New NEF For 9000ED Scanner?

[wagner]

Is the NEF output from a Nikon Super CoolScan 9000ED a new version? I

can't open with the new Adobe Raw Converter for CS 2, but I can open

NEF's from my D70 in CS 2.

 

Thanks as always,

 

Paul

[robert_martin5]

NEF files from Nikon Scan are not the same type file as NEF files from digital cameras. Nikon Scan NEF files can only be opened with Nikon Scan.

[wagner]

Do you know if CS2 will support these in the future?

 

Thanks*2

 

Paul

[robert_martin5]

Photoshop CS2 will not support these in the future. NEF format from the scanner is different that NEF format form a camera. It will only be supported by Nikon Scan.

 

Settings in the Tool Chest are not applied to images saved in NEF format, instead settings are saved separately in the same file as the image. When the images is opened in Nikon Scan, these settings are loaded in the Tool Chest and applied to the image. This allows you to change the settings without affecting the original image from the scanner. Look at page 109 of the Nikon Scan 4 Reference Manual. NEF format is define there.

 

RAW images from a camera (NEF) contains data for one color at each pixel location and the camera settings that the camera would use to generate a color image, but the data is not processed. When you open a RAW file from a camera, the RAW converter calculates the other two colors at each pixel location and applies all the settings for exposure, contrast, saturation, etc.

 

A RAW image for the scanner (NEF) contains data for all three colors at each pixel location, you don't have to calculate the other two colors since the scanner can measure all three at each pixel location.

 

Both images (camera or scanner) are RAW since it is data directly from the sensor with no modifications. but they are different type files.

[ilkka_nissila]

Yeah, the main reason to use NEF as a generic image format is that all operations on them are reversible. Saving TIFFs is a pain because you need to save every little change you make as a separate layer (or alternatively as separate TIFFs) or you lose the ability to work with the file. Now if you start with a 500 MB scan this can cease to be funny quite quickly.