You can use the software that came with the camera. I think the Nikon software is called Picture Project.

Ashlee,

You also can use photoshop and its RAW converter.

Frans Waterlander
pixographer

Consider using Adobe's Lightroom. It's available as a free download on this site and is wonderful. It will remain free until they finish the beta testing. In some respects, it's better than Photoshop CS2

It's MAC only.

Quote:
Consider using Adobe's Lightroom.

Larry,

Yes, the free beta release of LightRoom is Mac only, but the release version due after the summer will be for both platforms.

In the meantime, Lasersoft SilverFast DC Pro Studio has every function either Aperture or Lightroom offers and will support both Windows and Mac platforms, and I think most will find the image adjustment tools more complete and effective.

Hi David, But what you're recommending is a $400 program.

Wouldn't it be a better suggestion to purchase Elements and download the latest free camera raw plug in? I just upgraded the Camera Raw plugin to my version of Elements 4 and had no trouble opening NEF files from my new D200.

Larry,

You get what you pay for. If you can't afford a BMW driving machine, then the next best and affordable thing is a VW. In the case of Lasersoft SilverFast there is an affordable version with many of the core capabilities for $49 called SilverFast DC SE, If you want the complete core tools and their virtual light table (browser-organizer) it is just $85 for SilverFast DC VLT. This VLT version was one that I tested and wrote up when I covered several of the Raw digital camera conversion and processing products in a recent issue of Shutterbug, and I found it actually provided a greater image adjustment capability (like what you find in Photoshop CS2) than more costly competitors.

Is Adobe Camera Raw a good, cheap substitute? If I may use an automobile analogy again, when we had our previous gas price crisis in the '70's the VW Beetle was the best answer, while Ford's Pinto although more modern looking, was a poor substitute. Even in the small town I live in I see people still driving VW Beetles daily, but I haven't seen a running Ford Pinto in years.

What I am saying is that the image adjustment tools in SilverFast VLT, even the SE version are essentially the same as the SilverFast Ai scanner driver's tools that have been the best available to get the job done for many years. The big companies try to make it easy so more people will be attracted to buying the product, and in the process the functional quality and capabilities suffer. So no in a side by side comparison of the quality of results Adobe Camera Raw does not produce as good a result.

With all the info being posted on many different sites I'm still confused about what some of this software can do with nef. Can PS Elements 4.0 open nef on its own? If I use Pictureproject to open and then switch to PS 4.0 will it compress in the switch? Will silvefast open nef on its own and uncompressed? Will silverfast keep a nef original and your modified version or just the modified when you save it? Will PS CS2 Open uncompressed and keep an original? Are any (all?) of these programs compatible with niks coloreffects? Anybody know for sure when Capture NX an Lightroom will be available and what their compatability will be?

I just purchased a d200 and am trying to decide on the best software to use. I am using PC currently but would like to switch to mac in the near future.

jackblack,

All just about of the named applications, Adobe Photoshop and Elements current versions includes Camera Raw which will non-destructively open and convert Raw files like .nef and then you can save the image to a standard format like .PSD or TIFF, and the original ,nef file remains intact and unchanged.

Lasersoft Silverfast DC (SE, VLT and Pro versions) open most Raw files including .nef and converts non-destructively to provide the fullest range of adjustment tools including color cast removal and selective HSL color adjustment to output finished TIFF and other standard file format images.

No compression is involved in non-destructive raw conversion and you have the choice of saving in non-lossey formats or JPEG.

Adobe LightRoom is still in free public beta for the Apple Mac platform and is expected to be in release version for sale in the 4th quarter of the year. Apple's Aperture now in version 1.1 supports the new Intel processors Mac models and the price was reduced $200 to $299.

Raw conversion and adjustment applications usually do not support plugin filters.

I have a Nikon D2Hs and have used Raw Shooter Essentials to open the Raw NEF files. It's a great program and it's free, http://www.pixmantec.com/products/rawshooter_essentials.asp
I am presently trying a trial version of Nikon's Capture NX and I have been very impressed. I beleive it is selling for $120.00 - $140.00.

RAW Shooters Essential has been purchased by Adobe and will only be available for a very short time as a free program.
The Pro version is already history.

I have been using two programs, a free one called IrfanView and then I use Photoshop Elements 4. They both open a RAW file. IrfanView is much faster loading. And the price is great.
The question might also be, 'Do you like, Ford or Toyota or a GM better.'
If you saw several prints of the same photos on the table, could you tell what program was used?

You can use the free software that comes with your nikon camera called Nikon View or Picture Project, both can be downloaded from www.nikonusa.com in the support area. Or you can use Adobe Photoshop or Elements. Both of them are able to read nikon raw files. The current plugin for adobe can be found in the downloads for photoshop. I think the current version is 3.5 to support all the latest dslrs. So it all depends what you want to spend and the workflow you choose. I only shoot in RAW as this saves what I like to call a digital negative for much more post processing than a JPG file (like having only a print). Hope this helps.

Photo Larry
My Website

yes, get a Mac, too.

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