Nikon NEF/LR5 ACR Conversion Help

Hi. I'm running into an issue when I import in RAW/NEF files into LR5 for processing that I could use some help with.
I understand the basics of RAW files, that LR5 & ACR can generally only read the basic info from the camera's sensor/EXIF file (ISO, shutter speed, exposure, wb) and pretty much dismisses customized settings the user sets in the camera when shooting. Given that I tend to do the majority of my frame set-up in-camera however, having LR5 dismiss those customized settings is creating a tremendous amount of rework with varied levels of success for me in simply getting the shot back to the same level as what I'm pulling out of the camera.
Is there a work-around or way to import Nikon's sensor data or to set up a custom color profile in LR5 that I can build to mirror Nikon's sensor data, or am I pretty much out of luck with finding an efficient solution to this issue that doesn't involve using some other third-party software to do RAW/NEF file conversion? If it makes a difference, I'm shooting with the Nikon D4. I suspect there are others shooting with the Nikon D800 and some of the newer mid-to-high end Nikon cameras that are running into this issue as well that would benefit from finding a work-around for this issue as well.
Thanks in advance for all help and suggestions.

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/u-raw-files.shtml
I think the above link will provide a very good appreciation of what you are experienceing. The only software that will provide the same rendition as your camera when you are making multiply adjustments to camera settings in the software provided by your camera manufacturer.
The tools are there in Lightroom for you to create presets which you can apply at import. Also there are special profiles for your camera which can be applied in the camera calibration panel which mimic some of the camera special settings.

Similar Messages

D3 NEF/ACR Conversion

I notice that there are now two ACR Profile options in the Camera Calibration panel for the Nikon D3. Namely 4.3 and 4.4; the latter apprearing to be the default. I have to say to my eye the conversions each make on a sample NEF file appear remarkably similar - although I have no doubt some who know better will tell me otherwise.
Notwithstanding that, I also notice from a thread in the LR Beta2 forum the hint from Eric Chan that moves are afoot to improve the ACR conversion performance nearer to that of Nikon, Canon etc. A hint supported by Thomas Knoll no less in the same thread. As my local farmers say, relative to rumours of the Beast of Exmoor: 'thar mut be summut init'.
Looking at the timeline of these postings and the release of ACR 4.4, my supposition is that such 'improvement' was not incorporated therein, and there is more on the way. Unless, of course, someone knows better.

There were some improvements made to all profiles in Camera Raw/DNG 4.4/Lightroom 1.4.
From the release notes:
Previous camera profiles identified in the Calibrate panel of the Develop module may have displayed poor results at extreme ends of the temperature and tint ranges. A new camera profile identified as Camera Raw 4.4 is now available and will be applied by default to all images without existing Camera Raw or Lightroom settings. The creation of new default profiles will also include the updated Camera Raw 4.4 profile.
So there might be a slight improvement for all your files in 4.4.1/1.4.1 (the current release). I created a preset to enable batch conversion, which is available on the site in the sig.
The 4.4 release isn't the same thing that Thomas and Eric are talking about.
Richard Earney
[commercial link deleted]

I can't import Nikon NEF (RAW) files. It says it doesn't recognize the file. Help.

I just installed Nikon Transfer and then View NX2 with Nikon Transfer 2 and successfully transferred over 300 RAW (Nikon NEF) files from my camera (Nikon D600) but Lightroom (v5.6) won't import them. It says it doesn't recognize the files. How can I resolve this?

Obsolete versions of Nikon software corrupt Nikon raw files slightly making them unrecognized in Adobe products.
You can reverse this corruption by using the utility from the following webpage:
http://owl.phy.queensu.ca/~phil/exiftool/fix_corrupted_nef.html
Basically you need to use Nikon software that is at least as new as your newest camera or don’t use Nikon software at all.

Downloading Nikon NEF Raw into Photoshop CS3

I recently changed from a Canon DSLR to a Nikon D5000.Like many other Nikon users I have hit a problem in trying to download Nikons NEF images into CS3 .On trying to open RAW images up comes the message "Unable to open document".I have checked on the bridge that the ACR is 4-6-03 .Should I download ACR 5-6 or is it not compatible with CS3 ? If it is will it help solve problem.
I haven't opened NIKONS software suite as I prefer to work with Photoshops RAW toolbar beside the downloaded image.Any advice appreciated

Your camera's images need ACR 5.4 to open them.
As you suspected this is not compatible with CS3 – it needs CS4.
You can however use the latest version of the stand-alone DNG converter to create files readable in CS3 if you don't want to upgrade Photoshop.
See: http://www.adobe.com/products/dng/

I re-downloaded my Photoshop recently and Adobe Bridge no longer displays my Nikon NEF files and Camera Raw will not open them.

I re-downloaded my Photoshop recently and Adobe Bridge no longer displays my Nikon NEF files and Camera Raw will not open them. I get a message saying that Camera Raw does not support my camera type but it always has in the past. The bridge no longer shows the picture view of my NEF files. These are Nikon NEF files from the Nikon 5100 DSLR camera. How do I fix this?

I re-downloaded my Photoshop recently and Adobe Bridge no longer displays my Nikon NEF files and Camera Raw will not open them. I get a message saying that Camera Raw does not support my camera type but it always has in the past.
When you re-installed Photoshop, you also re-installed the version of Camera Raw which shipped with Photoshop - in other words you reverted to an older version of Camera Raw which does not support the D5100.
Camera Raw plug-in | Supported cameras
The D5100 was first supported in Camera Raw version 6.4.
In Photoshop, click Help > Updates to update Camera Raw.

Lighroom and Nikon NEF files

I have some questions about Lightroom's handling of Nikon NEF files, specifically the parts of the NEF files that Nikon has decided it is a brilliant idea to encrypt. I am using a Nikon D200.
How does Lightroom handle white balance in a NEF file? Has Adobe licensed the "mini-SDK" from Nikon, is the white balance estimated from the image data, or how is this done?
And what about the sharpening (and other data?) - how does Lightroom handle that? Is it always the same (by camera)? Can the default settings be customized?
I am also interested in knowing whether using NEF+JPEG enables Lightroom to use more of the image metadata, as white balance/etc is not encrypted in the JPEG file. Will using NEF+JPEG give me the in-camera settings for the data that is encrypted in the NEF file? I'd be happy to shoot RAW+JPEG with a small JPEG if it helps Lightroom with the in-camera settings.

To answer your question, yes, Adobe has licensed the mini-SDK from Nikon in order to get at the encrypted white balance info. Nearly everything else is encrypted and inaccessible and can only be accessed by Nikon software.
Ironically, all this has done is push me almost 100% in favour of DNG.
Shooting NEF+JPEG will not get you anything more, in terms of more available data. Technically a NEF image will have an associated in-camera preview that Lightroom replaces with its own previews (no one wants to see the actual raw data, which hardly looks like an image). Apparently there is a limitation with Lightroom such that identically named image files differing only in extension will not be imported properly, anyway. Check the archives of this forum.
The in-camera settings in the file are not useful for you unless you use Nikon imaging software.
I've pretty much decided the following:
- Shoot only raw, and let your camera and Lightroom generate the previews you need at the time.
- Create a camera profile for importing those raw files. Every camera responds a little differently.
- Either keep the raw files or convert to DNG for archival purposes. The arguments for and against this are easy to find elsewhere on these forums and on the web.
If you need to be able to tweak your NEF images on the computer as if you were tweaking the camera controls /before/ taking the shot, you have to use Nikon software. I personally see little value in this, but your kilometreage will vary.

Photoshop CS4 will not open Nikon (NEF) raw files.

I recently tried CS6 Suite. Trial was over and I went back to Photoshop CS4. However, it would not open Nikon (NEF) raw files. I uninstalled and re-installed the PS CS4. This did not fix the problem. Can anyone help?
Thanks,
Derrick

NEF files from which Nikon camera?

No thumbnails for Nikon NEF files in finder

After upgrading to Tiger 10.4.2, Nikon NEF files imported through Image Capture no longer show a thumbnail image in the finder. The icon is a generic Preview document with RAW written on it.
I also have an issue when I go to change the default application used to open these files. In the info window I change the "open with" application and then select change all . . . at this point I get the confirmation window, click continue, the confirmation box closes and the file reverts back to the original Preview icon. Perhaps these two issues are related?
Anyone have an idea how to remedy these?

I have a Nikon D50 nef on my desktop. Double-clicking on it opens Photoshop, which launches Adobe Camera Raw. If you get that far and can make adjustments in the ACR panel, you are fine. That's what opens first.
Then you click "Open" in ACR and your nef opens in Photoshop and the document tab on top gives the .nef extension. You make your edits there, but if you close Photoshop, you won't save it as nef, it won't be in the Save file list. You save it as psd for example and close Photoshop.
You now have a nef with develop settings on your desktop and the psd you saved out of Photoshop.
All perfectly normal as J.J. said, Photoshop will edit the nef file, but it will be saved in a format other than nef.
Gene

Nikon NEF workflow ?

Hi all,
Just a casual user here with a couple of questions RE: Nikon NEF (from my D3100) and how best to use it in LR.
I understand that the Develop module uses different ways of rendering previews than other modules.
Note: this is as per
http://forums.adobe.com/thread/358017?tstart=30
although the TECHNOTES link doesn't go anywhere..
My problem is that I can't get the look in Develop to export properly! I tweaked the NEF directly and
tried to EXPORT the pic in DEVELOP as a simple jpg, but the jagged
problem I see in all modules except DEVELOP is still there, I tried importing the jpg back in but it still looks terrible
in Library (it's a long exposure of a lake at night, the shades of blue that look great in DEV look terrible in anything else).
When I export, shouldn't it also include the settings + look that I see in DEV so that the resulting export looks exactly the same
I tried making the NEF a DNG first, but even after replicating the tweaks I had done to the NEF, I couldn't get it
to look quite the same (sounds obvious to me since LR treats it as two completely different original files).
Does anyone have a solid workflow for NEF's ? Should I just make them DNG's from the beginning, then import into
LR and go from there ?
Cheers for any help..
Benny.

Benny,
Your problem isn't one of DNG versus NEF. They are treated identically by Lightroom.
Yes, exporting to jpeg from a modified nef file should produce an image that looks pretty darn similar to what you see in the Develop module. Unless, of course, you have specified parameters in the Export dialogue that mess up the exported image. Also, you may see differences if you look at the exported image with an non-colour-managed viewer of some sort.
So, what parameters are you specifying when you do your export? List them all, off of the Export dialogue, or better yet, take a screen shot of the dialogue and post that here.
Hal

V10 & Nikon NEF files no thumbnails

I'm attempting to load some pictures off of a 32gb sdhc card in organizer, the file show up in the window with no pictures in the thumbnails. I just did a 8gb card and they showed up fine.
Any ideas why they don't show up with the 32gb card? or am I doing something wrong?
Thanks for your help.
Steve

May not be quite the same thing but I've been having trouble getting elements 10 or organiser to allow me to preview Nikon NEF files transferred from my D7000 to my PC that i want to import from my pc and cards. ( and yes I am running the latest Adobe codec which supports the D7000 and actually allows the import... you just cant see what the file is before hand)
I have been running windows 7 64 bit version.
Just discovered that even though many say there is no such thing that a codec download exits on the Nikon website for the D7000 that allows windows or at least the live view gallery to see the pictures. - and it works with windows 7 32 bit and 64bit
Not only can i now see what i'm importing before i hit the import button in Organiser and elements 10 but I can now see them in my windows explorer as well.
NB the codec from july 2011 thats on the Microsoft site doesnt seem to cover the nikon D7000 but the Nikon codec direct seems to sort it.

I have Photoshop CS5.5 Design Premium and need to open Nikon NEF files

I have Photoshop CS5.5 Design Premium and need to open Nikon NEF files.
I just downloaded the plug in for CS5.5 and it does not work. I put the Camera Raw.8bi file in the correct location as specifiec in the "read me" file.
Can someone guide me on how to do this, adn make it work?
Thank you.
Jay

so far no luck.
I ran DNG program for Windows (I have Win 8) and ran the menu to convert
the files on the same memory card from the camera.   Of 135 files, the
status column for the first 68 files said "converted," but the for all the
rest, it says "There was an error writing the file."
Of the files that "converted," they do not open, and I get the same error
message as before: "Could not complete your request because it is not the
right kind of document."
So, what a mess.
I get conflicting indications of the version of Photoshop I have. When i
click "About Photoshop in the Help menu, it says CS5 Extended.    The Error
message for the dng files says CS5.1 Extended. Does it make a difference?
I've been at this three hours now. It's a pain.   For many years I had no
problem with NEF files, as I had installed the plug-in as required. This
time it is not working. So I am not new to this.
Jay

Nikon NEF thumbnails and Lightroom

I am trying out Adobe Lightroom and the Nikon NEF files from my D70s are imported directly into Lightroom just as I had hoped they would be. However, I am flying blind when it comes to seeing the thumbnail previews of those same files "before" I do the actual importing.
Only the "NEF icon" shows up in the directory where the files are located, so I really don't have the ability to choose which file I wish to import into Lightroom unless I look at them in Adobe bridge first. This is a little inconvenient to have to do that.
Also If I do have a file in "CS2 raw", I don't have an option to send it directly to Lightroom... only to CS2 itself.
If anyone can help with some advice here, I'd appreciate it.
Thanks,
Ron

This forum is for questions and issues associated with the
PDF Language and Specifications. Your query has nothing to do with the topic of this forum. Please repost in the LightRoom forum at
- Dov

Using PS Elements 10 and MUST access Nikon .NEF Raw images from Nikon D60 and D7100 cameras.

Previously installed update for D7100, but it's no longer recognizing the Nikon .NEF files. What's the solution other than buying a new version? There are important images that need to be converted to JPEG for upload to a newsletter that will be published this week. Thanks.

I am using Windows 7. I think that the best path might be a third party conversion program. Do you have a recommendation?
Thanks,
Fred Czerner
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Photoshop Elements 11's Organizer slow to load Nikon NEF file thumbnails

PSE 11's Organizer app is loading Nikon NEF file thumbnails very slowly in their thumbnail browser. Has anyone noticed this? Anyone has a fix?
It's not my PC since thumbnails load quickly using Nikon's ViewNX 2 app.
Thanks,
Michael

m_ng78 wrote:
It's not my PC since thumbnails load quickly using Nikon's ViewNX 2 app.
Thanks,
Michael
The Nikon software uses the embedded jpeg thumbnail in the raw NEF file. The organizer creates the thumbnail from a converted version of your raw file; that way the thumbnail reflects the ACR default edits instead of that of your camera setting. The thumbnails in the organizer are updated if you do any edit to the raw files.
You can select a few images and run the 'update thumbnail' option to have their thumbnails created in priority.

Camera RAW unable to read Nikon NEF files from D3X

I have just purchased a Nikon D3X and unable to open the Nikon NEF files with Photoshop
Mac OSX10.4 Photoshop CS4
I contacted Nikon support & was advised to instal ACR 5.2
downloaded the update Camera RAW v5.2 and installed as instructed after removing old plug in & clearing cache. Still wont open NEF files
I note on the Nikon website that the cameras supported by Camera RAW include D3 but not D3X

>Mac OSX10.4
Make certain that is OS 10.4.11.
>contacted Nikon support & was advised to install ACR 5.2
Some support!
As Jao said, you need ACR 5.3.

Nikon NEF/LR5 ACR Conversion Help

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