My favorite image management application, Aperture 1.5, has been updated to version 1.5.2. The 129MB update is substantial addressing a number of issues. If you have more than 5000 images in your iPhoto library or you use a digital SLR camera, you really should consider switching to Aperture in the new year. The download is available in Software Update or as a direct download.

Aperture 1.5.2 addresses issues related to overall reliability and performance in a number of areas, including:

- Contact sheet printing
- Smart Albums
- Watermarks
- Lift and stamp
- Image export
- Versions created using an external editor

This update is recommended for all Aperture users.

Note: If you haven't already done so, it is strongly recommended that you also download the Digital Camera RAW Support Update 1.0.1, which is available on the Apple Downloads support page at http://www.apple.com/support/downloads.

The Digital Camera RAW Support Update provides RAW file format compatibility for the following digital SLR cameras:

- Canon Digital Rebel XTi / 400D / Kiss X Digital
- Nikon D80
- Pentax *ist DS

The Digital Camera RAW Support Update also addresses the following issues:

Handling of large Canon RAW files (.CRW)
DNG compatibility on Intel-based Macintosh computers
Lines sometimes appearing in images exported from Aperture