RAW Photodesk

[rawill]

I decided to try some photos in RAW files, (Nikon NEF) then found I could not open them!

I found and downloaded RAW Photodesk to see if I could do anything with them.
I see it is a trial version and not freeware.

I am wondering what CIC contributors think of this programme, and where else I can look to get me started.
I don't know a lot about photography, photo 'manipulation' or photographic art that you guys are into,
and I know less about RAW photos.

Any pointers welcome.

[Manfred M]

Try using the Nikon ViewNX that shipped with your camera, it will open it. If you cannot locate the disk, you can download it from the Nikon site. If you use any of the various Adobe products; Elements, Lightroom or Photoshop, you will be able to use these to open the files as well.

[rawill]

Thank you, does ViewNX allow processing. I installed it but it seems it is a read data only programme.

I have used the RAW Photodesk to to do some work on my RAW photos.
However, when I save the photo to JPG it makes it about a 700kb file, instead of a 2.5mb file that my camera takes in the fine JPG setting.

Maybe I am doing something wrong, highly likely I reckon!

[dan marchant]

However, when I save the photo to JPG it makes it about a 700kb file, instead of a 2.5mb file that my camera takes in the fine JPG setting.

When you output a jpeg file the size of the file will depend on the amount of compression (which will also affect image quality). There is almost certainly a setting in the software you used to adjust the output file quality.

[Manfred M]

ViewNX2, that I use allows a bit of cleanup work, but it is not a proper photo editor. What a number of us do is to open the RAW file and adjust the colour temperature in the Nikon software and then save the file in TIFF (lossless format, 16-bit) before using a more sophisticated tool to edit the image.