Why ask for an opinion when you can download a 30 day trial of both applications and form your own opinion.

I haven't tried Lightroom, so I can't do any comparison. However, I have used Aperture for some time, and recently upgraded to 2.0. I find it a very easy program to use, to the point that most of my images never get to Photoshop. One suggestion, though: store the photos externally, rather than inside of Aperture's database.

I'll also second David's suggestion: download both, try both, form your own opinion - then post it here for all of us!

Cheers.

For most enthusiasts rather than a pro who shoots large loads of exposure frequently, the latest version 6.0 of Elements for the Mac may be a better fit and at half the price compared to Aperture. Elements 6 for the Mac has a similar, but simpler and efficient image adjustment dialogue to that found in LightRoom, combined with a very good browser, the same Bridge application found in the CS3 version of Photoshop.

I cannot say the same for the Windows version of Adobe Photoshop Elements because its Organizer browser leaves a lot to be desired in comparison to Bridge.

One thing that makes Aperture worth the cost for me is the fact that the original image is never altered. Since I like to play "what if" games with images I particularly like, trying out different effects etc, I like the fact that I can do so while making sure the original file remains untouched.

Of course, YMMV.

I just upgraded to Aperture 2 and also downloaded the latest fix. However I have not been able to discover how to relocate the originals.
Do I have to delete the files in the Aperture Library, which seems to be extremely labour intensive? (I have all the files incl. Aperture itself on an external disk) When I have tried to delete files they stay in the Library. I have gone through the tutorial and can't seem to find the answer there. Any suggestions?
Thanks.
I am fairly new to Aperture and appreciate the better functioning in V2

Are you storing your masters inside or outside of the Aperture DB? If the latter, then CTRL-click the image(s) and select "Manage referenced files". If you store them in the Aperture DB, you might try posing the question in the support forums at apple.com.

I've been using Adobe PS Lightroom for the past 22 months (from early beta to current version 1.4.1). I love the Develop module - so much so that I hardly use Photoshop CS3 anymore, especially since LR beta 2 now includes the retouching tool with localized burn/dodge. Having said that, beyond the Library module, I hardly use the remaining modules. Most of my photography these days is shot for online hobby forums, so I have little need for the Print, Slideshow and Web page modules.

The Library module is simple enough to use, but for me it's almost overkill. I'm an 'advanced amateur' who shoots a few photos each week, not a pro who's shooting hundreds or thousands of photos and in need of a high end storage/retrieval database system. That's why David's comments above about Elements 6 for Mac are of interest to me, and I plan to check it out. Photoshop itself is moving into imaging areas that are way beyond my needs; all I really need is LR's Develop module and Export pane. If Elements 6 has the same develop tools as LR and PS CS3 Raw, but at half or more the cost of the other two, I may make the switch rather than upgrade to LR 2 when it is released.

Also, as a side-note, it was mentioned that editing in Aperture is non-destructive. Editing in Lightroom is also non-destructive.