Nikon Capture vs. cs2 Photoshop

[gwkphoto]

I am convinced that I need to shoot RAW --o.k., I have a limited amount of money to lavish on "stuff." Which

should I purchase--Nikon Capture or Photoshop CS2. I have Photoshop CS but I am told that Nikon's system is

better for Nikon users. Help please?

[diane_madura]

Hi George. The greatest difference between Nikon Capture NX2 and Photoshop CS2 is the ability to use layers with Photoshop CS2, which NX2 doesn't have. However, I find that Nikon Capture NX2 (or Nikon Capture NX for that matter) does a seriously better job converting my NEF files to TIFF files than Photoshop CS2 does. I've heard that CS3 has a better RAW processor, but I have CS2, so I cannot say whether that's true or not.

 

Personally, I use both. I use Capture NX to make basic changed to the NEF file, then I do some fine tuning in Photoshop. But I'm sure you can get by using Capture NX (or NX2) only.

 

Don't forget that if you are a student, you can get a pretty big discount on Photoshop CS3.

[Matt Laur]

This depends more on what sort of editing you find yourself doing. Capture NX2 is significantly more useful than it's v1.x predecessor, and includes one key feature that the first version <i>really</i> lacked: a clone/healing brush. I'll stick my neck out and say that one of the few reasons that a lot people would save an image out of NX into a TIF and then head into a paint program like CS-whatever is to fix a few blemishes, etc.

 

Neither CS nor NX are, by themselves, meant to handle high-volume workloads in a hurry. But with NX2, there's now less of a need to use both. But... need to add some text, etc? You're still in for Photoshop, or Corel's suite, etc. Or the GIMP, if you like things a little more wild and wooly.

[elliot1]

If you are shooting with Nikon camera that uses Picture Control, the big advantage NX has over Photoshop is the ability to adjust the in-camera settings for RAW files such as picture controls, active D-lighting, etc.

 

I would suggest you do your shopping on eBay where you can really stretch your dollar regardless of which program you choose. If you shop wisely, you may be able to get both.

[mjt]

You can't beat the manufacturer's native tools for processing raw images,<br />

which is why I'll use Nikon's software for "critical NEFs" - the images that<br />

require the magic that the Nikon software provides.<br /><br />

 

The same goes for Fuji's raw processor for my S5 shots.<br /><br />

 

Otherwise, I use Lightroom - which is 90% of the images I process.

[joseph_smith3]

Nikon Capture is the only raw processor that will read the camera settings in your NEF files. All of the others start with a blank slate except for White Balance. So you are starting over again in PS CS, all versions, to replicate what the camera captured.

 

U point technology in Capture NX and NX2 are wonderful editing tools and result in file sizes much smaller than layers in PS. Check this out before you make a decision.

http://www.ppmag.com/web-exclusives/2006/11/review-supplement-nikon-captur.html

 

You can buy a program and get U point technology for PS CS3 as an add on but it costs plenty of money--Nik's Viveza for Adobe Photoshop, about $250. This add on might be more that the complete cost of capture NX2.

 

All editing steps in Capture are non destructive. At anytime you can go back and change any step independent of all other steps.

 

For me, learning how to use Capture was fairly easy and almost intuitive. I tried to learn how to use PS 7 and gave up numerous times. There are good books out on how to use Capture NX and NX2 and there are tutorials available for free at nikonusa.com.

http://support.nikontech.com/cgi-bin/nikonusa.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=14234&p_created=1175285705&p_sid=16l_1kcj&p_accessibility=0&p_redirect=&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPSZwX3NvcnRfYnk9JnBfZ3JpZHNvcnQ9JnBfcm93X2NudD0xOSwxOSZwX3Byb2RzPTQyLDI5OCZwX2NhdHM9MTg1JnBfcHY9Mi4yOTgmcF9jdj0xLjE4NSZwX3NlYXJjaF90eXBlPWFuc3dlcnMuc2VhcmNoX25sJnBfcGFnZT0x&p_li=&p_topview=1

 

My friends who are really good at digitial processing will tell you that you need both programs as they are complementary. If you cannot afford both, I would get Capture NX or NX2. I use it for 99% of my work including printing. I wish it could add my copyright to my prints. That is about the only thing I use PS 7 for.

 

This gives you info on why to use NX2 first before going into PS:

http://www.planetnikon.com/DDBlog-NikonCaptureAndThe%20D2x.asp

It was written awhile ago and the versions have changed but the premise is still the same.

 

And it costs less.

 

Joe Smith

[ronald_moravec1]

Use of presets in CS3 raw developer will get you close to what NX does with two clicks of a mouse.

Personally I want a flat raw file I can manipulate from scratch. If I wanted a vivid color contrasty file from the camera, I would set the camera to make a JPEG with those qualities.

 

Try and do pro portrait retouching with NX. Can`t be done. Use your student discount to get CS4 in the fall.

[victor_loutit]

I have Capture nx and PS cs3, and although they may be complementary to a certain extent, i have to say that i find Capture way slower, which can be a little frustrating,(ok, a LOT!).

[victor_loutit]

Uuuuhh....oops. Meant for that shot to go in my portfolio. Sorry-pic has nothing to do with this thread!

[stwrtertbsratbs5]

I can do most of my edits in Capture NX 2. It's much improved over the earlier versions.

[eric_bowles]

I use NX2 almost exclusively for my edits. While it does not have "layers", the selection control points can be used to create masks and many of the effects of layers without the added time and file size.

 

Vincent Versace has a great DVD on NX2. Jason Odell has what I would regard as the best book on how the software works. Versace describes the tools as follows: View NX is an organizer, Capture NX2 is an image editor to adjust the details in the images you captured in-camera, and CS3 is a bitmap editor that can actually change the image by cloning, etc.

 

I find that the healing function and selection editing functions in NX2 handle most of my needs much more quickly than CS3 - and in a non-destructive manner. I am working with the in-camera settings of an image and those settings can be changed after the fact in NX2 using Picture Control. The one place I need Photoshop is for changing the image. Examples might be copying part of the image or combining multiple images as in HDR processing.

 

Eric