# Nikon Raw Format and iPhoto



## Kirtland (Aug 18, 2002)

Has anyone heard when iPhoto is going to support Nikon RAW/NEF format? I want to start using RAW format with my Nikon D70S but iPhoto will not recognize it. Nikon PictureProject is clumsy and I would rather use iPhoto.


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## planders (Jun 24, 2005)

I doubt raw compatibility for any camera is coming any time soon. But if the camera can store TIFFs, you should be able to use them.


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## Bighead (May 3, 2005)

According to Apple, NEF is supported.

http://www.apple.com/macosx/upgrade/cameras.html and this...

http://www.apple.com/ilife/iphoto/import.html


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## Kirtland (Aug 18, 2002)

Apple supports RAW but not Nikon's version of RAW which is NEF (Nikon Electronic Format). NEF is RAW format that is compressed to take up less space in the camera. Nikon supplies a plug-in for Photoshop to enable you to open it but no way to get iPhoto to open it. I think NEF is one of the differences between the D70 and the new D70S.


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## gmark2000 (Jun 4, 2003)

Kirtland said:


> NEF is RAW format that is compressed to take up less space...


If it's compressed, then it technically not a RAW file. Tsk. Tsk. There's Nikon marketing for you.


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## jicon (Jan 12, 2005)

I've had no success with the NEF format from my D70S when importing in to iPhoto. Odd, because I downloaded an NEF file taken supposedly, from a D70, and iPhoto loaded it without difficulty. Apparently the compressed bits of the NEF format aren't actually visible to the eye, so I don't think you will note any difference between a CRW, CR2 or NEF file.

I'm not bothered in the least though, as iPhoto more than likely converts your image to JPG first, then applies its changes to the compressed copy.

Photoshop and Nikon Capture have worked well for me so far, but I'm very interested in Aperture once it is available.


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## draz (Jun 13, 2005)

I am pretty sure i have had no such problem with my D70 with D70s firmware shooting in raw and then letting the GF open it up in iPhoto?

Wierd

But i will have to check in the morning


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## ender78 (Jan 23, 2005)

iPhoto is quite behind the times. I have the same problem with my Canon Rebel XT. iPhoto is only coded to recognize specific RAW files. We'll need to wait for an update to iPhoto. 

On a side note, I see that the Rebel XT is supported in Aperture.


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## kent (Oct 18, 2003)

If you're using a camera like that I'd hold out for Aperture and then use that ... I have a friend with a D70s and he has the same problem with iPhoto. iPhoto takes my Canon RAWs just fine so it's just the Nikon RAW format and nothing else. Aperture looks amazing, assuming you have the hardware to run it. If you don't have the hardware to run Aperture, I'm sure the next release of iPhoto [iLife 2006] will support the relatively new D70s.


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## Pelao (Oct 2, 2003)

There is always a lag between a camera's release and image software's ability to handle the RAW files from that camera. Even Photoshop takes some time to get up to speed. iPhoto will probably receive a minor update to cover the latest slew of cameras.

One thing to keep in mind is if you shoot RAW iPhoto is not the best way to handle your shots - you can in fact lose most of the best reason for choosing to shoot in this format. iPhoto converts your RAW image straight away, so as you edit you are no longer working on a RAW file.

For RAW images iPhoto is much better as a catalogue once you have edited the file.


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## Moscool (Jun 8, 2003)

Which reopens the eternal debate, why bother with RAW in the first place? More standards than spots on a teen's face and, frankly, all the white/colour balance stuff can be done in photoshop from a high qual. JPG. 

I understand the attractiveness of RAW for Aperture, when you are basically trying to sort out workflow for hundreds of pics with a view to dumping 90% of them, but otherwise, I challenge anyone here to give me 3 reasons to use RAW over high res. JPG for normal use (i.e. prints up to 60cmx40cm)


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## jicon (Jan 12, 2005)

I can give you three reasons. 

If no area of your photo is saturated, you can most often rescue those darkly exposed areas to uncover items in the shadow with greater success than JPG.

Some cameras have features that are disabled, unless you shoot in RAW. 

One problem with digital cameras, is noise on the photo. Record your settings, place the camera in Manual mode, with the lens and viewfinder covered, then take a reference shot. You can then combine photos in Photoshop to eliminate some noise from your photo. Because of compression, this is not going to work with JPG. Only attempt with RAW.


That being said, JPG looks fine 90% of the time.


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## pepper (Oct 31, 2005)

draz said:


> I am pretty sure i have had no such problem with my D70 with D70s firmware shooting in raw and then letting the GF open it up in iPhoto?
> 
> Wierd
> 
> But i will have to check in the morning


 I just got my Mac last week and I have had no problems with the NEF photos from my D70 with the newest firmware. I thought I read somewhere though that the D70s NEF files are slightly different, but what do I know, other than NEF works in iPhoto in my experience.


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## capitalK (Oct 21, 2003)

My old Digital Rebel worked fine in iPhoto as far as RAW is concerned, but my newer Rebel XT won't even import them. Luckily when I first did the import I was shooting RAW+JPG and it brought over the JPG's.


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## Pelao (Oct 2, 2003)

> Which reopens the eternal debate, why bother with RAW in the first place? More standards than spots on a teen's face and, frankly, all the white/colour balance stuff can be done in photoshop from a high qual. JPG.


I am not sure it's exactly an eternal debate. The different standards don't cause issues because the software reads the image - although it would certainly be simpler in terms of timely updates if there was a single standard.

It really comes down to how much manipulation you like or need to do on your images. RAW gives you a true negative, which remains unaltered as you move towards output. JPEG loses some quality as you work on it. Important for some, not for others.

Jicon's reasons are spot on.

I would add that I like to keep that negative for re-work later as my skills and software evolve - much as a film photographer will keep his negatives.

Most of my shots are either landscape or candid street stuff. I like to print large and RAW keeps more detail for my purposes. I have a clean, easy workflow and it all works for me.

Aperture will make it even simpler, though it does have a few weaknesses.

This is an interesting read:
http://luminous-landscape.com/tutorials/understanding-series/u-raw-files.shtml


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## Kirtland (Aug 18, 2002)

Thanks for all the info people, good link Pelao  . I have lots to learn (and buy $$$). I previously shot in JPEG but I am experimenting with raw. Although it is larger and slower, I like the idea of my Mac being the darkroom and not some photo finishing shop that predetermines the exposure, white balance, etc (using JPEG the camera makes that predetermination). There is much more room for adjustment with raw. I am currently trying out Nikon Capture trial version and I am impressed so far. I can't get Camera Raw in Photoshop CS2 trial version to work very well, has anyone used this with a Nikon D70s?


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## Pelao (Oct 2, 2003)

> I can't get Camera Raw in Photoshop CS2 trial version to work very well, has anyone used this with a Nikon D70s?


Adobe release frequent updates for their Camera RAW application - everytime a new camera is introduced. So check with Adobe if the last update covers the D70s, and also if the update will work with trial version.


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## Moscool (Jun 8, 2003)

Pelao, this is a good article and I now understand quite a bit more. My chief concerns being ease of use and long term archiving independently of standards vagaries, I think that large JPG is more my cup of tea. Now if you gave me a Quad G5, Aperture and CS2...


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## Pelao (Oct 2, 2003)

> Now if you gave me a Quad G5, Aperture and CS2...


Noted for birthday.

Your concerns over long term archiving are shared. I currently archive as original RAW plus Tiff. Needs lots of space...


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## Kirtland (Aug 18, 2002)

You were right Pelao  . I assumed the try out version would have been updated: it wasn't. I downloaded Camera Raw and Adobe Bridge updates and it works like a charm. It is much faster than Nikon Capture (I thought I was going to have to trade in my trusty eMac). I am now sold on raw format. I view it with Bridge, adjust with Camera Raw, and save the end result in JPEG (with Photoshop) for iPhoto. I then save the "negative" (raw) in a separate folder for safe keeping. It uses more space but harddrives are cheap these days. Thanks again


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## jicon (Jan 12, 2005)

What do you know... Tiger update 10.4.3 now imports Nikon D70S NEF files without incident now.


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## gordguide (Jan 13, 2001)

The basic problem with Nikon RAW (and RAW in general) is the various camera manufacturers use different implementations of the format. Not a problem, by itself.

Where it becomes a problem is they then don't publish or document their implementation, without which the RAW import has to be reverse-engineered, with dubious legality. Nikon is notorious for that, although it appears they're getting better and they are far from alone.

Now you know why Adobe got impatient and began trying to implement a standard RAW format.

The basic workflow if you want to use RAW is to set importing for your camera to another application besides iPhoto (Graphic Converter is fine); then batch-export JPEG or TIFF from that to iPhoto.

You should expect an updated iPhoto to be able to use RAW in the future but the camera makers and software vendors still have to get on the same page before it will happen; they're not there yet.


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## Pelao (Oct 2, 2003)

To add to Gordguide's points:

If you import your RAW images straight into iPhoto you are losing the benefit of shooting RAW. iPhoto does not work with RAW - it imports and converts the images right away. So as you edit, you are not editing a RAW image.

Not necessarily a bad thing, but it's not the same as working in an app that actually allows work on the RAW image.


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