The update also lets users directly post their portfolios on the .Mac Web Gallery for viewing on the web, iPhone, iPod touch and Apple TV. It also sports a new low price of US$199.

Aperture 2 now lets users navigate between Viewer and Browser modes with a single key command. Screen real estate is maximized for images with an all-in-one heads up display that allows users to toggle between library, metadata and adjustment controls in a single tabbed inspector. The All Projects view, modeled after iPhoto’s Events view, provides a poster photo for every project and the ability to quickly skim through the photos inside, and the integrated iPhoto Browser offers direct access to all the events and images in the iPhoto library, according to Schoeben, Apple’s vice president of Applications Product Marketing.

Performance has been enhanced in Aperture 2 so it’s faster to import, browse and search large volumes of images, he adds. Embedded previews let photographers caption, keyword and rate images as they're being imported, and with the ability to export images in the background, photographers can continue working while images are processed to JPEG, TIFF, PNG and PSD file formats.

Quick Preview allows users to browse RAW images in rapid succession without having to wait for files to load, and the Aperture library database has been re-architected to provide fast project switching and near instantaneous search results, even when working with extremely large libraries of 500,000 images or more. Aperture 2 delivers new imaging tools, as well. Apple’s next-generation RAW image processing is at the core of Aperture 2 offering precision controls that let users fine-tune the image profile for each of their cameras.

New tools for improving and enhancing images include Recovery for pulling back “blown” highlights, Vibrancy for selectively boosting saturation without adversely affecting skin tones, Definition, which offers local contrast for adding clarity to images, Vignette & Devignette filters for providing professional visual effects and a true soft-edged Repair and Retouch brush for quickly and easily removing blemishes, cleaning up sensor dust and cloning away problem areas.

Aperture 2 works with Mac OS X, iLife, iWork, .Mac and Apple print products, so any image in the Aperture library can be accessed directly from within other applications, such as iMovie, Keynote and Pages, and even from within Leopard Mail. Now with .Mac Web Gallery support, Aperture users can publish their photos once to view them on the web, iPhone, iPod touch and Apple TV. Books in Aperture 2 feature new theme designs, layout tools, customized dust jackets (including full-bleed) and foil stamped covers.

Aperture 2 is available immediately through the [url=http://www.apple.com]Apple Store[/url], Apple’s retail stores and Apple Authorized Resellers. Owners of previous versions of Aperture can upgrade to Aperture 2 for $99 (US). Full system requirements and more info on Aperture 2 can be found [url=www.apple.com/aperture]here[/url].