Importing photos from Nikon cameras to Photoshop Elements 14.

R

RayP

New member
When I bought my Nikon D7100 DSLR 10 years ago my existing version of PSE didn’t recognise the camera so I had to buy the latest version - 14. It was on CD. Installed it and all was well until I changed the computer on which it was installed. I didn’t unregistered it and had some problems initially until I realised the warnings were just that. The features continued to work. There’s no unregister option for CD-installed software.

Fast forward to today. I’ve been considering changing to a mirrorless equivalent from Nikon but what has always deterred me is the pricing for PSE. Even the “amateur” version is effectively a rental one with the £85 cost lasting for just three years. Yuck! No thanks as PSE14 does all I want with RAW image editing. At my age I’m a casual photographer, not someone who is using it every day or month.

But as well as importing images from my camera I also have a Nikon Coolscan V I use for negatives and transparencies. I can still edit those with PSE14 so it strikes me the problem is getting the images from the camera into my computer. Once I’ve done that I’ve bypassed PSE’s check on the camera type.

Nikon NX Studio would appear to be the solution. It works for all DSLRs and current mirrorless so I’m covered. Once the images have been imported I can continue to use the features of PSE to organise them.

Have I thought this through correctly? Is having a physical copy of PSE14 a lifesaver? Anything I haven’t thought of?
 
Needa

Needa

Senior Member
Challenge Team
As far as moving the files from the camera to the computer I use a card reader and then just copy the file to my chosen location using my file and directory naming convention. As far as opening the file in PSE it may not be able to open some of the newer file compression schemes, if it can't be updated. You should be able to shoot in uncompressed or lossless compressed and that should not be an issue but verify.
NX Studio could be an option and should support Nikon image options.
 
Needa

Needa

Senior Member
Challenge Team
RayP said:
Surely RAW is RAW isn’t it?
Click to expand...
No. Even with an older Nikon you can have 12 or 14 bit, lossless compressed or compressed. I think the issue is with the new one referred to as HE*NEF. I believe the file designation is still just .NEF. Maybe some Z users will jump in a help out with more info as not having a Z camera it is not something I have researched.
 
R

RayP

New member
@Needa, I’ve no setting on my D7100 to select colour depth, lossless compressed or just compressed.

Having done some research NX Studio would appear to be a decent alternative to the rip-off Adobe PSE. I would have paid £85 for a lifetime licence but expecting you to buy again after just three years is taking the p*ss. They can sod off.

Sorry for my Anglo-Saxon language but Adobe are appalling.
 
Needa

Needa

Senior Member
Challenge Team
Recording type.png


Under the shooting menu
 
Woodyg3

Woodyg3

Senior Member
Contributor
Each camera model from any and all manufacturer has its own, unique RAW file. This is why all processing applications must be periodically updated so as to read RAW files from new camera models. Bit depth and any compression are variable according to settings used in the camera menu, but have nothing to do with whether the file will be recognized by software.

Honestly, £85 is very inexpensive for photo processing software. I know it hurts to shell out the money, and I sympasize. :)
 
BF Hammer

BF Hammer

Senior Member
Ray, I am just going to chime in with my own solution with free software. NX Studio is a perfectly good solution, but there are more powerful alternatives.

I had been importing photos with NX Studio but I have been using DigiKam lately. The organization options are more powerful. Free software.

I edit Raw files with RawTherapee. It is easily 80% of the feature set of Lightroom but free. No AI, yet. I see I have an update to get today. RawTherapee also integrates to work with my next tool...

GIMP is the photo editor when working with layers is needed. Think of it's relationship to RawTherapee as similar to Photoshop's relationship to Lightroom. If you configure the path to GIMP in RawTherapee's configuration screen, the 1-touch export to GIMP will auto convert to a TIF and load it in GIMP for you.

All of these started out as Linux software and were ported to Windows and Mac long ago.
 
R

RayP

New member
Woodyg3 said:
Each camera model from any and all manufacturer has its own, unique RAW file. This is why all processing applications must be periodically updated so as to read RAW files from new camera models. Bit depth and any compression are variable according to settings used in the camera menu, but have nothing to do with whether the file will be recognized by software.

Honestly, £85 is very inexpensive for photo processing software. I know it hurts to shell out the money, and I sympasize. :)
Click to expand...
That’s understood. But I’m required to buy PE again after three years because it will stop working. So if I keep the camera for 9 years that’s £255 when there’s been no change to the camera. That’s the bit I find hard to accept.

I don’t condone piracy but you can understand why some people resort to it when they feel they’re being taken advantage of.

New camera? New version of PE required. Fair enough. But not when the camera hasn’t changed. What am I paying for? Nothing as far as I can see. Just lining the pockets of a greedy company.
 
R

RayP

New member
Gents, thanks for your feedback. Clearly it’s a matter of what’s important to each of us how we spend our money and what we consider value. I’m more than happy to splash the cash where I’m going to get an improvement in photos.

I rarely change my cameras. I have a film Olympus OM-2 bought in 1981 and it worked perfectly until I decided to switch to digital (Nikon D70) in 2005. That was replaced by a D90 in 2010 and finally a D7100 in 2015. All changes were for better quality with higher megapixels.

I’ve had SLRs for over 50 years but given they’ve stopped being made it made sense to do some research in case my DSLR stopped working. Having checked their advantages over DSLRs nothing leaps out as desirable for me.

It’s likely I’ll stay with my D7100 until either the camera gives up or I do. 🤣

The Nikon Z6 III is still 25Mp albeit with a full frame, not DX. But that’s not a big enough reason to change especially when editing software has to change.

They say you don’t miss what you’ve never experienced. I’ve never handled a mirrorless. One thing jumped out for me with the Z6. No popup flash. Eekkk! 😳
 
Top