will be automatically opened in Photoshop by the Automator action. Then you save the edited Photoshop file into a 2nd folder "Aperture-IN". Another Automator action imports this into Aperture.
2. In iPhoto, if you try to edit a RAW image with an external editor, iPhoto creates an intermediate image file (JPEG I think) which it passes to Photoshop. But, if you drag the original RAW image thumbnail from iPhotos library window to the Photoshop icon in the dock, the original RAW image file is passed to Photoshop. You only have the problem of getting the saved Photoshop file back into iPhoto's library. Maybe this same thing would work in Aperture by dragging the Master image to the Photoshop icon in the dock.
PowerMac G4 Dual 1.25GHz Mac OS X (10.4.3) FW800, 4 internal HD - 550GB

This is all well and good. I wholeheartedly agree with the idea of keeping the "master" sacrosanct. What I object to is not being able to do the conversion in Photoshop (or elsewhere)
What I want is for Aperture to send the raw over to photoshop when I select "open in external editor", and then follow the current workflow (I do my edits, hit save, and a second master is added to Aperture's db.)
It's totally possible for them to do this, and it wouldn't break anything in the system, or the philosophy. Of course it's a workaround that wouldn't be necessary if Aperture's converter were up to snuff. But it isn't, and I bet it would be easier to implement the workaround than to fix the fundamental defects in the converter itself.

Photoshop or Aperture on MBA

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