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Nikon RAW files (1 Viewer)
- Thread starter BJL
- Start date
BenBirding
Well-known member
I have enjoyed using this free program.
http://www.pixmantec.com/products/rawshooter_essentials.asp
It has some nice features, and it's free.
http://www.pixmantec.com/products/rawshooter_essentials.asp
It has some nice features, and it's free.
Keith Reeder
Watch the birdie...
I've tried DCRaw and UFRaw (free) and the RAW conversion utility in PSP 9 (not free).
Nikon Capture is better than both, but they both work.
The thing is, Nikon have been a wee bit unhelpful to us by encrypting some of their NEF data so that only NC can read it - logically then, NC will make the best job of processing NEFs. In addition, certain "bells and whistles" like the "Color Moire" reduction function are only found in NC (though I understand that other applications have developed alternatives).
A lot of users on Nikonians seem to be very happy with Adobe software + Adobe Camera Raw (ACR).
The reality is, "best" depends on what you're aiming for: if all you want to do is get your NEFs off the camera and convert them (doing all the proper post processing in Photoshop, PSP or whatever) then UFRaw - either stand-alone or as a plug-in for The Gimp - is fine, as is the RAW convertor in PSP 9.
I actually quite like Nikon Capture, even though it's slow on my machine, and it allows me to do what I need to do with the minimum of fuss (because it can read the encrypted White Balance information and whatnot - I don't have to muck about with a "best guess" from other software): but I'd manage without it - and The Gimp + UFRaw costs precisely nowt except the download.
Nikon Capture is better than both, but they both work.
The thing is, Nikon have been a wee bit unhelpful to us by encrypting some of their NEF data so that only NC can read it - logically then, NC will make the best job of processing NEFs. In addition, certain "bells and whistles" like the "Color Moire" reduction function are only found in NC (though I understand that other applications have developed alternatives).
A lot of users on Nikonians seem to be very happy with Adobe software + Adobe Camera Raw (ACR).
The reality is, "best" depends on what you're aiming for: if all you want to do is get your NEFs off the camera and convert them (doing all the proper post processing in Photoshop, PSP or whatever) then UFRaw - either stand-alone or as a plug-in for The Gimp - is fine, as is the RAW convertor in PSP 9.
I actually quite like Nikon Capture, even though it's slow on my machine, and it allows me to do what I need to do with the minimum of fuss (because it can read the encrypted White Balance information and whatnot - I don't have to muck about with a "best guess" from other software): but I'd manage without it - and The Gimp + UFRaw costs precisely nowt except the download.
Last edited:
AlexWinser
Well-known member
BJL said:
One thing to bear in mind is that Nikon Capture is very memory hungry as an application so you might need a pretty beefy PC to run it.
I would recommend using Pixmantec's Rawshooter, the essentials edition is free as mentioned above. Rawshooter Premium is very good too but you have to pay about £60 for that.
Alternatively, if you have Photoshop, upgrade to CS2 and then you get the Adobe Camera Raw for free.
Cheers
Alex
Keith Reeder
Watch the birdie...
Good points, Alex - and I admit that if I wasn't still using a Win ME machine I'd have explored more of the alternatives.
That said, as long as I'm sensible with Nikon Capture (rebooting the machine before firing it and Nikon View up) it's not too bad, resource-wise, as long as I'm not in a hurry - it runs sedately but well enough on 512kb of RAM.
That said, as long as I'm sensible with Nikon Capture (rebooting the machine before firing it and Nikon View up) it's not too bad, resource-wise, as long as I'm not in a hurry - it runs sedately but well enough on 512kb of RAM.
AlexWinser
Well-known member
I have got Capture at home but haven't got round to installing it yet. Rawshooter and ACR seem to work OK at the moment although Rawshooter struggles with skintones in portraits a bit. Andy Rouse, pro wildlife photog, is one of the characters behind that software and swears blind by it too.
Cheers
Alex
Cheers
Alex
