Scanner NEF not Supported by Lightroom 2?

Question

     I am trying to decide on some workflow options for scanning negatives with a Nikon scanner.  It has been suggested that raw image data from a Nikon scanner can best be processed by having the scanner output in NEF format and using Nikon Capture NX 2 as a raw editor. The basis for this suggestion is that ACR does not support scanner NEF.  Apparently, neither does Lightroom 2, or so I am told.  Having reviewed comments in Adobe forums, some seem to hold the opinion, often vociferously, that scanner NEF is not truly raw data, is a complete waste of time, and scanned images should be output as TIFFs rather than NEFs.  Also, despite the official line that scanner NEF is not supported, scanned images that were output as NEF, and saved as NEF images, seem to be working just fine in Lightroom 2, although I haven't tried a full processing workflow on them yet. (In the interests of full disclosure I hold out the possibility that I may have somehow converted these images into a conventional form of NEF at some point after scanning).
     I apologize for that lengthy introduction.  Here are my questions:  (1)  How is scanner NEF different from "true" raw image data; (2)  what are the consequences for optimization of scanned NEF images in Lightroom 2 -- am I simply using Lightroom tools without getting the full benefit of processing "true" raw information, as in the case of TIFFs and JPEGs;  (3) what does it mean that Lighroom 2 and ACR do not support scanner NEF anyway since I am (apparently) able to open and process them in Lightroom 2;  (4) if  Lightroom 2 does not fully support scanner NEF, is there anything to be gained by outputting to NEF (rather than TIFF) and using Nikon's proprietary RAW editor (which I am told does not officially support scanner NEF either, but still works) instead of LIghtroom 2 for NEFs?

Answer 1

Short answer - scan the images as TIFF and make life easier for yourself.
Longer answer:
1. A true raw file is still in it's mosaiced form whereas a scanner NEF is a fully rendered TIFF with a different extension
2. Same as editing a TIFF, PSD or JPEG. The adjustments are parametric and therefore only readable in Lightroom and ACR. In order that you can actually open them into Photoshop or another editor it will be necessary to export the files as TIFF, PSD or JPEG.
3. It means that they aren't treated as true raw files. Refer to above.
4. There is nothing to be gained.