I am not sure if this belongs in the D800 forum or in the digital processing forum, so I will let the moderator decide.

I just received my D800 and shot a few test images, but am experiencing a number of problems; I am running Windows 7 on Dell XPS with 8gb of RAM, a quad core processor and an i7:

First, the NEF images (i.e. thumbnails) are not displayed in my PC's image folder; all that appears is the NEF icon. (All my D700 images show up in their folders as thumbnails).

Second, when I open an image in Capture NX2 (version 2.3.5), the program opens my image to an automatic 66.7%. (My D700 images open at 25%).

Third, and most disconcerting is the fact that my D800 images (shot on a tripod, with mirror-lock up using a Nikon 70-200mm zoom) do not exhibit anywhere near the resolution of my D700 images. In fact, when I enlarge the images so that are equal in size on the screen, the D800 images are noticeably inferior in resolution and there is much greater pixiliation. (It looks like a 6mp image zoomed to about 100% in Capture NX2)

I am shooting uncompressed RAW; the image size displayed on the D800 is 7360 x 4912.

Clearly, I must be doing something wrong; shouldn't the D800 images have better (perhaps significantly better) resolution than my D700 RAW images? If anyone has any suggestions, I would appreciate it.

Thanks

Paul Lebras

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As for the NEF images in Windows 7, have you downloaded NEF Raw Codec from the Nikon Service and Support website? I shoot with a D3s and now I have the thumbnails in Windows Explorer. Ken

http://support.nikonusa.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/61#Anchor-16

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>As for the NEF images in Windows 7, have you downloaded NEF
>Raw Codec from the Nikon Service and Support website? I shoot
>with a D3s and now I have the thumbnails in Windows Explorer.
>Ken
>
>http://support.nikonusa.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/61#Anchor-16
>


I would do this which would help with thumbnails, also Capture NX2 defaults to 16% zoom level when I open a NEF file..... Maybe you can post a sample image to help see whats going on...

Chris

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>.....also Capture NX2 defaults to 16% zoom level when I open a NEF file.....

Same here - D800E NEF files open at 16% in NX2. The NEFs from some other cameras open at 33% but it doesn't seem to follow any logical pattern (related to the MP count):

D800E - 16%
D3x - 16%
D700 - 33%
D300 - 16%
D200 - 33%

I can't see any setting in NX2 that changes the default zoom level.

He said his d700 images show up as thumbnails...is this somethingthat needs updated with new camera models?

Sheri Becker

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Yes, the NEF RAW Codec does need updating to support new camera models.

Brian
Welsh Nikonian
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Hi Brian,

My iMac has this same problem -- it shows my D800E NEF files on the desktop and "Finder" as icons instead of thumbnails. My D700 NEF files show up correctly. Photomechanic also shows the D800E files correctly. NX2 works very well.

I have uploaded all of the current software updates from Apple and Nikon and do not know where to look next. Any suggestions? The iMac is about 4 years old -- wIth OS X v. 10.5.8. The codec seems to be only for PC's.

Many thanks,
Phil

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I'm sorry, but I have no experience with Mac's

You'd be better off asking in our Apple Postprocessing Forum.

Brian
Welsh Nikonian
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>My iMac has this same problem -- it shows my D800E NEF files
>on the desktop and "Finder" as icons instead of
>thumbnails. My D700 NEF files show up correctly.
>Photomechanic also shows the D800E files correctly. NX2 works
>very well.
>
>I have uploaded all of the current software updates from Apple
>and Nikon and do not know where to look next. Any
>suggestions? The iMac is about 4 years old -- wIth OS X v.
>10.5.8. The codec seems to be only for PC's.

Phil, you sound like you are too out of date with the Apple operating system (10.5.x). I am running 10.7.5 and don't have the symptoms you describe. And 10.8.x is actually the current OS.

Am not sure of this, but it sounds likely, especially since you indicate you have applied all Apple software updates.

Best regards, SteveK

'A camera is an instrument that teaches people how to see without a camera.' -- Dorothea Lange
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Thanks for the comments, Steve. I strongly suspect you are correct. I will soon be shopping for a new OS and probably a new computer to run it. Actually, the D800 files seem to be taxing the old iMac, although NX2 is still working acceptably. I hope the new computer serves me as well as the old one.

Phil

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Paul

You've got two sets of questions here - part about the D800 and images, and part about post processing software. If we can't quickly resolve the software questions here, it's probably better to move that discussion to the Nikon Software forum.

I'm running Capture NX2 and View on a Windows 7 i5 64 bit system with 8 GB of RAM. You should be fine from a system standpoint.

First things first. Can you use View NX2 to view the images? That's the most neutral viewer and uses the camera settings.

The D800 images should be excellent. Are you shooting NEF + JPEG or just NEF? It is possible to view the JPEG file and a basic JPEG would appear to have low resolution at 100%.

Images should be very sharp. The 70-200 f/2.8 performs very well at f/5 but you can see some softness wide open. Still, I regularly shoot it at f/3.2 or so. Be sure VR is off and shutter speeds are fast enough for a good test. Use the center sensor for AF. Try selecting a subject that is 15-20 feet away. A tripod is a good test, but I have no problems handheld if shutter speeds are 1/500 sec or higher.

Check the Picture Control settings and set it for Standard. Standard is a relatively neutral starting point and should produce good images without undue sharpening or contrast which can cause pixelation and artifacts. Set ISO on a reasonable value - ISO 200 or so for test purposes. Turn off D-Lighting and Active D-Lighting for now while you are testing - both can introduce noise or pixelation.

Eric Bowles
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After many trials and errors (including some of the recommendations cited in the responses), I think I determined the cause of the problem. I had been using Nikon Transfer 2 to download the images from my D700. I therefore did the same with my new D800, with the results outlined in my orginal post. I then tried View NX2, and the images loaded and displayed normally in both my folders and when using Capture NX2.

As Eric indicated, the images now show much greater resolution than those from my D700. Thanks to all for taking the time and effort to help with my problem.

Paul Lebras

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Paul Hello,

I had a post up over in the CNX2 forum on this (similar) issue.

As a stand alone Transfer for whatever reason will not import the data at 14 bit, only at 12 bit hence the sizing constraints and resolution in RAW.

I was having trouble over the weekend on a shoot with missing control faders, and sizing.

My posted thread eventually was solved by trial and error and recalling that there had been advice on another thread after the D800 hit the shelves (by Nikon) to ingest RAW NEF data using the button on the tool bar in CNX2's latest version.

I erased both primary and backup files, and re-imported.

The acuity and detail, plus general look at 100% are (to me) stunning with a caveat that keepers (based upon intent and composition) require even more thought these days but what a wonderful machine the D800 is!

Here is the thread I eventually recalled as pointed out by another user: http://www.nikonians.org/forums/dcboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=430&topic_id=255&mesg_id=255&page=

Rob

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Nikon Transfer also needs to be updated for the D800. See the post at the top of the D800 forum. It does now import files in 14bit.

Larry Miller, Annapolis, MD
D700/D800
http://www.pbase.com/lmmiller9
http://lmmillerphotography.smugmug.com/

The stand alone Nikon Transfer program is for older cameras only. The D800 and similar new cameras should have images imported using the Nikon Transfer embedded in View NX2. It can be launched through auto-run when a card is mounted.

Eric Bowles
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Thank you Eric.

RM

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Thanks again -- it's this kind of firendly helpful advice than makes Nikonians such a great site!

Paul Lebras

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