Nikon D70s, NEF, and Macintosh

I recently purchased a Nikon D70s and a 1-gig Lexar Compact Flash card.

iPhoto says it can't recgnize the NEF formatted files; I tried
connecting the camera directly to the computer (with a USB cable), and
reading the card with a card reader.

A friend who has a D70 has no problem importing NEF files from her
camera with iPhoto.

I can import them with PictureProject and with GraphicConverter, though.
I don't have any version of Photoshop.

Are there differences between the D70 version of NEF and the D70s
version? If not, why can't I import with iPhoto?

Second question: Does Photoshop SE offer enough advantages over
GraphicConverter to make it worth the money?

Third question: Is Nikon View or Nikon Capture worth buying?

Thanks in advance.

 

Yes. You will probably have to wait for iPhoto to be updated for it to
recognize the NEFs.

I'm not sure what "Photoshop SE" is, but if you meant "CS2", then, yes.

No. Not worth using even if free.

 

If you own the 10.5mm fisheye, then you can convert the image from round to
rectangular. The rectangular image still needs some work to avoid the
falling over backwards look.
Otherwise, both are a waste of money and time.[/QUOTE]

*chuckle* No, I don't own the fisheye. Thanks.

 

Yes. You will probably have to wait for iPhoto to be updated for it
to recognize the NEFs.
Thanks.

I'm not sure what "Photoshop SE" is, but if you meant "CS2", then,
yes.[/QUOTE]

Actually, I meant Photoshop Elements. I don't know where I got the "SE"
from. Photoshop CS2 is much more than I need, and costs much more than
I can justify spending.

So, the question is the comparison between Photoshop Elements and
GraphicConverter.

 

If you own the 10.5mm fisheye, then you can convert the image from round to
rectangular. The rectangular image still needs some work to avoid the
falling over backwards look.
Otherwise, both are a waste of money and time.
Jim

 

Even if you assign value of zero to NV, since it's free, the amount of
value per price is still indeterminate. NV is a free download on the Nikon
Support web site.

 

Even if you assign value of zero to NV, since it's free, the amount
of value per price is still indeterminate. NV is a free download on
the Nikon Support web site.[/QUOTE]

Apparently, it does not support the D70s; when I list my camera as a
D70s it does not show up in the downloads list, but if I list it as a
D70, it does show up. So I can scratch it from consideration,
regardless.

 

Then I'd say "maybe". Elements is lacking some things that I find rather
fundamental to photo post-processing, like Curves, and I consider it not
really suitable for serious photography.

The price tag on the full CS2 is a bit of a bummer, yes.

 

Then I'd say "maybe". Elements is lacking some things that I find
rather fundamental to photo post-processing, like Curves, and I
consider it not really suitable for serious photography.[/QUOTE]

Thanks. Frankly, I don't know what Curves is (in relation to digital
photography), so I probably don't need it--at least not for a while.

 

Picture Project came with my D70. All it does for me is download the
files and format the card.[/QUOTE]

It came with my D70s too; however, we're talking about Nikon View here.

 

That's a fair statement -- and part of the reason I said Elements was a
"maybe" even though I followed it up with a "not suitable". What's
important is whether it does what *you* want, not whether it does what
I want.

It's a good program. If the feature list matches your needs, I'd say go
for it. If you outgrow it, you'll know. However, it is worth noting that
the new version just came out for Windows but not for Mac, with the Mac
version "still in development", whatever that might mean. Anyway, there
is a demo available, so you can download that and see if you like it.

 

Apparently, it does not support the D70s; when I list my camera as a
D70s it does not show up in the downloads list, but if I list it as a
D70, it does show up. So I can scratch it from consideration,
regardless.[/QUOTE]
Picture Project came with my D70. All it does for me is download the files
and format the card.
Jim

 

Don't know about the Mac version but the Windows version of
Nikon View 6.2 does support the D70s.

-Mike

 

I'll check out the demo, then. I already have GraphicConverter, paid my
shareware fee and all, but what I'm trying to find out is what Photoshop
Elements can do that GC can't do.

 

I'll check out the demo, then. I already have GraphicConverter, paid
my shareware fee and all, but what I'm trying to find out is what
Photoshop Elements can do that GC can't do.[/QUOTE]

Apparently, there isn't a demo version of PS Elements for the Mac
available at the Adobe web site any more. There are links that purport
to be for a demo version, but the only files are for updates. *sigh*

 

It came with my D70s too; however, we're talking about Nikon View here.[/QUOTE]
Yes, I know. Nikon View did not come with my D70. I thought that Picture
Project replaced Nikon View.
However, as I do not have Nikon View, I have no comments on it.
Jim

 

You didn't indicate which version of the Mac OS you're using or iPhoto.
Make sure you are using the same version as your friend and it should
work.

 

Presumably there are differences -- though you might try as a
test importing images from her camera to see whether there may be a
plugin to the program missing.

You don't say which version of the Mac's OS you are using. If
you are using OS-X, you should be able to download dcraw and compile it,
just as you can on a unix system. (Do you have the development system
installed in your Mac? It is free, and provides an exceelent C
compiler, "gcc". I think that it is even on the CD-ROMS which the OS
comes on.

I don't use either. I use dcraw to convert my RAW images, and
"the GIMP" (another free unix program available for the Mac OS-X) for
manipulating the images.

I did not buy them -- but they were not available for my
preferred unix boxen, so I can't testify first-hand as to what they may
be worth.

Enjoy,
DoN.

 

Presumably there are differences -- though you might try as a test
importing images from her camera to see whether there may be a plugin
to the program missing.[/QUOTE]

Well, it was already answered that there is a difference, but I couldn't
test with her camera regardless; we live about 800 miles apart.

I have Tiger 10.4.2, and do have X-Code 2.0 installed. But I'm not a
developer, so have no idea of how to compile anything. Anything other
than Applescripts, that is--and I don't need the development system for
that.

But why isn't the object code for dcraw available?

 

We are using the same version; the problem is that the versions of NEF
are different.