SwFw Release

This release by Nikon for their digital Image workflow software known as Nikon capture has been anticipated for a while. There is a lot of expectations on my part and perhaps the larger user community for some features… What are we looking for? basically a product that is not so buggy that goes into crash mode, especially when using Snow Leopard 10.6. I can’t tell you the amount of crashes that I’ve seen going up to Snow Leopard. Even with a full fresh install, it was never robust. The perplexing thing was that it did work on Leopard 10.5.8, so I kept a partition on my HDD with Leopard and used NX2 there, not a convient work flow.

The system requirements (pulled from Nikon site) are:

I know that a lot of pro-users seem to be bailing on NX2, Hogan and Chambers both have expressed and published information not recommending the product ( I think Lloyd has resorted to calling the product CraptureNX2 because of all the crashes) and Thom had a blog recommending not using it as a primary convertor in your workflow.

I am breaking with those thoughts and here are my reasons.

1. Nikon Raw File conversion is propieritary and everyone elses RAW conversions are best attempts at reverse engineering.  I want Nikon’s Raw file converted by Nikon not Adobe,CaptureOne,BibblePro,Lightroom,Aperture
2. It’s an easy process to reset your in-camera DLSR sharpen settings back to 0.  I choose to use DLSR in camera sharpening, so I can see a sharpened Image in my D3sLCD, then later deselect the sharpening that was brought into into NX2, and later apply sharpening when and where I want it.  I had forgotten about this workflow and Lloyd and Dr. Jason P. Odell book helped me get it right. (FYI Jason is having special workshops in the Connecticut in September)
3. I happen to really like NIK plugins for NX2, you can quickly set one up, then another, then another, then another, and they immediately become part of your action layer type list. You just can’t be as productive in PS5 using NIK Color Effect Pro, each selection requires the plugin to open, create a layer, then close, then you start again, this opening and closing and creating seperate layers takes to much time, almost 5 times longer  and it is not as interactive, and it’s a drag to the  creative process.   I may use NIK color effect pro maybe one or two final adjustments in PS5, but that’s it.  I always start out in NX2 and I’m flying….
4. Capture NX2 was designed by the folks at NIK who created the  global and selective features  control called U-points.  You can work much faster in NX2 than in PS5. Again Nik has a plugin called Viverza for PS5 but it has the same time limitations as Color Effect Pro, create layer, open plugin, make selection, close plugin, work on PS layer.
5. No other software will allow you to set Black point/white point/grey point easier. And if you’re the creative type, Moose teaches a great tip on using the white point to paint with. I think he has posted it up on his site, I know for a fact what this trick is and how he has used it on some super Images he created while in Camdem, Maine during a Maine Media workshop. I’ve incorporated the ‘tip’ in a lot of my work..it is simple, and extremely effective.
6. The alignment feature in Nikon capture NX2 is quicker as is the spot removal tool.  For those quick hits, I’ll defer to NX2, anything strange or larger than a dust spot then I relay on the PS5 tools.
7. I like having two separate files for my digital darkroom Images.  I know that I’ve worked my RAW NEF in NX2, by saving it with a designation cc before the .NEF extentions.  I’ll always have my original RAW adjustements squirreled away.
8. When I go out to PS with my NX2 raw file, the format goes to tiff, and although the same color space is used in both apps (pro-photo) and I always open in ACR, there tends to be some very slight nuance using the Adobe Raw convertor vs NIkon. I can look at the two separately to see how to tweak Adobe back into shape.

So given the above, I am hopefull that this new release address the robustness issues and after giving it a whirl, I’ll update this posting with results and conclusions.

The link for downloading the Sw is currently UK Nikon, and I’d like to thank the folks over at Nikon Rumor for getting this new release information out !

Update: 08/24/10-pm

1. Download from UK site no problems okay
2. Loaded on Mac Pro 2.66 Quad-Core Intel Xeon on Solid State drive running Snow Leopard 10.6.4 w/all current software updates.
3. Nikon NX2 V2.2.5 starts up ok.
4. PlugIn for NIK Capture Efex Pro 3.0 do not display correctly.**(see below)
5. Google for community help, nothing
6. Head over to Nikon Rumors Blog others who have done install report same problem. Thanks Alvix and Ralph D
7. Fix is to download and reinstall Nik Capture Efex Pro 3.0
8. Everything okay to start testing V225

This is one set of plugs in that I have been waiting to drop in price, and discounts are rare, and my NAPP membership is not part of their stable…..so when I received this information…I didn’t wait long to put into my photoshop workflow….the plugin filter set is superb, the work interface is intuitive with one click you can see you image with the effect applied,,,a real sturdy and robust plug in..highly recommended.   The software also is available for lightroon, aperture, mac or windows, or as a standalone, and at various OS releases and speeds.

Lordy, Lordy Lordy…..it’s finally released……and with an apology….as you may be aware the NIK suite is slowing down 3/4 of the photog’s pc’s in the world because you have to disable Photoshop’s 64bit to use their currect old school  sw.

I wasn’t to thrilled throttling back the new PS CS5 ….other plug-in mfg.’s had stepped up and supplied 64 bit (onOne,Topaz  for example) on/before CS5…The NIK suite is core to my workflow and there was nothing coming-out of the NIK web site on availability …..until today….

and in the meantime, guys like Tom Hogan, Scott Kelby and I have switched over to Topaz for ‘deNoise 5, what a great product…..

FYI- The update for OnOne Suite 5 has been release, and the product is now compatible with CS5 and is 64 bit compatible.  The upgrade is free to registered users of current version. The Plud-In Suite 5 is also on sale for $100 off .  In my workflow I’ll use Genuine Fractals, Focal Point and Photo Frame.  I like the product for c;ean user interface and also for its documentation and tutorials. You can download the appropriate installer here: OnOne Software Update

Nikon has been busy.  This FW release has been posted for the D3S.

The fixes are:

Movie recording specifications have been modified as follows and an issue that, in some rare cases, caused movie playback to appear to have stopped has been resolved.
- When exposure preview is enabled in live view tripod mode, information + histogram display is possible, but the histogram is no longer displayed while movies are recorded.
- When the live view button is pressed with the Audio Video Cable EG-D2 connected, the image is displayed in both the television and camera monitor, but the camera monitor now turns off during movie recording.
The camera monitor turns on again when the Audio Video Cable EG-D2 is disconnected from the camera.
- Some simplified Chinese menus and help displays have been revised.
- When some memory cards were inserted in the camera, “CHA” was displayed in the top control panel and images could not be captured.  This issue has been resolved.

Nikon Download Link

NIkon has announced an update for their ViewNX Software….. Yay…and now it works with the August 2009 Snow Leopard release… Better late than never, but the Nikon folks did not have their core imaging software compatible with SL powered MACs for about six months. What a way to disenfranchise your install base and then not let anyone know what their release timetable was, for this situation, I’ll  have to agree with Thom Hogan about Nikon’s battle with their marketing malfeasance…

This was one piece of Sw that had limited use in my workflow, but was totally junked by SL. There are a lot of  photo viewers options out there, but still it may have a place in your third tier goto apps.

NikonRSS

As I was finishing up my web post late last night my Nikon message screen popped open with the announcment of cameral control pro upgrade to V 2.7.1.  As I had written in my previous Blog about the D3 Firmware upgrade , camera control could not access the new features of the firmware, so an upgrade was anticipated.

See Detail Here

Nikon has just released an update for the firmware in the D3,D3x and D700… the list of enhancements is quite lengthy.

You can head over to the NIKON site and get the download as well as refresh you own memory on how to put this firmware upgrade into your camera.

I just upgraded my D3 and noticed that it now has a few new menu items which were only found on the D3s.  I also heard that many of the firmware release menu items adjustments have not been upgraded on the NIKON Camera Control Pro, so expect a Nikon to try and plug that problem shortly ….