best RAW converter for the nikon d800

[heinrichvoelkel]

Hello, I jumped ship and will be in Nikon land by tomorrow. As I was using LR5 for my Canon files up to now, I would like to know if there is something better for raw conversion for the D800? Capture One? How is the Nikon software?

I shoot mostly people for money and architecture for my projects.


Kind regards and thanks in advance,
Heinrich

[TMARK]

I use Capture One, but will also use LR if I feel I need its sliders.

The Capture NX or whatever teh Nikon software is called makes a nice file with neutral color.  I like C1 better.   

[BernardLanguillier]

C1 works well, I like DxO 9.1 also, especially for higher ISO files.

I like the colors of NX2 and U point technology, but the demoisaicing/sharpening is not at the same level.

Cheers,
Bernard

[Dennishh]

I use both Lightroom and capture One. Capture one is vastly superior with my D800e!

[HarperPhotos]

Hello,

Congrats on your move to the Nikon D800.

I use Adobe Bridge CS6 and Adobe Camera Raw in CS6 for all my processing with my Nikon D800E and D800.

Cheers

Simon

[PhotoEcosse]

I use LR5 with my D800 and D800e and have no complaints whatsoever.

I tried the free Capture NX2 that came packaged with the D800e but very quickly gave up on it and went back to LR.

But, to some extent, folk like what they are used to and I have been using Lightroom since Version 1 with a succession of Nikons, so probably suffer the expected bias.

[Some Guy]

CaptureNX2 is about the only program that will read the camera's NEF data that you select (i.e. Normal, Landscape, Portrait, Monocolr, Vivid, etc. plus any fine-tuning items like contrast, sharpness, etc.) and display the correct image.  Plus, it uses the ICM profile made especially for Nikon (Nikon Adobe RGB 4.0.0.1).  The U-points, or Control Points, are also a feature not present in other RAW converters and you can fine tune individual areas in a photo with them for contrast, brightness, color, warmth, and saturation.

Just be certain you have a lot of RAM as it is intensive and may slow down otherwise.  Works fine with their ViewNX2 as well which is free.

Once you get enough of the data applied, I save mine as a TIFF file and go into PS or whatever other editor I want.

SG

[Torbjörn Tapani]

Correct image. Well, that is completely up to you in any raw conversion. It will show an image like the preview on the back of the camera. But what's to say those settings are optimum for the image. Or even the best for capturing data for a subsequent raw conversion.

[NashvilleMike]

You're going to get a lot of answers to this one
Discussing raw conversion choices, as one guy once said, can be like discussing religion.

I prefer Nikon software products (Capture NX2) for anything involving skin tones.

With landscapes, while I still tend to use NX2 the most, I also like PhotoNinja (which seems to just have that extra special "something" that the others lack). Capture 1 is worth a look as well.

That being said, Nikon software is strangely designed, sometimes buggy, and slow. I run more of a high quality / low volume thing, so this aspect doesn't bother me, but if I were a wedding or event shooter, I'd probably look at Capture 1 or a very carefully done camera profile in Adobes Lightroom.

Only Nikons software truly and completely understands Nikons "Picture Controls" settings. I will warn you that if you do intend to try the Nikon software, be aware, at least in my opinion, that Nikons default choices for their picture controls, well, they suck. I've long been running with a customized picture control (done via the picture control editor in View NX2 or Capture NX2) instead of using the canned "Standard" picture control. This aspect of things is why some folks really don't like the OOC colors from Nikons, me thinks - if a Nikon user is running an un-modified "Standard", expect slightly garish skin tones and too much midtone brightness. Just my thoughts anyway. Raw converter preference tends to be hugely personal, and it's probably best to spend some time with the usual and popular suspects (plus PhotoNinja) and see what works best for you.

-m

[Lightsmith]

Adobe's ACR is the easiest if you are doing batch processing and it is adequate most of the time. I do run into files that exhibit banding or other problems when converted with ACR and Capture NX2 comes to the rescue every time. Using Active D-Lighting the file will need to be opened by Capture which will do the proper post processing of the data in the RAW file that Adobe ACR would miss.

[MichaelEzra]

I am using RawTherapee for D800e. Software requires some learning, but allows to achieve superb colors.
Demosaic and denoising are state of the art. Denoising is getting a further upgrade in the upcoming version.

[langier]

Since I got my D800 in early 2012, ACR in Photoshop CS 5, 6, and soon, CC.

It seems to work well and fits well in my workflow.

I've used Nikon's software in the past and the IQ is fine, it's just too slow for the hundreds of photos I process weekly. With the day to day grind pix, ACR does fine and even with pix with extreme iSO/weird lighting, extreme DR and noise, it works well and efficiently.

If I need more than I can do in ACR, I can usually fine-tune in PS and be done with it.

As always, viva la difference and today you've got a myriad of choices for raw processing and if you don't like what you get with one processing software, you've got options.

Download some of the trial software and see what works best for you and your workflow.

[Simon Garrett]

Lightroom 5 for me, which is the same raw convertor as ACR/Photoshop.  Way back when Nikon's Capture NX2 was launched, I reckon it rendered Nikon raw colours better than Lightroom/ACR.  However, in that time Capture NX2 has been enhanced little, and Lightroom and ACR have had three major upgrades, and are now (IMHO) better than the Nikon software in rendering NEFs.  Colour rendition is as good or a bit better, noise control much better, tone control (extracting detail in highlights and shadows) much better...

It's very sad that Nikon take such a tightly controlled proprietorial view of both hardware and software add-ons, making very hard for third parties to provide, even where Nikon themselves have little or nothing to offer. 

[NickNod]

Light room to ME. Very convenient tool.