jose_angel Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 I`m very confused here. With the arrival of my brand-new D200 I have decided to update also my working methods and materials. My current method is as follows: a) After shooting I download the cards to a file at my computer`s HD. I make backup copies of the non-deleted images on another detachable HD or CDs. b) I usually open the archives on Photoshop 5.5 to improve contrast, color, and sharpness. c) I usually save the retouched images on pen-drive or CDs to be sent to the Lambda 130 for printing. I`m in the believing that my copy of Elements (3.0) (came with a scanner) is more refined and manages color and unsharp masks more accurately than PS 5.5. I like to use PS when I need to work with layers and text. I`m not a pro-editor, but I`m used and know how to use PS. As I need a RAW (NEF) converter, I`m thinking also to upgrade my photo editor. I tried PS CS3, I like it, but Adobe doesn`t accept an upgrade from 5.5. It could cost me over $600. I can pay it but I`m not sure if it is worth the expense. I don`t know what to do. I need advice. 1. What about Nikon software? Nikon offers me as a D200 owner a copy of Capture NX at low price. What is NX? What`s the best from Nikon? Does it really works? 2. I don`t have an image managing application ("automatic" downloading and image viewer). What do you think? Could you give me advice about it? 3. I have read about Lightroom from Adobe. Is it a good editing-retouching tool? I like the idea of having an image manager application and a color&contrast&sharpening and viewing tool in one. Is it real? Does it works? Don`t know about another software, perhaps the latest version of Elements (5.0?) is good enough for professional results. I look for the real highest quality results and then for the faster and simplier applications. I like things that works. I hate toys. Any advice will be highly welcomed. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
james_martin9 Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 Belive it or not, the free program Picasa from Google is excellent for dowloading, cataloging and simple editing. Try it for free. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elliot1 Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 In addition to Picassa, Nikon View (free from Nikon) will convert your RAW images for you. Either way, you can continue to edit with your version of PS. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
patrickn Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 You can download both Capture NX and Lightroom for free trial. Give them a go and see if they fit with your way of working. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jose_angel Posted July 25, 2007 Author Share Posted July 25, 2007 I also resize the images, soften skins, increase or decrease color, contrast etc. on some areas, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jose_angel Posted July 25, 2007 Author Share Posted July 25, 2007 <img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/5569379-md.jpg"/> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rainer_t Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 If you download ACR for your Photoshop-Elements-3 (i believe the latest version that will work with it is ACR-3.6) you can use it to convert your raw/nef files to tif. You could also upgrade to Elements-5 and use the latest ACR-versions. Also, Lightroom should work fine for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jose_angel Posted July 25, 2007 Author Share Posted July 25, 2007 Could I retouch (sharpen, soften, contrast, change color, etc.) limited areas of the image at Lightroom? Does it work with layers? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ellis_vener_photography Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 Jose: Lightroom doesn't work with Layers. It may in the future but it doesn't now. If you cannot afford PsCS3 you can either go with Lightroom or you can look at Adobe Photoshop Elements 5.0 (Windows) or 4.0 (Mac OS X).All these will have no problems handling Nikon D200 NEF files. The Nikon software is fine as well. Very powerful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Gardner Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 Jose, If you work in a school or if you know a student...you can get a huge discount on PS. I bought the full version...and boy did it cost. Then i find out that my son attending collage can get it for less then half. I'd look into it. Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iancoxleigh Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 Yeah -- find someone who can get you the educational pricing. My university even has a licensed copy agreement too. I got a full version (not an upgrade) of CS3 for $239CDN (reg. priced $1249.95CDN). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave Gardner Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 Ian, I know...i almost cryed when my son told me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sampson Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 Lightroom also doesn't handle 'areas' as PS would. You can't select regions to apply changes to, one of the main limitations. It does come with the newest ACR converter, and is a good and relatively fast conversion tool. If you have become used to making specific/localized corrections for color and contrast in photoshop you might have to stick with that type of software. Lightroom is quite a powerful image handling and RAW converting software though, quick and simple, but certainly not a photoshop replacement. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sampson Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 Oh, if you are considering PS elements, then go with Lightroom instead. Fairly intuitive workflow possible with Lightroom, and you can certainly make all the adjustments you would in Elements. Only problem, I don't see that you actually use Elements in your current workflow. Its actually a really good deal, for its file handling ability and RAW conversion tools, plus touch up, certainly can produce 'publishable' quality images. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul stewart Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 Go with Capture NX - I find it very useful for processing images. And you can try this with the trial offer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ldw Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 Jose- I would strongly agree that you take a very hard look at Lightroom. You can download an eval for 30 days. The only thing you might miss from PS would be dealing with areas or using layers when necessary. But, you may find most of your work does not require that, and since you still have PS 5.5 you can leverage that when needed. 90% of my editing is now done in Lightroom, I use CS2 if I need to get into layer masking, etc, but frankly that is the exception rather than the rule. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joseph_smith3 Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 I suggest you use Nikon Capture NX for RAW images. I use it for my RAW images from my D 200 and rarely see a need to use Photoshop 7 which I also own. Only Nikon programs will read the settings you enter in the camera to make the image at the time of capture as good as possible. None of the others will. If your image still needs more work then save a TIFF in Capture and take it into PS. See this for more info: http://www.cleanimages.com/DDBlog-NikonCaptureAndThe%20D2x.asp Just substitute CApture NX for the earlier version of Capture. Joe Smith Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hans_janssen Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 Capture NX reads all the settings you made in your camera and applies them on your NEF-file. NX knows exactly how a NEF-file is made. But for real production work I can't get a good workflow on it. I use it for the U-point technic. At the moment I use DxO as Raw-converter and that applies automaticaly lens corrections on your NEF(if you want of course. It has modules for a lot of lenses. BTW NX can defish pics from the Nikkor 10.5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jose_angel Posted July 25, 2007 Author Share Posted July 25, 2007 From what I read it looks to make sense to use Nikon software to convert Nikon NEF files. Same camera controls from the software, use of metadata?, etc. Is it really interesting? ITOH, Lightroom looks to be a faster tool... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dcraton Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 Bibble Pro is an excellent option as it does process NEF files and will support your D200 as will DxO. They both offer lens correction and are reasonalbly priced. Both are excellent digi-darkrooms. However, I do use them in conjunction with PS--layers. I really do not think there is an all in one solution. Irfanview is free as well as the aforementioned Picasa, as I have those as well. I tried the Nikon software and found it lacking and that is hard for me to say being Nikon addict. The cool thing is, you can try them all out for free and make up your own mind what is best for you. Good luck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonybeach Posted July 25, 2007 Share Posted July 25, 2007 I find the colors and noise from ACR to be very poor and I end up spending more time dealing with its poor conversions of NEF files than I can save with its fast conversions. My preference is to use Nikon Capture as my default converter, which does a better job than ACR even with the NR disabled, and I actually find it very fast on my computer. It includes a camera control module that costs you extra if you are using NX; the cost difference ends up being double using NX and Camera Control Pro. Capture One LE is good for fast, good quality conversions with easy UI; the preview images are outstanding, but it is a memory hog and you need to periodically dump the cache because it will overwhelm your HD (it's around 1 MB per image!). Raw Magick Lite is the best for the highest quality conversions. I use PTGui for panos, and Photokit Sharpener for output sharpening and touch-ups (selective sharpening and smoothing). I will probaly consider changing my stitching software to Autopano Pro eventually, and if I were you I might start with that instead of PTGui. Shoot in RAW, save as TIFFs and open them in Photoshop. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jose_angel Posted July 26, 2007 Author Share Posted July 26, 2007 Thank you all very much for your help. I think I will download trial versions of NX and Lightroom. I`ll stay with mi PS 5.5 for a while. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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