Code, Camera, Action

Thinking of upgrading to the latest Aperture, version 3? It's a big improvement over the previous version, adding nondestructive editing, much improved importing and printing and a host of other stuff. And it adds support for several Micro Four-thirds format cameras -- including Panasonic's Lumix DMC-G1 and GH-1 (and also, finally, the LX-3).

In the upgrade from version 2 to 3, Aperture converts your library -- so there's no going back. The upgrade went well for me, but there are a couple of things that Lumix users would be well to keep in mind.

1. Aperture 3 does not support Adobe DNGs from the Lumix G1. Aperture 2 did, but Aperture 3 does not. It's unclear if this is a bug or a feature, but DNGs imported into Aperture 3 from my G1 appear as "Unsupported raw images." This is true of DNG versions 1.1, 1.2 and 1.3, whether they include lens metadata or not (RW2 files shot with legacy lenses don't have lens metadata, Lumix lenses do -- neither DNGs work in Aperture 3).

   But DNGs are supported for lots of cameras. Test by importing a DNG or two from your camera before you convert your library. If it fails, you'll see graphic garbage or "Raw image format not supported."

   Even if you can't import new DNGs, upgrading your library to Aperture 3 will bring along existing DNGs just fine -- as long as you don't switch them to Aperture 3's new imaging engine. There's an option for that when you start the conversion. 

2. DNG: If you've DNGs in your Aperture 2 library (perhaps from shooting raw with legacy lenses) -- Do not "Update all photos to use Aperture 3 imaging". Uncheck this box in the upgrade dialog --
   

3. Raw + JPEG: If, on the other hand, you've shot and imported RW2 + JPEG files into Aperture 2, you'll be pleasantly surprised. They work fine with Aperture 3 imaging update, once Aperture 3 processes them. The best way to do this to upgrade your library without the new imaging library (again, uncheck that box), then freshen up selected images after your library has been converted --
   1. Photos > Reprocess Master...
4. Turn off Faces for now. The import will take long enough without face detection. You can turn it back on once you've got your library safely converted to Aperture 3.
   1. Aperture > Preferences
   2. Click the General tab
   3. Un-check the option to Enable Faces
5. This Apple support document has more great advice about the upgrade process. A worthwhile read.
6. Your plugins will need to be updated. Frasier Speirs has already updated his excellent FlickrExport plugin with a beta 64-bit version for Aperture 3. Existing plugins should run just fine if you restart Aperture in 32-bit mode -- Aperture 3 prompts you to do this if necessary.