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What Software to Convert Raw Files in Nikon d700

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sebasco

Guest
Folks,

I noticed a very healthy discussion in the Leica Forum about converting raw files with different converters. Jack & Guy seem to like C1 most of all as do I.

Jack, Guy, others, what's your favorite converter for the D700? I've been alternating between NX2 (very slow & cumbersome) and Lightroom (fast but to me, even with the new profiles - DX Modes 1-3, the colors are a tad off). I wish C1 would tackle the D700 but all is very slow there. So, what are you using?

Thanks for your help,

Sebasco
 
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asabet

Guest
I'm using Aperture. I find that it does a nice job handling skin tones and noise. However, when I really want to get the most out of a particular file, I'll bring it into C1 or Raw Developer where I can extract more detail.
 

GrahamWelland

Subscriber & Workshop Member
I have two aproaches depending upon whether I'm processing quantity vs quality.

For quantity I use Aperture. The raw converter with NEFs is excellent and I prefer it's renderings compared to Adobe's ACR.

For the absolute best results from D700 or D3 NEFs I use Capture NX 2. I don't personally find it slow at all these days - quite the opposite on a MacBookPro or MacPro machine. It may seem cumbersome compared to Aperture & ACR but once you get used to the extraordinary capabilities of the app beyond just exposure/WB and minor tweaks it's hard for me to use anything else. Rendering quality and the Control Point adjustments let me do 80% of my basic adjustments in NX2. There's a noticeable difference in quality between RAW from NX2 vs the others IMHO.

I really never got on with C1's workflow but I can work NX pretty easily. I could see how it might be less than intuitive to folks though compared to PS/Bridge/ACR, Lightroom or Aperture.

Now if there was a cleaner way to integrate NX2 into Aperture ...
 

mwalker

Subscriber Member
I use LR but it takes a lot of post for me to get close to a M8 file...it never really gets there.
 

Mozbee

New member
I don't know if Bondo's post is a reply to my question; I remember that thread. Thanks for providing that link!
Indeed I'm still interested into the Leica thread for additional information!
 

Steen

Senior Subscriber Member
Hi Francois
I was aware that my post was not exactly an answer of your request, I was just inspired by your request - inspired to remind us about Amins thread about RAW converters for the D700 specifically :)
By the way nice to see you here on this forum as well !
/Steen
 

Mozbee

New member
Thank you Steen for your words! :toocool:
BTW I wrote my post more for Sebasco to get I would still appreciate which thread he meant than anything about you or your post. I appreciate your care and contribution!
More later...
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Typical LR Vs C1 comparison. To me LR blocks up a lot more than C1 which in almost every camera i have used has a much better range in the files. LR is nice but need to stretch the DR in your files and bring down the highlights more. I honestly C1 better with almost any camera just seems to do a better job . Although does not have file management and all the tools of LR. Just need to work your files more in LR. Be it M8 , Canon, Nikon and Phase one backs and camera's that always seems to be the case. You can get results very similar just depends how much you want to work at it. I'm lazy and no question C1 is better on my Phase back so for me a no brainer and I am ready to take LR off my system.
 

Jonathon Delacour

Subscriber Member
I wish C1 would tackle the D700 but all is very slow there.
Typical LR Vs C1 comparison. To me LR blocks up a lot more than C1 which in almost every camera i have used has a much better range in the files.
I've been thinking about trying Capture One but, as Sebasco's comment suggests, the list of supported RAW files does not include the D700 (which I'm thinking very seriously about buying). I'd be grateful if any C1 users could clarify the following issues for me:

* Do Capture One 4 and Capture One PRO share the same raw conversion engine?

* Is it likely that the D700 will be supported in the near future?

* What are the key differences between C1 4 and C1 PRO? (The only reference to this issue that I can find on the Phase One site is a broken link to a page about the differences between Capture One DB, PRO and LE.)

* If I only intend to process Nikon (NEF) files -- I'm doing my utmost not to be tempted by the siren calls I hear from MF-land -- would C1 4 be good enough?

* I've heard that C1 scatters all kinds of files around one's hard drive. If this is true, it would drive me crazy. But is it true?
 

mwalker

Subscriber Member
I think by looking at my small lap top screen, that C1 looks better but look at the water ripples....LR looks to have a better clarity...contrast??? Or is it just me?
 

Bob

Administrator
Staff member
What you seeing is that Lightroom has a steeper mid-tone curve that causes high-mid tones and highlights to appear brighter, which gives more contrast to the ripples.
The C1 file has far more useful information in it for possible use in post. The lightroom file is more blocked at the low end and blown at the high.
Therefore, it has more juice for working with. I can work the lighroom file to be closer to the C1 by changing its defaults for fill, curves, and maybe highlights, but that would defeat the purpose.
-bob
 
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asabet

Guest
More and more I'm turning to Raw Developer (Mac only). RD seems to slice through the AA filter.

My wife is even complaining that the D700 files aren't plasticky enough :).

Here's a sample taken about 30 minutes ago with the 135/2 AIS at f/2.8:



100% crop:

 
Last edited:

etrigan63

Active member
I tend to use Aperture for everything RAW. I have Lightroom 2 and C1 4 (will be getting C1 Pro 4.5 on Tuesday) but I rarely use them anymore. And before you ask, I have one free upgrade left on my C1 Pro license.
 

Steen

Senior Subscriber Member
Jonathon, I used Capture One (the former version 3xx) with my Leica M8 and I found it was an excellent conversion engine, in my personal opinion much better than Lightroom for straight conversion without much tweaking.
But with regards to features C1 ver. 3xx was very limited (especially compared to Lightroom), so I upgraded to Capture One Pro. That was such a disappointment because the main (nearly only) difference was that the Pro version allowed you to shoot tethered, which I never do. At that time I regretted the upgrade to the Pro version, thinking it was just a waste of money.
Anyway, I don't know anything about the difference between the present version 4 and the Pro version since I never used any of my upgrades to do that step up. Others will have to tell you about that.
By the way, are you sure that the C1 Pro has been released in a version 4 at all, I actually don't think so ?
A friend of mine is a professional air photographer. He bought the D700 and got a Capture One 4 package along with the camera. A couple of days ago he told me that the D700 will probably be supported by C1 as per the 15th of October, i.e. hopefully in a couple of days.
/Steen
 
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asabet

Guest
I loved C1 v3.7.x with the Canon 5D files. Nothing else came close for me once I got my custom color profiles set up. Raw Developer has a very similar feel and workflow to C1. Sometimes it's nice to use a RAW converter that just does a great job on the conversions without getting caught up in asset management, tagging, and the like.
 
S

sebasco

Guest
I just posted this item in the Software section of this site but wanted to post it here also as I had started this thread!

Capture One has released version 4.5. The D700 files look great and are as close to accurate as possible color-wise, when I use the D2x profile as opposed to the D700 profile.

This is not surprising as it is universally acknowledged that Nikon's D2x profile is its most accurate color-wise ever. As you know, pros begged Nikon to release their D2x profiles to add to the picture control menu on all the recent cameras, if they so desired. I did. Thus, I shoot with the Nikon D2x profile as my picture control profile on my D700! Maybe that's why the D2x profile works so beautifully! But boy what a beauty it is!

Try it folks and let us know what you think.

Ed
 

Guy Mancuso

Administrator, Instructor
Was just going to post that the Nikons are supported even the D90. All Caon except the new 5d and all Olympus 4/3rds including the 520 .Leica support as well and many others
 
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