Are image files, jpeg and RAW, imported in a “straight” fashion into Aperture 3 from a memory card or backup ext. hard drive? – contrasted with all of the extra information added to a file when it becomes part of an iPhoto library.
Similarly, when importing images from iPhoto into Aperture3, are they “stripped” of iPhoto library info?
Does Aperture3 attach it's own bundle of language/info to an image file when it becomes part of Aperture3? I want to save as much hard drive memory as possible. I know iPhoto is not good in that respect.
Thanks.
George,
As Thomas said, all DAM apps will create additional metadata files. Is Lightroom any lighter weight? I don’t know, but what I can say is this—metadata is text and takes up virtually no space. Hard drives are cheap. I’m not sure what you’re trying to avoid, but the advantages of the metadata, adjustments, thumbnails for quick browsing, and so-on far outweigh the “cost” of buying more hard drive space. Since you can get multi-TB drives for around a $100 these days, space isn’t something I tend to worry about.
Again no comparisons of Aperture to LR here, but if you want to know what Aperture can do, just poke around on this site for a while, or watch some of my Live Training videos. You’ll see, it’s a hell of an app :) There will always be features or advantages of LR over Aperture, and vice-versa. That’s just the name of the game.
-Joseph @ApertureExpert
@PhotoJoseph
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Aperture creates thumbnails and other data in a database describing any adjustments you’ve made as well as any albums or books you’ve created. Not to mention any web albums you’ve shared. No way in Aperture to get around this. All Digital Asset Management (DAM) programs do this.
One thing you can do to save space is to turn off Previews in the preferences. For each image in the library, Aperture can make a Preview which is a JPEG that includes all adjustments you’ve made. You can set the size of the JPEG in Aperture Preferences or even turn it off completely.
If you turn it off, you won’t be able to share Aperture’s images with other iLife programs or drag and drop an image out of Aperture to another program. You’d need to do an Export to be able to share an image.
Thomas
Thanks Thomas,
I was hoping Aperture at least had an option to make straight imports without adding all of its own data to a file.
So, is it a good idea to buy Photo Mechanic and download from the memory card to it, for browsing and selecting the images one actually wants to import into Aperture?
George
George,
I don’t see why you’d want to do that. Import them all into Aperture and do your selects there. Then delete the rejects if that’s what you want to save space.
I haven’t used Photo Mechanic, but from what I can read about it, it also creates thumbnails and stores metadata you enter. It will also require the additional HD space to do those things. It doesn’t have the rich editing features of Aperture. Seems like a waste to use both.
Thomas
Thomas,
I see your point. Now, in talking with another person about this question, it was suggested that I use Light Room because it uses very little hard drive space to store/work with images. I guess the next question is a never ending one, but what is the advantage of using Aperture 3 rather than LightRoom, and vice-versa?
And thanks for your attention to this. It’s not easy figuring out which of these DAM programs to use (pun was not intended but happily passed on).
George