converting nef files with Photoshop's Camera Raw

When I was shooting with my Sigma SD9, I easily set up my G4 PowerMac to use Sigma's

software to convert the RAW files. I set it up so I could have a folder with a number of

RAW file and have the Sigma software take those images and convert them and save them

to another folder as TIFF files.

 

Is there a way for me to do this with my D70 NEF files? I can convert the NEF file but

presently I do it in a "manual mode" sorta of way. I want to be able to have a folder with

alot of NEF file and tell Camera Raw to convert them and save them as TIFFs into another

folder.

 

I hate when I let simple software option escape me.

 

Thanks,

 

Mark Sablow

With ACR in Photoshop Cs and CS2: no problem.

Record an Action in Photoshop to convert your NEF files. You can then run the action from the browser and select the folder to save the images.

 

The fastest way is to let the RAW converter use the parameters that the camera would use if it converted the RAW images. If I want to adjust the parameters, I select all images in the browser, double click to open the first image and make any adjustment required before the image is converted. I then hold down the ALT key which will change the OK button to an UPDATE button. Click the UPDATE button and ACR will save a sidecar XMP file which contains all setting for ACR. You have to set up ACR to save the sidecar file first. The images closes and the next selected image opens and you can continue this until all images are adjusted. I then run the Action on all images and the conversions are made using the adjustments saved in the sidecar files.

If you work extensively with RAW files I strongly suggest getting Real World Camera RAW by Bruce Fraser. Fantastic suggestions for efficient workflow. He's very fond of batch converting camera RAW files to Adobe's DNG format for editing for many reasons, but especially because DNGs contain all metadata including RAW settings within the file so you don't have to keep track of sidecar .xmp files. He's convinced me.

<BLOCKQUOTE><I><B>Mark Sablow, jul 23, 2005; 11:36 p.m.</B>

<br>

When I was shooting with my Sigma SD9, I easily set up my G4 PowerMac to use Sigma's software to convert the RAW files. I set it up so I could have a folder with a number of RAW file and have the Sigma software take those images and convert them and save them to another folder as TIFF files.

<br>

<br>

Is there a way for me to do this with my D70 NEF files? I can convert the NEF file but presently I do it in a "manual mode" sorta of way. I want to be able to have a folder with alot of NEF file and tell Camera Raw to convert them and save them as TIFFs into another folder.

</I></BLOCKQUOTE>

 

Nikon Capture will do it painlessly in batch mode.  Depending on what, exactly, you intend to do with those images, you may wish to just stick to Capture for the more routine post-processing chores -- it's no Photoshop or GIMP in terms of being a general-purpose graphics-arts tool; but as a straight-up photographic post-processor, it's a lot more capable than most folks seem to give it credit for.  Further, even if you're planning to further "creatively" edit the images in Photoshop or similar, <A HREF="http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/nikond2x/page20.asp">some tests I've seen</A> suggest that Capture handles the RAW-conversion stage better than ACR does.

<br>

<br>

Thanks for all of the advice. I have done a mini test with Capture and it does seem to

work pretty easy like you said Jay.

 

I was just hoping to make Photoshop and Camera Raw more friendly. I have had good

quality results from Camera Raw but never have gotten it to make RAW file conversion very

easy.

 

If anyone else has any thoughts please post them I will keep reading and learning while

playing with these softwares.

 

Thanks,

 

Mark Sablow