Back in June, Apple announced plans to discontinue development on both Aperture and iPhoto in favor of the new Photos app that will be added to both iOS 8 and OS X Yosemite in the future.
Adobe took advantage of Aperture's discontinuation, announcing its own plans to create a tool to help former Aperture and iPhoto customers transition to Lightroom, Adobe's professional photo editing software.
Adobe today released a guide [PDF] for users who are interested in making the switch from Aperture to Lightroom immediately, which can be accessed from the Adobe website.
In the guide, Adobe notes that a simple tool remains in development, but for users who don't mind going through a detailed migration process, it's possible to switch from Aperture to Lightroom immediately. The process involves creating a full backup, exporting original photos from Aperture, exporting TIFF versions of edited Aperture photos, and importing the content to Lightroom.
Adobe's guide also includes links to learning more about how to use Lightroom and it points users towards Adobe's Creative Cloud Photography plan, which offers access to Lightroom for desktop, web, and mobile along with Photoshop CC for $9.99 per month.
Users who don't want to go through the hassle of exporting and importing files from Aperture to Lightroom can wait for Adobe's migration tool to be completed.
While Apple is ceasing development on Aperture in favor of Photos, early screenshots of the app and information from Apple representatives has suggested that some of Aperture's professional-grade features may make it into the Photos app. Photos will also include tools to allow users to import iPhoto and Aperture libraries into the new app.
Top Rated Comments
Why does anyone think paying $9.99 a month or $119.88 a year is something anyone would rush over and convert to? Aperture is $79.99 and is still for sale. Here's a simple comparison. In the three years I've owned Aperture it has cost me $79.99 for the entire time. If I do the same with Adobe I've now spent $359.64. That sucks anyway you dice it.
So Astrobrat is right. I'll continue to use Aperture until it won't run on a Mac anymore, then I'll most likely switch over to Corel After Shot Pro 2. It is a very similar product to Aperture, is faster than Adobe, and is the same $79.99. It will work on Mac or PC too.
I much prefer owning software or apps instead of renting them online. Why pay a subscription fee that only serves the need to feed the corporate monster and does not do anything better or unique to less expensive owned alternatives.
I really wish they would've developed a huge update to this and released the long-awaited version 4. It's a shame really, maybe their Photos alternative will be a good replacement but I don't see it.
I do agree on the fact that this had to be done to iPhoto but not Aperture. iPhoto is what iTunes is to music, a mess, so simplifying it with iOS integration made sense. But there is a professional field out there and it's terrible to see Apple heading in the direction they are heading, and frankly I'm concerned about the existence of Logic Pro and maybe even FCPX.