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Photo Editing Software

Nikon Capture NX 2

crisscross
 
Posts: 70

Nikon Capture NX 2

Post Wed Sep 03, 2008 11:37 am


anyone else out there using it? I have been for last couple of months and 1.3 before that for 6 months ever since getting a D80. Very intuitive and little known (and cheaper) alternative to CS that really does everything sensible to do to a photograph but not loaded down with frames and filters to try to make it look like a lousy oil painting. Only need to go elsewhere for copy and paste and unskew.

I should confess never having got on with Photoshop (stalled at PSE4), now just use it for converting CR2 raw files from previous Canon 350D then carry on as usual in NX2. That also applies to older/smaller cameras only shooting jpg, but needs about 6MP to have enough pixels to chew at.

NX2 has several totally new modules as well as all the old favourites from previous versions. The main improvement is the way selections, however started, can be enlarged or reduced after as well as before setting up adjustment settings, and the effect of adjustments is instant. Does need a core2duo speed computer, used to crash previous one. Eg a sharpen/high pass combo can be 'painted around' just as if using a soft paintbrush or removed as if by...er magic.

Willing to field any detail questions.

Chris (UK Herefordshire)

chandsa
 
Posts: 1

Re: Nikon Capture NX 2

Post Sat Nov 08, 2008 5:16 pm


I have tried out the trial version of Capture NX2 and I have to admit that the color rendition is the best I have seen in any raw converter. Quite frankly Photoshop CS3 (which is what I had) sucked big time in rendering the colors in the pictures. I am unsure if this is due to the fact that Capture NX2 can decode the NEF file better than any other raw converter. I also use Bibble and with the latest version of Bibble (v5.0) slated to be released this year I will have to wait and see how that compares with NX2. For making prints I usually create my JPEG files from NX2.

I am yet to exploit all the features that NX2 has to offer and will do so over the course of next several weeks. Too many people have complained about the idiosyncratic user interface. However, that is immaterial to me. What matters to me most is the ability of the software to recognize and render the colors "as is", which NX2 does. CS3 and other converters pale in comparison to this little gem from Nikon. Hopefully if Nikon keeps improving the software they can give CS3 and Adobe a run for their money. Having said that, Nikon has to improve their marketing skills by leaps and bounds so that people out there are aware of what their software really can and can't do.

Cheers!
Sai

crisscross
 
Posts: 70

Re: Nikon Capture NX 2

Post Thu Nov 13, 2008 7:22 pm


Hi Sai

keep going with it. One of the reasons I like it is that you don't ever have to convert, except for producing forum jpgs, and can print direct from the nef (tho I wish they could give a few more layout options).

As a mac user, I was also horrified with the interface at first, but find the F mode making everything grey except for the image worth the shock (also P for display, but don't touch anything in P, just escape)

As far as I can see the colour quality is because the algorithms work out every single pixel (working first at 25-30 scale as on sceen, then upto 100% in background); one of my dislikes of PSE4 was that it only showed preview, with nasty shock when flattened and redisplayed. Also unlike PS derivatives everything remains permanently live, so you can backtrack, modify boundary of a selected area etc as long as patience lasts.

Obviously if you need copy/paste and layers for whatever reason or the non-photographic stuff you have to go back to PS. I also find FocusMagic motion blur correcter irreplacable....but PSE4 is fine for that...and converting old .CR2 to tif before picking up in NX2

crisscross
 
Posts: 70

Re: Nikon Capture NX 2

Post Sun Jan 04, 2009 10:37 pm


I have now started a gallery http://www.pbase.com/crisscross/nx2 giving an introduction to the workflow of this software, as I think it deserves to be used far more

cafmike
 
Posts: 1

Re: Nikon Capture NX 2

Post Fri Sep 18, 2009 3:07 pm


Just got Nikon Capture Nx2. Love how easy it is to use.
Got a good deal on it for $119
from cameta.com

Nikon Capture NX2 Software

kaj_e
 
Posts: 181

Re: Nikon Capture NX 2

Post Sat Nov 14, 2009 3:04 pm


Great program. I have been using Capture for a long time and then NX and NX2. Capture NX2 is all I need with the exception of perspective "correction" for which I still have to go back to Photoshop CS3. Hope Nikon would include a transform function and I would be done with Photoshop.

Capture NX2 is very intuitive and the U-point technology works wonders, selective adjustments without the cumbersome manual selection with layers and masks in Photoshop. An it is nondestructive. All different edits can be saved in the same NF with very little (practically none) increase in file size. The results with NEFs is better than with ACR.

Bravo Nikon!

PS. If you convert the RAW files from any brand of camera (Canon, Sony, Olympus, Pentax etc) to TIFF (8- or 16-bit) you can edit them in Capture NX2 and enjoy the ease of U-point technology.

namratasnv
 
Posts: 9

Re: Nikon Capture NX 2

Post Thu Dec 03, 2009 7:37 am


cafmike wrote:Just got Nikon Capture Nx2. Love how easy it is to use.
Got a good deal on it for $119
from cameta.com

Nikon Capture NX2 Software


That is good for you that yo got this at this price as, this is easy to use software that helps you in making photo enhancements that are very quickly visible to your monitor.

This is no doubt very serving and serves you well if you want to know about this as, this software is no doubt very good to use for NX 2 series.


Thanks!

irelandphoto
 
Posts: 3

Re: Nikon Capture NX 2

Post Mon Dec 07, 2009 11:33 pm


While it may not be as effective as NX 2, Picasa is so user friendly, fast, easy to use and saves original pictures for future re-adjustments. And it opens my D700 Raw files,..yippee. Another alternative to NX 2: try <www.gimp.org> here there are two alternatives, one is free, the other only $9.99.

crisscross
 
Posts: 70

Re: Nikon Capture NX 2

Post Wed Feb 03, 2010 6:52 pm


I have now added a gallery for advanced users dealing with curves http://www.pbase.com/crisscross/nx2curves

aarenlainey
 
Posts: 4

Re: Nikon Capture NX 2

Post Mon Apr 26, 2010 7:56 am


I have used NX and now using NX2 and I find it an absolute joy to work with. I have a Nikon camera and I do find that the results seem to be more pleasing and very accurate renditions as opposed to some other programs in terms of finished product, probably because it is designed around the Nikon camera system in particular. For workflow together with its very useful control points for adjustments.
Mistakes are the portals of discovery.

crisscross
 
Posts: 70

Re: Nikon Capture NX 2

Post Fri Jan 03, 2014 3:19 pm


I don't think Nikon have continued development of the programme apart from free version updates for additional cameras and OS updates, and for the latter they deserve some credit. However, at least since D7000, they have not updated it to take in to account the wider dynamic range of new generation sensors. I have not used it for a year or more and deleted my introduction galleries.

For those wanting an alternative to the Adobe heavyweight ring, I now recommend and use "DxO optics" which has a modest price tag (slightly more for 'elite' + full-frame cameras), but extremely intuitive and especially powerful at getting the best out of the shadows. More-or-less stand-alone, but you do need a supplementary programme for eg clone/stamp and to use FocusMagic as a plug in. On mac, the modestly priced GraphicConverter, is ideal and also as an alternative for file organisation to Bridge. No point in doing intro galleries, as the manual, support and forums do it all.


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