RAW from D40x... suggestions?

[epicwelshman]

Having just recieved my first DSLR, I'd like to start shooting RAW. I know that Aperture doesn't support the D40x yet, but I could use CaptureNX. I've never handled RAW before, so is there anything I should know? Any tips, or links to any articles? Help would be appreciated, thanks

 

[Lovesong]

This article is pretty good. There's also a pretty decent article on Practical Photography's website (bottom left). You need to get a free login, and then you get access to some free issues, one of them being on shooting raw.

In terms of software, probably your best bet is the Nikon Capture software (or if you have either Aperture or Lightroom, they should be updated soon).

 

[compuwar]

Having just recieved my first DSLR, I'd like to start shooting RAW. I know that Aperture doesn't support the D40x yet, but I could use CaptureNX. I've never handled RAW before, so is there anything I should know? Any tips, or links to any articles? Help would be appreciated, thanks

CaptureNX is the best converter for NEF files, expose to the right but not over and look at any NX tutorials you can find.

 

[NickElls]

Hmm?

Why doesn't Aperture work with the D40x?

Is it a different format than my D70, which works fine with Aperture?

 

[Lovesong]

Hmm?

Why doesn't Aperture work with the D40x?

Is it a different format than my D70, which works fine with Aperture?

http://www.apple.com/aperture/raw/cameras.html

OK... let's see...
D70.... check
D40... check
30D... check
1D MK III.... uh... no
D40x....nope

To quote DMCPhoto:
"Currently, nearly every digital camera make and model produces RAW files in its own unique format. There are no standards. This means software specific to a camera's make and model is required to convert that camera’s RAW files into something more useful like TIFF or JPEG files."

Linky

 

[CanadaRAM]

Spoke to a photographer today, who said that he has tried both Aperture and Lightroom and the camera maker's software itself is far superior (more detail. less noise) in processing the same shots than either the Apple or Adobe product.

 

[volvoben]

NX is your only option until apple or adobe dng come out with updates. New raw formats come with any new sensor these days, so being on the bleeding edge means waiting a few months for full raw support.

i like nikon capture, but i'm not a huge fan of the workflow and i already own PS and lightroom, so I use that. I find a tiny difference in noise, but i don't notice a difference in detail. some grain doesn't bother me even on huge prints though, so i'll hold my $ for now.

 

[robbieduncan]

Hmm?

Why doesn't Aperture work with the D40x?

Is it a different format than my D70, which works fine with Aperture?

The overall file format might be the same but they have different sensors. As RAW is a dump of the sensor data the processing required to interpret the sensor data and make a reasonable picture is different.

Apple take a very conservative approach towards support and Aperture will only load images that it knows 100% for sure it can handle. Even on cameras sharing the same sensor (is the D40x sensor the same as the D40? I'm a Canon user so not totally up on Nikon) then Aperture will not load the files if they have different identifier in them without an update.

 

[IscariotJ]

I recall seeing a "fix" that enabled D40 users to use Aperture, by modifying some OS files ( it shares the same sensor as the D70 ). It's possible that the same could be done for the D40x/D80, as they are alleged to share sensors. YMMV, though; the images from a D40x are supposed to be "cleaner" than those from a D80, so there are differences somewhere.

 

[epicwelshman]

Thanks guys, for all of your help.

When Aperture does finally come with support for the D40x I'll use that, but until then I installed the trial of CaptureNX.

Now my problem is that I don't really know what to do. I don't like admitting ignorance, but I've never used RAW before, so I'm a little confused...