Aperture 1.5 released as free download

Aperture 1.5 delivers more than 20 new and enhanced features that improve file management, metadata handling, and image adjustment, the company said.

The update, which requires that users first install today's Mac OS X 10.4.8 Update, also addresses numerous issues related to overall reliability, performance, and compatibility.

A list of specific new features in Aperture 1.5 includes:

• Choose how you'd like to store images: copy them into a managed Aperture Library or store them on hard drives, network volumes, or CD/DVDs and have Aperture import them in place, creating a "reference" to their physical location while acquiring them for use in Aperture.
• Browse albums, Smart Albums, or your entire Aperture Library using the Media Browser in iLife '06 and iWork '06 applications.
• Generate industry-standard XMP sidecar files containing all metadata when exporting master images; or batch export metadata as a tab-delimited text file.
• Precisely adjust hue, saturation, and luminance on a color-by-color basis using the red, yellow, green, cyan, blue, and magenta controls in the new Color tool.
• Hone sharpness with the new, luminance-based Edge Sharpen tool, which offers precise control and a three-pass algorithm.
• Create Metadata Presets to speed the assignment of any combination of metadata, eliminating errors and redundant typing.
• Use onscreen controls on the new Loupe to dial in magnification (100- to 1600%), select focus mode (follow Loupe or follow cursor), control Loupe size, and turn on/off display of Color values.
• Manage images (both copied and referenced) using new file-management tool for relocating and checking status of images in your Library.