Capture NX or NX2

<p>Is it worth upgrading from Capture NX to NX2? Is it that much better of a program or would my current edition of NX be sufficient?<br>

Primarily, I want to be able to use one program to adjust levels, noise and sharpness. Any insight from those that have upgraded would be appreciated.<br>

Glenn</p>

<p >Glenn, this is strictly my opinion, no mumbo jumbo testing, simply using the product.</p>

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<p >Shortly after NX2 came out I downloaded the free trial. There was a lot I liked but there was one feature that bugged me, the eyedropper. Using NX, I frequently used the eyedropper to pick up color from the image itself. I could not get that to work in NX2. Truthfully that was probably my fault, just something that I did not understand how to use. I did not upgrade but continued to use NX. However, in all other respects I thought and still think that NX2 is absolutely light years ahead of NX.</p>

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<p >Then I purchased the D700 and there apparently was no upgrade path for continuing to use NX, I upgraded. The eye dropper still bugs me and I still need to learn how to use it. Even though I still have both on my computer, I seldom go back now to NX to use the eyedropper. Funny thing is that occasionally, occasionally it will work but I have not figured out why sometimes and not others.</p>

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<p >When NX2 first arrived there was considerable bemoaning the fact that all the workflow was "forced" into the Edit List. Most people apparently used it like I did and used the drop down menus, which can be used in NX2, but most are available in the Edit List. I thought that was going to be a problem, it isn't. The Edit List is actually set up in a very logical workflow. You start at the top and work down through Camera Settings, Quick Fix that has the histogram/levels/curves and proceed down to Adjustments. Very very logical arrangement and you will quickly become accustom to it.</p>

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<p >There are two features that I find extremely useful. First you can make the thumbnails much larger which to my old eyes makes the initial edit considerable easier. In NX I had to open each and every image. Second, in the Edit List there is a button to Delete which makes it much much easier to try something and zap it if needed without the right click menu procedure. Those two features alone, IMO, made NX2 the winner by a long shot.</p>

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<p >Some have mentioned that 2 is much faster on their machines, I don't see a lot of difference, nor do I see much difference in stability but I am not using it on the best of computers so I still suffer with waiting occasionally.</p>

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<p >As I say, IMO, NX2 is light years ahead of NX but there is a small learning curve. Personally, I would not go back so to me it is worth the price of the upgrade in spite of my one real gripe.</p>

<p>Glen: I find NX2 to be a different beast a bit, user-interface-wise, but a substantial improvement in terms of workflow, stability, and the ease with which I can do what I want to do. The healing brush - just by itself- is enough of a reason to switch. It saves you from having ship the image out to another application just to deal with a dust spec.</p>

<p>I am an avid NX user and upgraded to NX2 as soon as it became available. I used to keep Photoshop Elements on my computer, primarily for the cloning tool. As Matt notes, the healing brush eliminates that need, and when I recently upgraded to a new computer, I dropped Photoshop Elements. The NX2 edit list, the logical workflow, and the healing brush makes it worth the upgrade in my opinion. I shoot only RAW using a D700, and I find NX2 does all the editing/post processing I require. Both NX and NX2 are memory hogs and I recommend upgrading your computer to the max RAM you can - 4GB in my case.</p>

<p>I agree with the advice given - it's definitely worth the upgrade.</p>

<p>I find NX2 to be better, faster and all I need and use other than ViewNX. Granted, I didn't delete my Photoshop CS from my computer, but then again, I haven't bought an update in a long, long time.</p>