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Thread: Editors: Photoshop CS6 or CaptureNX2? Your thoughts...

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    DeepWater's Avatar
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    Editors: Photoshop CS6 or CaptureNX2? Your thoughts...

    I recently purchased a Nikon d300 and a copy of Nikon's image editor Capture NX2 was included - naturally I installed it just to check it out. I have been using Adobe CS4 through CS6 for several years now to process my raw images. However, Capture is Nikon's proprietary software to process their camera's images, and they don't share very well. So, my question to you all is this: Does Capture NX really do a better job of processing NEF's than Photoshop's raw converter? And if you say "yes" please tell me if you think it is enough better to be worth the extra steps, not to mention the "agony" of learning to use another editor. Your thoughts are most appreciated.
    James

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    Re: Editors: Photoshop CS6 or CaptureNX2? Your thoughts...

    I don't think it's a case of sharing. I recently requested a copy of the Nikon SDK which was sent without problem and also it wouldn't be wise for a camera manufacturer to somehow hold back information their raw format for anyone else but Nikon as it would make their cameras look less than perfect in any other software, not great marketing by any standard.
    That said all RAW converters aren't born equal. DX (?) is supposed to extract more detail, Bibble is actually not bad and then of course we have Adobe and a smatterig of others. How large the differences are I wouldn't like to say but I'd guess the differences aren't earth shattering.
    The thing I like about PS is that I can open an image as a RAW image in PS and by double clicking on it at any point in the process I'm taken into into Adobe Camera Raw where I can make any changes that I wish to it before returning to PS leaving all the other layers intact. Not sure if you can do that in Capture NX2 or even if Capture NX2 has a layers capability ?
    With the 'agony' involved I'd personally stick to PS.

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    Moderator Manfred M's Avatar
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    Re: Editors: Photoshop CS6 or CaptureNX2? Your thoughts...

    I know a couple of pro photographers who will not use anything ofther than Capture NX2 as their RAW converter because of issues that they have had with Camera Raw related to how the colours come across. They convert to TIFF in NX2 and then edit those images in PS.

    Others swear by Adobe.

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    DeepWater's Avatar
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    Re: Editors: Photoshop CS6 or CaptureNX2? Your thoughts...

    You make a good point about my "not sharing" comment - amazing how the obvious somehow slips evades you in the midst of the babble I am amusing you must be opening your raw's as smart object? I believe I am very inclined to agree with you about sticking with PS - I have been using for years now, and am constantly learning - not sure if I have the energy or desire to learn another editor. As far as "layers", if I am understanding the software correctly (and I have just barely looked at it) it has something like layers, but is not called that - they remember all our adjustments and you can come back and change at any time if you save as NEF.

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    John Morton's Avatar
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    Re: Editors: Photoshop CS6 or CaptureNX2? Your thoughts...

    The first time I used Photoshop to process RAW images from my D700, it was for a Santa Claus parade and I was in a hurry to send the images on. I found that there were noticeable issues in the gradation of tones in Santa's suit, going from sunlit to shadow (under arms, etc.) so I never used Photoshop to prepare my RAW files again. Why wonder if something isn't quite right? I use ViewNX to sort my files and CaptureNX2 to process my RAW files into 16 bit TIFFs.

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