Photoshop CS3 and Nikon Capture NX

Hi,

New to digital DSLRs. Prior to this I used a Nikon 6006
film camera for years and then a semi point and shoot (Canon
S400) for a couple of years.

I finally couldn't stand being without a "real" slr and
purchased a new Nikon D40X.

I have now discovered that at this time, the adobe RAW
plugin doesn't support the D40X - hopefully it will in the
not too distant future.

So I'm using NiKon Capture NX to work with the RAW file,
eventually saving it as a TIFF and continuing to work on it
in CS3. I use the DSL light correction in Nikon Capture and
then go on to fiddle with other things - which is where I
get into trouble.

My system isn't working too well because I seem to either
over-correct or do and undo and do again when I switch
software editing programs.

I'd appreciate any suggestions you can offer as to what I
should use Nikon Capture NX for (I need it to convert from
RAW), and when I should stop, save as a TIFF, and move to
CS3?

Thanks

Keep checking the Adobe site for "Camera RAW" updates. They regularly update
support for new cameras, so I suspect they'll have D40x support shortly.
Until then, you may be able to find another third-party (maybe even free)
solution like SilkyPix.


"louise" wrote in message
...
Hi,

New to digital DSLRs. Prior to this I used a Nikon 6006 film camera for
years and then a semi point and shoot (Canon S400) for a couple of years.

I finally couldn't stand being without a "real" slr and purchased a new
Nikon D40X.

I have now discovered that at this time, the adobe RAW plugin doesn't
support the D40X - hopefully it will in the not too distant future.

So I'm using NiKon Capture NX to work with the RAW file, eventually saving
it as a TIFF and continuing to work on it in CS3. I use the DSL light
correction in Nikon Capture and then go on to fiddle with other things -
which is where I get into trouble.

My system isn't working too well because I seem to either over-correct or
do and undo and do again when I switch software editing programs.

I'd appreciate any suggestions you can offer as to what I should use Nikon
Capture NX for (I need it to convert from RAW), and when I should stop,
save as a TIFF, and move to CS3?

Thanks

On Thu, 03 May 2007 09:53:05 -0400, louise
wrote:

Hi,

New to digital DSLRs. Prior to this I used a Nikon 6006
film camera for years and then a semi point and shoot (Canon
S400) for a couple of years.

I finally couldn't stand being without a "real" slr and
purchased a new Nikon D40X.

I have now discovered that at this time, the adobe RAW
plugin doesn't support the D40X - hopefully it will in the
not too distant future.

So I'm using NiKon Capture NX to work with the RAW file,
eventually saving it as a TIFF and continuing to work on it
in CS3. I use the DSL light correction in Nikon Capture and
then go on to fiddle with other things - which is where I
get into trouble.

My system isn't working too well because I seem to either
over-correct or do and undo and do again when I switch
software editing programs.

I'd appreciate any suggestions you can offer as to what I
should use Nikon Capture NX for (I need it to convert from
RAW), and when I should stop, save as a TIFF, and move to
CS3?

Thanks

According to the Adobe Web site, they started supporting it in
February 2007:

http://www.adobe.com/support/downloa...jsp?ftpID=3584

Regards,

Hal Lowe

http://www.cafepress.com/halogos (unique logo t-shirts, mugs & more)
http://www.halowe-graphics.com/photo.html (digiPhoto)
http://www.1and1.com/?k_id=7391019 (web hosting)
http://www.halowe-graphics.com/tinc?...name=web_email

Hal Lowe wrote:
On Thu, 03 May 2007 09:53:05 -0400, louise
wrote:

Hi,

New to digital DSLRs. Prior to this I used a Nikon 6006
film camera for years and then a semi point and shoot (Canon
S400) for a couple of years.

I finally couldn't stand being without a "real" slr and
purchased a new Nikon D40X.

I have now discovered that at this time, the adobe RAW
plugin doesn't support the D40X - hopefully it will in the
not too distant future.

So I'm using NiKon Capture NX to work with the RAW file,
eventually saving it as a TIFF and continuing to work on it
in CS3. I use the DSL light correction in Nikon Capture and
then go on to fiddle with other things - which is where I
get into trouble.

My system isn't working too well because I seem to either
over-correct or do and undo and do again when I switch
software editing programs.

I'd appreciate any suggestions you can offer as to what I
should use Nikon Capture NX for (I need it to convert from
RAW), and when I should stop, save as a TIFF, and move to
CS3?

Thanks

According to the Adobe Web site, they started supporting it in
February 2007:

http://www.adobe.com/support/downloa...jsp?ftpID=3584

Regards,

Hal Lowe

http://www.cafepress.com/halogos (unique logo t-shirts, mugs & more)
http://www.halowe-graphics.com/photo.html (digiPhoto)
http://www.1and1.com/?k_id=7391019 (web hosting)
http://www.halowe-graphics.com/tinc?...name=web_email

That refers to the D40 and they do support that. However,
extensive conversations and exchanges of NEF files with
Adobe tech support reveals that the NEF used in the D40X is
not exactly the same as the NEF used in the D40 and Adobe is
not (yet) supporting the D40X.

Louise

On 2007-05-03 09:53:05 -0400, louise said:

Hi,

New to digital DSLRs. Prior to this I used a Nikon 6006 film camera
for years and then a semi point and shoot (Canon S400) for a couple of
years.

I finally couldn't stand being without a "real" slr and purchased a new
Nikon D40X.

I have now discovered that at this time, the adobe RAW plugin doesn't
support the D40X - hopefully it will in the not too distant future.

So I'm using NiKon Capture NX to work with the RAW file, eventually
saving it as a TIFF and continuing to work on it in CS3. I use the DSL
light correction in Nikon Capture and then go on to fiddle with other
things - which is where I get into trouble.

My system isn't working too well because I seem to either over-correct
or do and undo and do again when I switch software editing programs.

I'd appreciate any suggestions you can offer as to what I should use
Nikon Capture NX for (I need it to convert from RAW), and when I
should stop, save as a TIFF, and move to CS3?

Thanks


Sitting on the bleeding edge I see. A new body and an new Photo
Editor. Does Nikon's RAW Convertor work in CS3? It does in CS2. At
least it saves a two step process.

Here is what I do in Nikon Capture. Convert from RAW, Change portrait
to landscape and save as NEF file. This is the file I store as my
original. I then either bring it into CS2 and do the remaining
processing. But, I find Nikon Capture does a decent job of editing and
if I am not going to more than crop and curve adjustment, then I often
do the whole thing in Capture and just Adobe for resizing etc. The
nice thing about Caputre is it stores all your changes as Deltas in the
original NEF so you can back to any point in time (Of course, layers
in Photoshop simulates the same action, assuming you never flatten the
psd file)

As for color changes, make sure everything is using the same color space.

Also doesn't Capture NX have an "Edit in Photoshop" option? Prior
versions did.
(Image/Open with Photoshop)

--
Jim

Lately I use Nikon NX for initial raw development and then open in
Photoshop.
While I will probably change my mind later I like the workflow in NX,
particularly the initial histogram adjustment and the default settings that
NX uses for other parameters.
Once you learn to use the NX adjustment points you may find that they are an
easier way to accomplish some adjustments that might require masking in
Photoshop. However Photoshop allows for far more controlled image
manipulation than NX.
However overdoing the control points, particularly for local color
adjustments, can introduce artifacts that are more apparent in Photoshop
than in NX.
It is crucial to make sure both NX and Photoshop are set for Adobe RGB color
spaces.
Also, unless you specifically change the setting, NX will send the tif to
Photoshop in 16 bit color.
Without re-igniting the 8 vs 16 bit color war I would recommend you stay
with 8 bit color

Jim wrote:
On 2007-05-03 09:53:05 -0400, louise said:

Hi,

New to digital DSLRs. Prior to this I used a Nikon 6006 film camera
for years and then a semi point and shoot (Canon S400) for a couple of
years.

I finally couldn't stand being without a "real" slr and purchased a
new Nikon D40X.

I have now discovered that at this time, the adobe RAW plugin doesn't
support the D40X - hopefully it will in the not too distant future.

So I'm using NiKon Capture NX to work with the RAW file, eventually
saving it as a TIFF and continuing to work on it in CS3. I use the
DSL light correction in Nikon Capture and then go on to fiddle with
other things - which is where I get into trouble.

My system isn't working too well because I seem to either over-correct
or do and undo and do again when I switch software editing programs.

I'd appreciate any suggestions you can offer as to what I should use
Nikon Capture NX for (I need it to convert from RAW), and when I
should stop, save as a TIFF, and move to CS3?

Thanks


Sitting on the bleeding edge I see. A new body and an new Photo
Editor. Does Nikon's RAW Convertor work in CS3? It does in CS2. At
least it saves a two step process.

Here is what I do in Nikon Capture. Convert from RAW, Change portrait
to landscape and save as NEF file. This is the file I store as my
original. I then either bring it into CS2 and do the remaining
processing. But, I find Nikon Capture does a decent job of editing and
if I am not going to more than crop and curve adjustment, then I often
do the whole thing in Capture and just Adobe for resizing etc. The
nice thing about Caputre is it stores all your changes as Deltas in the
original NEF so you can back to any point in time (Of course, layers in
Photoshop simulates the same action, assuming you never flatten the psd
file)

As for color changes, make sure everything is using the same color space.

Also doesn't Capture NX have an "Edit in Photoshop" option? Prior
versions did.
(Image/Open with Photoshop)

Thanks for your suggestions. Now I have more questions and
more complications with which I hope you can help.

I forgot all about matching the color spaces and I think
that may account for my feeling that I was doing and then
redoing and sometimes producing a mess. Now I want to make
sure I've done it right. I used a Colorvision Spyder
monitor calibrator on my Sony G520 CRT and created a color
profile named "1 Sony GDP 520".

In Photoshop I have the working space set to "1 Sony GDP
520" and the color management policy is "convert to working
RGB".

In Capture NX I have the default RGB colorspace also set to
"1 Sony GDP 520" and the printer profile is my HP 520
printer with the paper I usually use.

Are these settings correct?

And, another question: if I'm creating pictures that are
going on the web to be seen in Zenfolio, for example, should
I be doing something different as far as the embedded color
profile is concerned before I put them up?

Now for your last question: yes, I see that Capture has an
image/open in and photoshop is an option. But.....I
presently have Photoshop 7 and Photoshop CS3 on my computer.
Capture was installed when I only had 7 and that is the
only option now being presented. Do you know how I might
change that to CS3?

TIA

Louise

babaloo wrote:
Lately I use Nikon NX for initial raw development and then open in
Photoshop.
While I will probably change my mind later I like the workflow in NX,
particularly the initial histogram adjustment and the default settings that
NX uses for other parameters.
Once you learn to use the NX adjustment points you may find that they are an
easier way to accomplish some adjustments that might require masking in
Photoshop. However Photoshop allows for far more controlled image
manipulation than NX.
However overdoing the control points, particularly for local color
adjustments, can introduce artifacts that are more apparent in Photoshop
than in NX.
It is crucial to make sure both NX and Photoshop are set for Adobe RGB color
spaces.
Also, unless you specifically change the setting, NX will send the tif to
Photoshop in 16 bit color.
Without re-igniting the 8 vs 16 bit color war I would recommend you stay
with 8 bit color


You say to use the adobe rgb color space for both.

I used a Colorvision Spyder monitor calibrator and have a
monitor profile created by that application.

Shouldn't I use the monitor profile created by Colorvision?
For both applications?

This is always very confusing to me and I've never fully
understood it.

Thanks again.

Louise

On 2007-05-03 06:53:05 -0700, louise said:

Hi,

New to digital DSLRs. Prior to this I used a Nikon 6006 film camera
for years and then a semi point and shoot (Canon S400) for a couple of
years.

I finally couldn't stand being without a "real" slr and purchased a new
Nikon D40X.

I have now discovered that at this time, the adobe RAW plugin doesn't
support the D40X - hopefully it will in the not too distant future.

So I'm using NiKon Capture NX to work with the RAW file, eventually
saving it as a TIFF and continuing to work on it in CS3. I use the DSL
light correction in Nikon Capture and then go on to fiddle with other
things - which is where I get into trouble.

I suspect that if you simply opened the D40x raw file in Capture NX and
then "Saved As" and chose NEF format, that you could then open it in
CS3. IIRC, Capture does not save an NEF file in the same format as the
original camera file, but uses its own format which has long been
recognized by Photoshop.



My system isn't working too well because I seem to either over-correct
or do and undo and do again when I switch software editing programs.

That will hang you badly, all right. It takes some practice to know
what to do with what.


I'd appreciate any suggestions you can offer as to what I should use
Nikon Capture NX for (I need it to convert from RAW), and when I
should stop, save as a TIFF, and move to CS3?

You want to use the right tools that will give you the most efficient workflow.

In general, I would do all my editing with Capture NX, "editing" being
distinct from "image manipulation" in this sense. Editing is importing
the file, adding EXIF data, color and exposure correction, lens
distortion correction, dodging and burning, cropping, removing dust
spots, resizing and sharpening, etc. That is all that most photos need.
I would do all my editing in my editing package, no matter what editing
software I used: Capture NX, Lightroom, Aperture, etc.

If an image needs more, then, forgo the sharpening in editing (since
sharpening should always be the last thing you do with a picture), but
do all the rest of your editing in Capture. Then use Capture NX to save
the image as a NEF file, which Photoshop should now be able to read. If
it doesn't, save it as a TIFF. Then you start doing in Photoshop all
the stuff with layers, changing lighting, more drastic distortion
control, more detailed retouching (or outright manipulation), masking,
merging, and all the other cool stuff that Photoshop does. (Just don't
think you are going to fool anyone with that photo of Spiderman robbing
a bank.)

You want to set up your workflow so that you do everything in the same
order pretty much all of the time. There will be exceptions to your
workflow, but they should be just that -- exceptions. This will keep
you from correcting color balance in one program, correcting it again
in another, then correcting tint or hue or whatever yet again, until
the picture is just irrecoverably bad and you have to start over.


--
Waddling Eagle
World Famous Flight Instructor