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Software Reviews

Nikon Capture and Nikon Digital cameras

Darrell Young (DigitalDarrell)


Keywords: software, postprocessing, nikon_capture, nikon, adobe, photoshop, cs2

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My workflow is thusly:

 

1. Transfer the images from the CF card to the computer using Nikon View 6.2.7
2. Push the image into Nikon Capture 4.4 from within Nikon View.
3. Twiddle the image until it is to my liking and then save it out as a 16-bit 71 megabyte TIFF.
4. Open the TIFF in Photoshop and crop, touch up, etc.
5. Save as TIFF or PSD from within Photoshop.

 

© Digital Darrell

Little Pigeon River - Smoky Mountains National Park

 

Most of my well-composed images stop at step 3 above. The not so well composed ones go the full 1 through 5. I realize that this requires using three programs, but I get great results. That's hard to argue with!

I find that this workflow creates superior looking images over and over again. I have tried other workflows and programs, and just did not get the results. I believe that images from most other postprocessing software are not as good looking as NC's results. That's my opinion anyway.

Also, the batch functionality in NC is superb. I can dump a huge pile of NEF files in a folder, open the batch function, modify the first image until it meets my specs, and then have NC apply the same changes to all the rest of the images, while converting them to TIFFs or JPEGs, and renaming them. Afterward, I examine the images, and if any do not look good, I redo them. Often it is only two or three images that need work after the batch is done.

NC is slower than some applications out there, but I strongly believe that Nikon has secret goodies imbedded in the software that NO other software has. Otherwise my images would not come out with that "look" that I am after. I call it the "John Shaw Look." NC helps me get there! Who is best qualified to know how to convert a NEF to something else? Surely it is the creator of the NEF. If you are unhappy with your current images try using the new NC 4.4 for a bit, you may be surprised.

 

 

There are TRIAL versions of Nikon Capture and full versions of Nikon View available from NikonUSA here: Nikon Software Downloads

I first discovered how incredibly sharp the D2x could actually be by playing around with the RAW settings in NC. I used to leave my camera on NORMAL sharpening in-camera, and would then switch it to HIGH in NC. But, since I shoot RAW files, I can easily remove any in-camera sharpening effects in the NC program. The RAW file does not become a real image until you save it as something besides an NEF file. Until you do, you ALWAYS have the CMOS or CCD data available to use over and over. (Consider NEF files as digital negatives, to be protected and cherished.)

Once you've pulled the image into NC and you think in-camera sharpening on HIGH does not fit it well, then simply set it back to NORMAL or LOW and you will have the exact same result as you would have had if you had used NORMAL or LOW originally in the camera. NC works with the underlying RAW sensor data. It applies the original camera settings to the RAW data, but not permanently. You can modify it at will. Then when you save your file as a TIFF or JPEG, you lock in the settings you desire. But, you always have that original RAW data there in the NEF file to do it again later.

Since this is such an important point, I am going to repeat it! No camera settings are applied to the RAW image data. The settings are included with the file as "markers" so that NC will know how to display the image initially. But, if you change the settings in NC, the image immediately looks like you took the picture using those settings originally.

Many people forget that one reason we use RAW files in the first place is that we can later change our minds about how we shot the image in the first place; and then change it to how we SHOULD have shot it, after the fact. No RAW file even exists as an image until a conversion program converts it to a final form.

This applies to things like exposure, color balance, hue, sharpening, individual RGB channel saturation, shadow detail, vignetting, etc. I can't imagine trading away any of the superior control I have in NC for other programs. It is written by the creators of the NEF format, so will always have superior knowledge of Nikon camera internals and give the best results.

Speed is not the primary concern in my eyes; I want quality in my images. I work HARD to take sharp images, and I'll not throw that away in someone else's RAW conversion program. Others do okay, but will never be able to give the results that NC will. Most reviewers of the software admit the same, they just complain bitterly about NC's memory hoggishness and slow speed.

I simply know that I get incredibly sharp and colorful results EVERY TIME on well exposed images, and can rescue badly exposed ones without too much damage, such as noise.

 

Give me Nikon Capture, or give me...uh...film!

 

Keep on capturing time...

 

(3 Votes )
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Originally written on May 10, 2006

Last updated on October 28, 2016

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