Apple Aperture 3

Aperture 3 is Apple’s own RAW program and doubles up as a converter and a digital asset management tool.

Aperture 3 allows you to import your images into the Library where you can rate and keyword them before sorting them into collections. You can even organise images by faces, thanks to face recognition, or by places, and images with embedded GPS data are plotted on the map.
The Adjustments panel has a vast array of functions that can be turned on or off so the controls you use regularly are always visible. All common adjustments are available, as well as things like sharpening or Noise reduction. There’s an Adjustment Brush for painting selectively into a file, which is a great way to work with RAW, but geometric distortion correction is only available through a third party plug-in costing £70. Sliders are mainly responsive, although on occasion, making dramatic adjustments at 100% meant waiting around for the image to refresh. Output options include slideshows and publishing to web galleries and Aperture 3 can also handle video clips too, but it’s playback only, no editing. Available for Mac only.

www.apple.com/uk