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CS4 and NEF files (1 Viewer)

Neil-T

Moorlands Macro: Close up and personal....with bug
Hi all, after changing over to Nikon I need to to find out how to edit my NEF files in CS4, firstly, is this possible? if not, then is there any better software (free if possible) for edititing the NEF files, the software provided is very basic and I don't like using it very much. Thanks. Neil.
 
Yeah, CS4's version of ACR (5.2) will happily handle NEFs - but not necessarily from recent cameras.

Which body are you shooting now?
 
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Here's a list of all Nikons supported by CS4/ACR 5.2: if yours is in the list, you'll be fine.

Nikon
D1
D1H
D1X
D70
D100
D200
D2H
D2Hs
D3
D300
D40
D40x
D50
D60
D70s
D700
D80
D90
D2X
D2Xs
Coolpix 5000
Coolpix 5400
Coolpix 5700
Coolpix 8700
Coolpix 8400
Coolpix 8800
Coolpix P6000
 
Sorry Keith, I am using Elements 4, my camera is a d300. What is ACR5.2? Don't Nikon supply the equivelent software to Canons DPP?
 
ACR is Adobe Camera Raw, the RAW plugin for Photoshop and Elements. As far as I can tell, the latest version of ACR that Elements 4 is compatible with is 3.7, in which case you're out of luck with your D300:
Nikon *
D1
D1H
D1X
D100
D200
D2H
D2Hs
D2X
D2Xs
D40
D50
D70
D70s
D80
Coolpix 5000
Coolpix 5400
Coolpix 5700
Coolpix 8400
Coolpix 8700
Coolpix 8800

Nikon does a very capable RAW converter - Capture NX - but it'll cost you...
 
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ACR is Adobe Camera Raw, the RAW plugin for Photoshop and Elements. As far as I can tell, the latest version of ACR that Elements 4 is compatible with is 3.7, in which case you're out of luck with your D300:


Nikon does a very capable RAW converter - Capture NX - but it'll cost you...

Thanks Keith, so there is no way I can view and edit my NEF Nikon raw files without buying some extra software, either Nikon or third party. Looks like i'm moving back to Canon:-O I am downloading the 60 day trial, how much does it cost after the trial?
 
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The cheapest I've seen it (Capture NX2, that is - dunno what the difference is between it and Capture NX: I presume that NX2 is just the current version) is £130, right up to £150.

For that kind of price, unless you were desperate for U-Point technology, I'd go for Lr 3 myself.

Mind you, Photoshop Elements 9 comes in at £62 and that gets you the most up-to-date ACR, which - and I speak as someone who has always hated RAW conversions from Adobe products - is brilliant, using the same underlying demosaicing algorithm and NR functionality that Lr 3 uses.

If you fancy trying something different though, at least as a stop-gap (although it's way better than just a stop-gap) the free Raw Therapee still impresses the hell out of me, and with Release 3 I'm seeing some of the best conversions I've ever had.

It's pretty "hands on", and the user guidance material is pretty much non-existent (until I write it, that is!), but it produces brilliant results - and gets better literally every day. It's extremely feature-rich. I know my way round it pretty well, and would be able to help with any questions should curiosity get the better of you and you give it a go.

It is rather unstable on some machines though - it's still at the Alpha stage of development - but a robust Beta version shouldn't be long.
 
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From memory, I had to download the ACR for PSE5, before I could view the NEF files. It's free, but can be hard to find on the Adobe website (especially for someone like me).
 
That's right to an extent, Helios, but the newest version of ACR that's compatible with Elements 4 (ACR 3.7) doesn't support the D300.
 
The cheapest I've seen it (Capture NX2, that is - dunno what the difference is between it and Capture NX: I presume that NX2 is just the current version) is £130, right up to £150.

For that kind of price, unless you were desperate for U-Point technology, I'd go for Lr 3 myself.

Mind you, Photoshop Elements 9 comes in at £62 and that gets you the most up-to-date ACR, which - and I speak as someone who has always hated RAW conversions from Adobe products - is brilliant, using the same underlying demosaicing algorithm and NR functionality that Lr 3 uses.

If you fancy trying something different though, at least as a stop-gap (although it's way better than just a stop-gap) the free Raw Therapee still impresses the hell out of me, and with Release 3 I'm seeing some of the best conversions I've ever had.

It's pretty "hands on", and the user guidance material is pretty much non-existent (until I write it, that is!), but it produces brilliant results - and gets better literally every day. It's extremely feature-rich. I know my way round it pretty well, and would be able to help with any questions should curiosity get the better of you and you give it a go.

It is rather unstable on some machines though - it's still at the Alpha stage of development - but a robust Beta version shouldn't be long.

Thanks for the link to Raw therapy Keith, I have downloaded it and I can't seem to open a NEF file, I know it's something simple but as you say, it's knowing where everything is. I opened it up and from the start up screen in the top left hand corner there is a folder icon which I click and direct it to my C drive then my documents, my pictures, Nikon transfer where my NEF files are but can't see how to open them. Thanks for any info. Neil.
 
I suspect you'll need to select "NEF" in the Preferences/File Browser dialog.

Save that, then browse to the image folder and double click. All of the supported files in the folder should appear in the thumbnail window.
 

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Got it keith, thanks very much for your valued help and support, only wish I could pay you back in some way. I will have a play with it and see how I get on. Neil.
 
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