Ok. The hottest thing in the photographic world right now seems to be the release of new tools for workflow like Aperture and Lightroom. Although they both are workflow tools, each one has a very different approach on how to workflow, a sort of different mindset or workflow paradigm.

Both companies have made known that they want to listen to the photographers. evidence of that is Aperture 1.5 upgrade and version 1.0 of Lightroom. Most of us have been using one or the other and even both for a while now and have had the chance to see them at their best and at their worst. So I thought it could be a good idea if each one of us make a wish list of what we would like to see improve or added to each software and to share why those features would be a welcome help on our workflow...

I'll start....

I have been using both programs and I like both. I think they are really good tools. I am currently working mostly in Lightroom for two main reasons: (1) I don't have the "machine power" needed to run Aperture efficiently, in other words LR is faster in my G4; (2) I love LR the develop module!

Aperture would be a better tool for me right now if:

  1. It would run on my G4.
  2. Didn't require for me to spend $3K just to run it well. This make the $199 investment for LR a more wise and sound decision.
  3. Better White balance performance.
  4. Customizable slide show (studio name, etc)
  5. shadow slider in the Adjustment HUD
  6. localize adjustments like the one in Nikon Capture NX software.


I think the rest of Aperture is just awesome. It is integration with the rest of Apple software and OS X is incredible. If I buy a MACPRO with the require horse power I must likely start using Aperture instead of LR.

This is what I would like to see in Lightroom
  1. A much improve Library module.
  2. Better integration with OS X.
  3. Some sort of "smart album" functionality.
  4. A unified Library, instead of fragmented "collection" and "Folder" panels.
  5. Ability to export "masters" from within LR
  6. Two display support.
  7. Improve stacking feature.
  8. export plugins support
  9. the return of the photobinder.
  10. A light table like the one used in Aperture.


I think that if I got my wish list I would stay using LR. The rest of LR is great as it is., maybe more flexibility in the web module.

Two things I truly miss from Aperture is the Smart Albums and Ligh Table. Both together are extremely useful for me when I begin my Album design phase in organizing and laying out the pages in pre-designing.

So, what is your wish list???