New photo editing program previewed

What Digital Camera has been granted exclusive access to an early build of the recently launched Aperture 3 editing program, which is set to give photographers even more control over how their images are edited and exported.

The most significant changes over the previous incarnation of the software is a higher level of integration for popular features from iPhoto, which seems like a slightly odd slant to take on what has previously been an amateur to pro editing program. The usage of the likes of face tagging is more associated towards the organization rather than any ‘fun’ elements, allowing vast amounts of images to be easily logged and grouped. Places grouping has also been added, which can be linked to geotagging or associated manually. Both functions make the likes of portrait and wedding photography far, far easier as the program is remarkably intelligent and doesn’t take long to start learning faces, and with geotagging gaining popularity it makes sense to start grouping shots together using both criteria.

Within the editing end, which can helpfully go to a full screen view to avoid desktop clutter getting in the way, plenty of new ‘quick brushes’ have been added to make rapid changes such as dodge and burn. There’s also a highly intelligent edge detection tool for adding an effect to a specific section in an unlayered image. The majority of the features are aimed at step-up users, with more in-depth features for tinkering within. Apple seems intent on catching users straight from iPhoto rather than letting them go across to the likes of Photoshop Elements in between.

The sheer amount of clever extras, such as a live preview window for each filter, is mind-boggling, and as ever with Apple products ease of use is paramount. What this space for a full review soon. 

Apple releases Aperture 3 (news)