First, I would assume you are connecting the camera to your computer. You might consider if you don't have one using a USB 2 card reader and then just drag the image folder on the card to your desktop. Then start Photoshop and use Camera Raw to open the files. If you have CS2 use Bridge and you'll get thumbnails for each of the files in your shoot, and then you can just double click on each one you want to process with Camera Raw. You may have to download the latest Camera Raw upgrade for the 70s to acces the files and apply the correct conversion profile.

In the meantime, when the Nikon software auto-starts just close the Nikon application and work with the folder of files directly, your computer should recognize the card reader in a camera as if it is a an external drive.

I'm relatively new to all this. What's the point in shooting raw format photos?

Jim,

The very short form answer is that RAW format gives you much more image editing power than JPEG. If your goal is to produce large, fine art prints, then shooting in RAW mode will give you a level of image quality that's simply not possible with JPEG. On the other hand, if you plan to do a lot of posting on the web and not much else, JPEG will probably work just fine. The downside, of course, is that getting RAW images through the editing software (Photoshop, or whatever) to the final print is a lot more labor intensive and time consuming. If you're brand new to this art, only experience will tell you which way you want to go. Welcome, and good shooting!

tweedd,

This is a well-known problem. I experienced it about a year ago, but don't remember exactly how to fix it. You need to somehow "override" the Nikon software. You can find step-by-step instructions on the Adobe website in the support section.

Frans Waterlander

Quote:
Hi, I just moved up from a 5700 to a D70s. I used Photo shop to work with my Raw photos and now find that the new Nikon software insists on taking over and blocking out Photoshop. HELP

The file type has been associated with (taken ownership) the Nikon program when it was installed on the computer. My guess is all the other graphic file types (.jpg, .gif, .tiff) have been also. You could re-install Photo Shop and it should associate the files back. You can also go to "my computer" - <tools><folder options> and then select the "File Types" tab and find the various extensions for your picture files and change them to teh program of choice.

...Dennis

Here's how to fix that in Windows:
- Find a Raw image icon either on your desktop or in Explorer and right-click on it. This will produce a context menu.

- Select "Open With". This will produce a sub-menu from which you should be able to choose Photoshop, but DO NOT choose it yet. Instead select "Choose Program". This will bring up the Open With box.

-Now is the time to select Photoshop. It should be at the top in Recommended Programs. If not, you can browse to it using the Browse button.

-Here's the important step. Once you've chosen Photoshop to open the file, check the box which says "Always use the selected program to open this kind of file".

-Hit OK and you're done. Now Photoshop will open your Raw files (or any file with the same extension) every time you double-click it.

ChipDoc,

What you described is just about one of the best sales pitches yet for getting into an Apple Mac. Although I have of necessity a PC Windows XP Pro made by IBM, I bought my first Mac about six years ago, and have not regretted it for a moment, and spend nearly all my time working on one of three Macs. It used to be Apple prices were too much for most people, but today even the least of us budget wise can afford a Mac if you can afford any computer that will do digital photography.

It's Christmas so be good to yourselves, take a bite out of the Apple.

This isn't a MAC vs. PC issue at all. When you install Nikon Capture, the RAW plugin overwrites the Adobe plugin and takes over opening Nikon NEF files. You have to delete the Nikon plugin from your Photoshop folder and copy the Photoshop RAW plugin back in again. Then Photoshop will open the NEF files but you can still use Nikon's software through drag and drop or file>open.

Larry,

In the last year I have used at least half a dozen if not more different brand digital cameras and have installed the camera's software on my Mac. Nothing has ever been overwritten, in fact normally I don't think it is a possibility, and that includes a lot of other software as well besides just digital camera utilities.

The fact this overwriting occurs is obviously "allowed" by Microsoft's programming, and if it is the result of a Nikon software installation, it is intentional, as the result would be something beta testers would pick up and report.

So what does that say of both Microsoft and Nikon as to their respect and consideration for their customers?

David,

In the country where I come from, the Netherlands, there is a saying: "If you want to beat up a dog, you always will be able to find a stick". Guess this was too nice of an opportunity to beat up on Nikon, Microsoft and PCs.

Frans Waterlander
pixographer

The fact is that it happens on a PC (and not a MAC) doesn't mean the answer to the problem is that they are using the wrong operating system.

When I got my D70 about 18 months ago it was a commonly asked question on all the forums because of Nikon's default installation procedure.

I'm not condoning either Microsoft or Nikon, but there is an answer to the question that doesn't involve purchasing a new computer.

Larry,

I just read there is a company in Europe that is trying to revive the Commodore 64 computer, but that probably is not the answer either. If you had the answer and it was cheap you'd have another iPod, and make a huge fortune.

Its Christmas, buy yourself a present, a Mac and I can assure you it will keep on giving pleasure for some time to come.

But I am afraid some people prefer the devil they know to trying anything different. And then I should be careful what I wish for because if you all were using Mac's I wouldn't have nearly as much work to keep me busy.

Enjoy the Season.

do you mean that if i bought a mac that you would have less to do, guess better buy a mac. I try mac it got frost bite, my canon program does it also, I just close it and carry on, I have photoshop cs2 and elements i find elements take over.

I'm still having trouble getting bridge to download raw pictures, should I get a card reader instead of using the camera?

Quote:
I'm still having trouble getting bridge to download raw pictures, should I get a card reader instead of using the camera?

My recomendation is yes. They are not only fairly inexpensive, you will find it faster.

thanks DaveBelew, I'll try that and see what happens.

All I can say is WOW for this thread. No one actually answered the initial question. This is not a MAC vs PC issue its a Nikon vs Adobe issue.

When you install the Nikon software it install a file called "Nikon NEF Plugin.8Bi into C:\Program Files\Adobe\Photoshop CS\Plug-Ins\Adobe Photoshop Only\File Formats (note I am still running CS - the location will change in other releases). When Photoshop starts up it loads this plugin which associates itself with NEF files.

To get back to the Adobe raw converter make sure Photoshop is shutdown, delete or rename the file, and restart Photoshop. Its that easy.
I have to do this every time I upgrade Nikon Capture because it always installs the Nikon converter into Photoshop.

I may have read the problem wrong at first. The fix I described is needed to use the Adobe raw converter after you fix the file association issue.

Just upgraded Nikon Capture, and it installs a plugin that takes precedence when one tries to open a Nikon file. On the Mac, I got a dialogue box telling me to remove the plugin from the plugin folder if I didn't want Capture to open the file. I don't think it's an issue of Adobe or Nikon or even the "Evil Empire"; Nikon Capture was just making itself the precedent. That is the sort of thing that happens with a lot of software, regardless of platform.

Bron

I just wanted to add to this discussion from my own experience. I had to manually drag the raw plug in, that I downloaded from the Nikon sight, into the photoshop plug in folder. That's it no change to the file at all. It works flawlessly