NEF/RAW workflow NX2 and beyond

[ian_watt3]

<p>I do all my edits in photoshop however I feel I could get better results if I started some images off in View NX2 for a few simple global changes then finish off in photoshop. I would be interested to know if anyone practices this method with success. My question is, to transfer the image from NX2 to photoshop means saving to jpeg or tiff in Nikon rgb. Is this a good way to work? I want the finished result to be a sRGB jpeg. I have played around with editing with Nikon software and the results look different to photoshop and in some ways better but I do need photoshop for web work and printing, so whatever way I go I have to use photoshop. So I am concerned that saving, opening and closing jpegs is bad practice. I use a D7000 and take RAWS and jpegs depending on the subject. </p>

[curt wiler]

<p>First, you need Capture NX2 (not View NX2) for the first step. And yes, this is an excellent way to go. Images should be exported to PhotoShop as TIFFs. As you say, try to avoid re-opening JPEGS. Capture NX2 has an export command that will transfer the file to PhotoShop, but I seldom use it because I want better control over the location of the saved file.</p>

[diane_madura]

<p>I first open my NEF files in Capture NX2, look at the histogram and make exposure changes accordingly. Then I save as a TIFF, make other changes on the file in Photoshop, sharpen using PK Sharpener (saving the layers), then save the file as a TIFF. If I need a JPEG later, I will make a JPEG from the TIFF. </p>

<p>It could just be my lack of ability to work well in Photoshop's RAW conversion program, but I agree with you that I get better results with photos (at least mine) when I open the NEF file in Capture NX2 rather than Photoshop. </p>

[diane_madura]

<p>I should have explained why I prefer to open my NEF files in Capture NX2. Capture NX2 makes my NEF files vibrant and with more contrast than if I open them and work on them in Photoshop.</p>

[ian_watt3]

<p>Thank you for the feedback. For the most basic but essential edits (hdr, white balance, exposure) I thought I could get away with View NX2 then save to tiff and carry on in photoshop. I will explore the Capture route as ultimately I am sure this will give me the best results. When you save the edited NEF as a tiff or jpeg should it look identical on the screen to the NEF when they are next to each other or does it depend how much altering has been done?</p>

[will_daniel1]

I disagree with those who say you need Capture NX2. I bought it, and it sits on my system pretty much unused since Nikon made all those wonderful improvements to View NX2 in 2010. Adjusting exposure plus or minus two stops was mainly what I used Capture NX2 for, and that feature is now in View NX2. You can do some pretty hefty edits of NEFs in View NX2 (since 2010), save as TIFF, then more hefty edits in Photoshop or Photoshop Elements before finally making a JPEG. That's the route I take.

[curt wiler]

<blockquote>

<p>When you save the edited NEF as a tiff or jpeg should it look identical on the screen to the NEF when they are next to each other or does it depend how much altering has been done?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>When you save the image as a jpeg you are discarding at least half of the data and probably altered the color space, so no, it will not look the same.<br /> On the other hand, when a RAW file is opened in Capture NX2 or PhotoShop it is no longer a RAW file inside the program - it has been converted to an image format similar to a tiff. In other words, you can't look at a RAW file and see an image. That's why it becomes so much larger when opened. When saved in this format it should look identical to the way it did in Capture. <br /> Having said that, I have never gotten Capture NX2 and PhotoShop to display the <em>identical TIFF file</em> exactly the same, side-by-side on the same screen. There has always been a very slight difference in saturation that no amount of expert help has been able to resolve.</p>

[georges_pelpel]

<p>I recently bought Capture NX2 to process my NEF files after finding that the program does a much better job at processing these files compared to Lightroom and Adobe Camera Raw. So like you I had to learn to save the processed images as TIFF in order to additionally work with them in PhotoShop.<br>

<br /> This book does a very decent job at explaining the workflow when using CapTure NX2. It's easy to read and understand.<br /> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Nikon-Capture-NX-After-Shoot/dp/0470409266/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1338830500&sr=8-5">Capture NX2 after the Shoot</a> from Mike Hagen</p>

[Wouter Willemse]

<p>Ian, your own suggestion would work just fine. ViewNX 2 can do quite a lot of editing, certainly once you create additional picture profiles. It's not an ideal editing program, but it does the job. The fact that the Nikon software uses your in-camera settings (and hence creates an image very similar to the camera to start with) is certainly useful. With Adobe Camera RAW, in the latest versions, you can come very close with camera profiles, though. But overall, I always liked (and still like) the output of the Nikon programs a bit better than most other programs (so here's another CaptureNX user).</p>

<p>But for CaptureNX 2, I would strongly recommend using the trial version for 60 days. By default, CaptureNX2 will give the exact same output as ViewNX - it just has a lot more tools and options, to squeeze the best out of your NEF. It's a program that's not to the liking of all, a bit quirky in places and sometimes very slow (though the latest versions are generally fine). With the trial, you can find if it is worth the extra money for you, or not. Maybe ViewNX with photoshop works just as well for you.</p>

 

[stevenseelig]

<p>I would encourage you to look into Aperture or Lightroom. Not only can you make all sort of non-destructive edits, but both programs offer excellent DAM.</p>

[joseph_smith3]

<p>I use Nikon Capture NX2, version 2.3.2, windows 64 bit version to process my NEF files. I also have Lightroom 3. I prefer to use NX2 for all processing steps as it produces "better" images for me than Lightroom 3. I will admit that I am new to Lightroom 3 and that can explain my lack of "best" results with it. <br>

I do agree with others that the best "export" workflow is to open the NEF in NX2, make minor adjustments, save the adjustments to your NEF master and then create a TIFF for use in Lightroom or Photoshop. <br>

I do use ViewNX2 ver 2.3.2 windows 64 bit but only as a browser.<br>

Joe Smith</p>

[kari_karhu2]

<p>"save the adjustments to your NEF master"<br>

Two questions.<br>

Shouldn't the original file always be kept untouched? You may want to do the things otherwise later. Or new versions of programs may be available in future.<br>

Many competitions require that e.g. semi-finalists are requested to present the original file to ensure that "illegal" editing (like stamp tool) has not been used. Wonder if is visible in the EXIF data if the raw file has been saved in a editing program like Nikon NX2 instead of the camera.</p>

 

[kari_karhu2]

<p>"save the adjustments to your NEF master"<br>

Two questions.<br>

Shouldn't the original file always be kept untouched? You may want to do the things otherwise later. Or new versions of programs may be available in future.<br>

Many competitions require that e.g. semi-finalists are requested to present the original file to ensure that "illegal" editing (like stamp tool) has not been used. Wonder if is visible in the EXIF data if the raw file has been saved in a editing program like Nikon NX2 instead of the camera.</p>