Apple unveiled a complete new build of it’s photo application Aperture a couple of days ago. I finally had a chance to install it and check out the new features. The first and most notable thing is speed. It’s absolutely blazes in comparison to v 1.5. The RAW format support is entirely new as well. The features in this release show that Apple is committed to supporting photographers, so much so that they have lowered the price of Aperture by one third to $199 from $299 (upgrade is only $99). If you were considering Adobe Lightroom, be sure to check out Aperture first. You can download a 30 day trial.

If you own a Mac and have a large library of photos, this application is must have in my book. File management via meta tags and albums is extremely intuitive. I was able to quickly sort and tag my entire database of stock photos in no time at all.

A few of the other noteworthy improvements are:

• Highlights are handled better in RAW.
• Skin tones are handled better in color rendering.
• Better support for image editing plug-ins
• Faster RAW editing by using fast rendered JPG files.

If you are considering a move from hobbyist level photo management and editing, this version of Aperture has everything you’ll need. If you’re not a Mac owner, head over to Best Buy or your Local Apple store and ask for a demo of Aperture. I accept no responsibility for the reaction from your significant other when you carry those boxes into the house.