Convert (nearly) any image into Nikon NEF raw file

[BF Hammer]

I found this today. It is a command-line open-source utility that will convert an image file like a JPEG or other into a Nikon NEF lossless compressed 14 bit file.

Documentation shows me it it not very user-friendly, but it's a beginning.

Documentation

Github download

 

[Clovishound]

Interesting, but I wonder why anyone would want to convert a JPG to an NEF file. When you convert an NEF to a JPG, you lose a lot of information. You aren't going to get that back by converting it back to an NEF.

 

[BF Hammer]

The author offers a couple of possible applications to use this in the documentation link. It is more about exploiting some features in camera bodies that can use a computer-generated image instead of an image from in the camera.

 

[Clovishound]

I never thought about uploading an image to my camera. I suppose there are some creative techniques that might require that, but doubt it would be something I would be interested in. Good to know it might be possible.

Another thing that comes to mind. The club I belong to has 13 chapters and over 1,000 members. Each year we have an association wide contest with somewhat strict rules on entries. If there is a question on an image you submit, you may be asked to submit the RAW file as proof you didn't break one of the submission rules. Being able to save an edited file, or one downloaded from the internet, as an NEF would be a method for someone to "game" the system. I'm sure this is not something unique to our contest. AI and other technologies are making it more and more difficult to maintain integrity in photo contests.