Nikon RAW NEF File Editing Without Nikon Capture? Free Software?

Hi all,

Have been searching for an alternative to Nikon Capture after my trial demo for
it ran out last Sunday. I don't feel like giving Nikon another $99 for
something I think should be included with a $4000 camera. Beside, I'm not
buying doodly until I pay off the Visa Card that I bought this Camera on, and
that may turn out to be August-ish.

What I'm interested in doing is being able to correct for white balance,
sharpening / unsharpening, and maybe a few other things I'm going to have to
read up on before I realize I want them. I'm sort of an advanced amateur that
buys the best camera he can, at intervals that seem to be turning out to be
every 16 - 17 years. Nikkormat - 1970. Nikon F3 - 1986. Nikon D1x - 2003. I
may have overreached myself on this last one, though! <G>

Anyway, anyone have ideas for some preferably free software that will handle
the RAW NEF files from the D1x and do basically what Capture does?

Thanks in advance,

Dave Head

 

Though it may not give the same level of control NikonView6 allows
processing of Raw files, and includes plug-ins for PS.
________________________________________________________
Ed Ruf Lifetime AMA# 344007 ()
http://members.cox.net/egruf
See images taken with my CP-990 and 5700 at
http://members.cox.net/egruf-digicam

 

Did you try uninstalling and re-installing?

 

White balance? Its necesary, or I have to get the available light right every
time. I'm not that good... far from it.

Dave Head

 

Uh, no, I didn't, but as a software developer myself, I wouldn't feel right
about doing that repeatedly. I just think Nikon ought to pay their developers
to build it, and then supply it with the camera. Its appears to be a pretty
necessary accessory to get the most out of the camera, and unlike supplying a
flash unit with it, supplying software simply means a few cents for a disk, not
a few hundred for expensive parts and labor to assemble them.

Dave Head

 

Well the Nikon Editor installed with NV6 on my system allows rudimentary WB
adjustments.

RAW Adjustments
The RAW Adjustments palette allows you to make simple changes to images in
RAW (NEF) format.



Exposure compensation
Use the Exposure comp. slider to adjust exposure compensation in steps of
1/3 EV, from -2.0 to +2.0. When the slider is set to zero, the exposure
compensation will be set to the value chosen when the photograph was taken.


White Balance
This option allows you to adjust the white balance of an image saved in RAW
data format. Select a White Balance mode from the pull down menu. (White
Balance is an adjustment that preserves natural looking colors regardless
of the light source.)

Setting Use...
Unchanged ...to preserve the original White Balance setting.
Auto* The camera sets white balance automatically.
Incandescent ...for images taken under an incandescent light
Fluorescent ...for images taken under an fluorescent light
High Color
Rendering
Fluorescent ...for images taken under an high color rendering fluorescent
light
Direct sunlight ...for images taken under direct sunlight
Shade ...for images taken in the shade
Cloudy ...for images taken under cloudy skies.
Flash ...for images taken with a Nikon speedlight

* Auto is not available for images taken with COOLPIX series cameras.
________________________________________________________
Ed Ruf Lifetime AMA# 344007 ()
http://members.cox.net/egruf
See images taken with my CP-990 and 5700 at
http://members.cox.net/egruf-digicam

 

Hmmm - I think I see what's happened. I installed Capture 3.0 trial edition as
the editor in my Nikon View 6.0 . Then Capture 3 subsequently expired. Now, I
have _no_ editor at all. Apparently I have to uninstall View and reinstall it
without specifying Capture 3.0.

Dave Head

 

No need. Choose Edit => Preferences => Still Image
Select Use the Following program and change to Nikon Editor if necessary.
________________________________________________________
Ed Ruf Lifetime AMA# 344007 ()
http://members.cox.net/egruf
See images taken with my CP-990 and 5700 at
http://members.cox.net/egruf-digicam

 

Thanks, Ed - before this conversation, I didn't _know_ there was an alternative
editor. It seemed like a case of, "Pay another $99, or you don't have an
editor".

Dave Head

 

Thanks Dan, As I told Ed, I wasn't aware of the other editor.

Dave Head

 

You're welcome. In fact the ability to process NEF is the only reason
I keep NV6 on my PC at all.
________________________________________________________
Ed Ruf Lifetime AMA# 344007 ()
http://members.cox.net/egruf
See images taken with my CP-990 and 5700 at
http://members.cox.net/egruf-digicam

 

While we're at it, has anyone tried to edit NEF files with XnView? It
will convert the file and display it OK (at least the NEF files from my
Coolpix 5000), but the colors are morbid, and there seems to be no way
to get a reasonably correct white balance with XnView alone. Anyone
else succeeded in doing this?