Picasa and NEF files
Rkmerritt3
Registered since 02nd Oct 2014
Sat 04-Oct-14 02:07 PM
So, I have a D3300, and I love it. I have a samsung pro 64gb super fast sdxc so I have been shooting in raw+jpeg. I use my wifes laptop to download all my pictures and she uses Picasa. Well I open it up the other day and there are my NEF and JPEG photos in Picasa. The NEF files obviously look dull compared to the JPEG's, but there they are and I was able to edit them in Picasa super easy. On top of that I now have access to them on all my devices, even my phone. My question is, is there a reason I should not use Picasa? I have been importing using viewnx2 but I may just import using Picasa because it works as well.
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#1. "RE: Picasa and NEF files" | In response to Reply # 0
JosephK Nikonian since 17th Apr 2006Sat 04-Oct-14 09:03 PMThere are many raw converters from multiple companies that are available. Wrapped around these converters are either viewers or editors. Which one you choose to use is mostly based on personal preference often having more to do with the outer viewer/editor than the raw converter itself.
That said, Nikon's software will read both the raw data and the camera settings stored in the NEF files so that the initial views will resemble the JPG previews on the camera's LCD. All third-party viewers/editors ignore the camera settings in the NEF files and apply their own default settings. This is why Picasa's view of the NEF files are initially "dull". Most of these viewers/editors will let you create your own presets to apply to the raw files.
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Joseph K
Seattle, WA, USA
D700, D200, D70S, 24-70mm f/2.8, VR 70-200mm f/2.8 II, TC20e3,
50mm f/1.4 D, 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 VR, 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5 DX
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#2. "RE: Picasa and NEF files" | In response to Reply # 1
Rkmerritt3 Registered since 02nd Oct 2014Sun 05-Oct-14 06:08 AMI did some research on this after my post. Apparently the biggest drawback besides grabbing camera settings is that Picasa automatically converts the nef file to 8 bit, and there is no way to change that. For organizing and sharing I don't think it can get any easier than Picasa. For quick minor editing an converting to jpeg it works great. But real raw adjusting may not produce the quality of the better programs.
So Lightroom it is.-
#3. "RE: Picasa and NEF files" | In response to Reply # 2
PBlais Nikonian since 19th Jan 2014Sun 05-Oct-14 06:45 AMIt is slightly more complicated than that but it is also better than you think. All preview images are 8 bit in all software. You really can't see a 16 bit image BUT the adjustments can be made mathematically at 16 bits (or even 32 bits). You'll find working in Lightroom will yield better results in a few ways. It regenerates the preview file as you perform edits and saves the edit instructions. It never changes the original 16 bit image. This means an undo is very easy and you can screw up all you like and go back no matter what you do so long as you don't delete the NEF or DNG file.
With JPG editors every time you save the image it runs the compression all over again on top of the last time. The quality degrades with every recompression. The camera saved it once already as a JPG so when you edit the camera jpg you will lose just a little bit. If you edit the jpg in Lightroom you want to import it and then make a copy before you edit. With raw files it's automatic because you can't edit them you only edit the preview file. You can lose all your preview files in Lightroom and have them remade as required.Visit my Nikonians gallery.
See my portfolio.
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