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Steve SpotOn · May 17, 2007, 03:44 AM

I've just treated myself to a new Nikon D40X and I'm pondering how best to exploit it's picture quality when shooting in RAW format.

I'm used to using Photoshop from CS1 but it won't recognise the RAW files - I don't want to pay out a fortune for the upgrade to CS3. iPhoto will open them but doesn't have the features I'm used to and not sure it will export them in good enough quality to edit in CS1.

I'm aiming to produce some high quality landscapes as 'art' prints.

What's a good reccomended work flow (without paying out more on software)?

sknapp351 · May 17, 2007, 07:31 AM

You need to install the raw plug in from Nikon, then your photoshop will recognize them. I found that installing the Nikon View software will install the plug in automatically.
Sam
BTW: This is Free..

Steve SpotOn · May 17, 2007, 07:48 AM

Thanks .... I've also just found an updated plug in on the Adobe web site that might work.
Not sure I want to install Nikon View - I'd rather work with Photoshop and not clutter up my machine with needless software - unless you can recommend Nikon View in giving me some useful features?????

ChrisF · May 17, 2007, 07:52 AM

Easiest option is probably to download the latest Adobe DNG Converter. You will then be able to open the DNGs using the CS1 Camera Raw Plugin. Nikon's plugin will allow the files to be opened but does not give much in the way of adjustment capability.

sknapp351 · May 17, 2007, 08:25 AM

I don't use Nikon View, but when I tried to install the plug in manually, I wasn't so succesfull.

Originally Posted by ChrisF

You will then be able to open the DNGs using the CS1 Camera Raw Plugin. Nikon's plugin will allow the files to be opened but does not give much in the way of adjustment capability.

The Nikon Raw format is NEF, does the DNG converter allow for Photoshop to open the NEF files then convert them to DNG? Also, I have a full set of Adobe Raw adjustments available when I open an NEF.

SAm

ChrisF · May 17, 2007, 09:57 AM

Originally Posted by sknapp351

The Nikon Raw format is NEF, does the DNG converter allow for Photoshop to open the NEF files then convert them to DNG? Also, I have a full set of Adobe Raw adjustments available when I open an NEF.

Yes, the DNG converter will open the D40's NEF Files. NEF files are not all the same; they are different for each camera. The OP's problem is that the Camera Raw plugin for CS1 does not support the D40.
The raw adjustments you see are probably from Adobe's Camera Raw plugin, not from the plugin installed by Nikon View.

Steve SpotOn · May 18, 2007, 03:18 AM

Well I tried updating my Camera RAW plug in with the 2.4 plug in from Adobe but that won't read the D40X files (it does read the RAW files from my friends Nikon D70). The Adobe DNG 2.4 converter won't read the files. The more up to date Adobe DNG ver4 convertor brings up an error when trying to convert the NEF files.

I guess the next step is to try the Nikon software and see if their plug in will work in Photoshop from CS1.

What do you guys save your final edited images as???

Thanks for your help so far.

waxcrash · May 18, 2007, 04:47 AM

Originally Posted by Steve SpotOn

Well I tried updating my Camera RAW plug in with the 2.4 plug in from Adobe but that won't read the D40X files (it does read the RAW files from my friends Nikon D70). The Adobe DNG 2.4 converter won't read the files. The more up to date Adobe DNG ver4 convertor brings up an error when trying to convert the NEF files.

I guess the next step is to try the Nikon software and see if their plug in will work in Photoshop from CS1.

What do you guys save your final edited images as???

Thanks for your help so far.

Adobe's Camera Raw 3.7 update supports the D40, but is only compatible with Photoshop CS2 or higher.

Adobe - Adobe Camera Raw and DNG Converter : For Macintosh : Adobe DNG Converter and Camera Raw 3.7 update

You should save your images as native Photoshop files (PSD).

ChrisF · May 18, 2007, 07:24 AM

Originally Posted by Steve SpotOn

The more up to date Adobe DNG ver4 convertor brings up an error when trying to convert the NEF files.

I somehow missed that you have a D40x rather than a regular D40. The D40x is not yet supported by Adobe, which is why you got the error. I'm sure they'll be updating soon so it will work.

EndlessMac · May 18, 2007, 01:34 PM

Originally Posted by ChrisF

I somehow missed that you have a D40x rather than a regular D40. The D40x is not yet supported by Adobe, which is why you got the error. I'm sure they'll be updating soon so it will work.

Adobe does not update their RAW plugin for older versions of Photoshop. You have to upgrade to the latest Photoshop version in order to use the newest cameras...if you want to use Photoshop's RAW plugin. I like using Nikon's RAW plugin so it doesn't effect me even if I choose to never upgrade Photoshop in the future since Nikon will always update their RAW plugin for free and it works with CS1 and above.

Originally Posted by Steve SpotOn

Not sure I want to install Nikon View - I'd rather work with Photoshop and not clutter up my machine with needless software - unless you can recommend Nikon View in giving me some useful features?????

You do work in Photoshop. What the Nikon RAW plugin does is that it allows you to open Nikon RAW files in Photoshop instead of using Adobe's RAW plugin. You don't have to even open up Nikon View. Basically it takes over Adobes RAW plugin. Although as it has been mentioned by someone else the Nikon plugin only allows you change a few basic things like exposure and white balance before it imports the file into Photoshop. You can do most of everything else in Photoshop.

You really don't have many other choices unless you want to buy new software. The only free software that supports new cameras are the software from the camera manufacturers themselves like Nikon. Unlike Canon, Nikon was nice enough to provide a Photoshop RAW plugin. Also as you have found out you can always buy an older camera that was supported in CS1, but there is no CS1 support for newer cameras.

ChrisF · May 18, 2007, 02:06 PM

Originally Posted by EndlessMac

Adobe does not update their RAW plugin for older versions of Photoshop. You have to upgrade to the latest Photoshop version in order to use the newest cameras...if you want to use Photoshop's RAW plugin.

But the DNG Converter will work just fine once it's been updated.

EndlessMac · May 18, 2007, 05:48 PM

Originally Posted by ChrisF

But the DNG Converter will work just fine once it's been updated.

Are you sure the latest DNG will work in CS1? Also that means the RAW files will be converted to DNG format. I'm not completely sold on the whole DNG format choice but that's whole different issue.

ChrisF · May 19, 2007, 12:37 AM

Originally Posted by EndlessMac

Are you sure the latest DNG will work in CS1? Also that means the RAW files will be converted to DNG format. I'm not completely sold on the whole DNG format choice but that's whole different issue.

Yes it will work just fine. It's possible to embed the original raw file within the DNG file and then later use the DNG Converter to extract it if needed. Note that embedding the original file within the DNG does increase the size of the DNG.

Steve SpotOn · May 21, 2007, 03:06 AM

Many thanks for all your suggestions.
I did eventually install the Nikon software and, as mentioned by other posters it installed the Nikon plug in into Photoshop and it now opens the RAW files (albeit a bit slowly).

Regards the Adobe DNG convertor ... I did try the latest version but only got errors in trying to convert the Nikon D40x RAW files.