Elements and NEF files

[Badcast]

I sent some NEF files to a friend who uses Elements 7 and he can't open the Nikon files. I use the Nikon software that came with my camera to transfer and veiw but it keeps crashing. I have saved quite a few files in this format. Is there a reason Elements wont support these files. I even tried loading to his computer from a sd card and it would not work. I haven't purchased P. P. software for myself yet but I hope I can find one that will support NEF files. Is there something I'm not doing right. I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed when it comes to understanding the process. My learning curve is more like a circle. Any help please.

thanks Randy

[ilovelucydog]

I used Elements 7 before I began using CS5. It seems like, if I am remembering correctly, that there was/is and update for ACR for Elements 7. When I open a NEF in Elements the ACR page opens up and then you can do whatever adjustments you want and then open the adjusted file in Elements.

[Shadowman]

I believe that only Camera Raw opens NEF files.

[Shadowman]

Go to Adobe and download the camera_raw_5_1[1]. zip file (for your camera model) first and remember where you save it.

1. Exit Photoshop Elements.
2. Open My Computer.
3. Double click Local Disk (C
4. Navigate to location designated by your version of Photoshop Element.
a. Program Files/Adobe/Photoshop Elements 7\plug-ins\file formats
5. Move the existing camera Raw .8bi plug-in to another location. Save this version in case you need to revert back.
6. Copy the Camera Raw plug in Camera Raw .8bi from the download into the same folder as Step 4.
7. Launch Photoshop Elements and open a RAW .nef file.

[Dave Humphries]

Hi Randy,

John's advice is good, the only problem might be if the NEF files are produced by a very recent camera (e.g. D3100 or D7000), then Elements 7 may not be able to support them. They need the ACR v6.3 update.

Picasa is pretty good to allow a preview of NEF files, if you're careful, you can get it installed, just don't run it and definitely don't let it "assimilate" all your image files on your 'puter (because it takes ages) and really, all you need is the preview application that comes bundled with it. It works for me, but I know others fell foul of the indexing problem

I use NikonTransfer and NikonView, generally without any problems, even if it does 'fall over' in the middle of an 8GB download which is rare (1 in 50 downloads), once restarted, it just picks up where it left off, you might get one duplicate, or missing, image (the one it was dealing with when it crashed), but I wonder, are you using the latest versions from Nikon's website?

Cheers,

[Colin Southern]

Assuming that Photoshop Elements can open DNG files, might be easies to just convert the NEF RAWs to DNG RAWs?

[Dave Humphries]

Assuming that Photoshop Elements can open DNG files, might be easies to just convert the NEF RAWs to DNG RAWs?

Very true, especially for use by another person.

[Black Pearl]

As Dave said you just need the ACR 6.3 update - its a self extracting/installing file so dead easy to do.

Personally I wouldn't convert a NEF file to DNG as Nikon Capture NX does a much better job of processing a NEF file than Adobe camera RAW does and you would then lose this option.

[Badcast]

Shadowman, thankyou thankyou thankyou!!!!!! After I read your step by step directions I thought, yep I'm gonna blow up my computer for sure, but I followed the steps and it worked like a charm. Thats the first time I've ever did anything like that and I know alot of you are laughing, I am too. If you had any idea how computer challenged I am you'd be rolling on the floor.

Thanks again
Randy

Go to Adobe and download the camera_raw_5_1[1]. zip file (for your camera model) first and remember where you save it.

1. Exit Photoshop Elements.
2. Open My Computer.
3. Double click Local Disk (C
4. Navigate to location designated by your version of Photoshop Element.
a. Program Files/Adobe/Photoshop Elements 7\plug-ins\file formats
5. Move the existing camera Raw .8bi plug-in to another location. Save this version in case you need to revert back.
6. Copy the Camera Raw plug in Camera Raw .8bi from the download into the same folder as Step 4.
7. Launch Photoshop Elements and open a RAW .nef file.

[PopsPhotos]

Randy, when I was teaching computer usage I would start every class with the following:

"There are only two things about computers which are difficult. After those two things, everything else is easy ... the second time.

1 + 1 = 10
The first number is 0, not 1. The number 1 is the second number.

Now that we have established that, we can move on to the other 16 billion easy things."



Pops

[Colin Southern]

1 + 1 = 10

It's been said that there are only 10 types of people in this world ... those who understand binary, and those who don''t!

[Badcast]

I think I'd be crawling out of you class on my hand and knees after hearing that!!

Randy

Randy, when I was teaching computer usage I would start every class with the following:

"There are only two things about computers which are difficult. After those two things, everything else is easy ... the second time.

1 + 1 = 10
The first number is 0, not 1. The number 1 is the second number.

Now that we have established that, we can move on to the other 16 billion easy things."



Pops