Paul60 Loc: Lowestoft, UK

Hi Chaps,

My Nikon P1000 camera supports RAW images.

I have the old, now 'free' version of Adobe Photoshop CS2.

Will that do the job, or do I need something better.

I haven't had a chance to experiment yet.

I've set my camera up to save both 'Fine & RAW' files.

Can anyone suggest the best inexpensive image software if PS CS2 is no good please.

Cheers

Paul :)

Rich1939 Loc: Pike County Penna.

I doubt that CS2 will process P1000 raw files. I may be wrong but it would have to be updated and I'll be surprised if Adobe is still updating CS2.
Personally I would recommend subscribing to Photoshop CC. While many object to the $10 a month fee, I spent more than that per month 35-40 years ago to have color film processed.

timcc Loc: Virginia

Try PhotoScape X. A very competent PP software -- for $30 you can get the full version, but the trial version is free, has no time limit, and provides just about everything you'll need for RAW editing, including local adjustments.

Gene51 Loc: Yonkers, NY, now in LSD (LowerSlowerDelaware)

The cheapest solution is to download the free software from Nikon - View NX-i and Capture NX-D.

There are better solutions out there - On1, Capture One, Lightroom/Photoshop CC, DXO Photolab, etc.

But the bigger question is if you can run any new software on your computer, especially if it is the same vintage as CS2.

There are other cheap or free solutions, but I wouldn't recommend them. They can be more trouble that the savings are worth.

BlackRipleyDog

What Gene51 said. In the meantime, continue to shoot Raw/Fine until you decide on a budget for this and you will be have the files to work in whatever raw processor you select.

warrior Loc: Paso Robles CA

Take a look at Picasa 3 stand alone

bsprague Loc: Lacey, WA, USA

Everyone's suggestions will work well. My first choice is the $10/month rental plan for Adobe's two Lightrooms, Photoshop, Portfolio, Bridge, etc.

But "free" can be better!

If you enjoy and want to keep using CS2, you can do that. Adobe distributes a program that converts you P1000 RAW NEF files to an Adobe RAW DNG file. It's sole purpose is to make it easy for people that want to use older versions without spending any money.

Read and download here: https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/using/adobe-dng-converter.html

(Download)

G Brown Loc: Sunny Bognor Regis West Sussex UK

The program disk CD will have a raw converter for your camera or download from Nikon website.
Try Digicam, Rawtherapee or UFraw.

There are a lot of free Post processing programmes so try before you pay out.

amfoto1 Loc: San Jose, Calif. USA

Photoshop CS2 is way too old to handle the RAW files of the relatively recent P1000. As far as I can tell, you'd need the latest "cloud" subscription version of the software, to work with that camera's files.

As others have suggested, one way to work with those files is Nikon's own software. HOWEVER, there are alternatives...

You can download the latest, free Adobe DNG Converter.... use that first to make DNG ("digital negative" RAW files) from the camera's RAW files... then work with the DNG files in PS CS2.

Frankly, I'd try to get a more recent version of Photoshop. Maybe not the cloud subscription version, but at least CS5 or CS6. It will still require you to do the DNG conversion first, but compared to old versions like CS2, the newer ones have lots of other worthwhile improvements. I've worked with Photoshop since the mid-1990s, version 4. I updated it roughly every other version and each brought a lot of new capabilities. Just for example, I recall the noise reduction filters prior to PS CS5 and Lightroom 5 were pretty poor. When I had to shoot high ISOs, I used to do noise reduction on the images in Canon's software first, then pass the images off to LR and CS for any additional work. Finally with CS5 and later (as well as LR 5 and later) Photoshop's noise reduction was much improved, as good or better than the Canon software (I now also use an Imagenomic Nioseware plug-in with Photoshop to be able to use ISOs I never dreamed would be possible).

Paul60 Loc: Lowestoft, UK

Thanks for the suggestions everyone.

I only want to play around with it. Nothing serious. I have used Photoshop for years just to sharpen and adjust colours in various images.

I'm curious to see what you can do with these RAW files.

I'll try the Nikon Capture along with converting files to use in PS CS2.

Thanks again to all who replied.

Paul :)

tcthome Loc: NJ

Affinity Photo, about $50.00. Not quite as good as Photoshop ,but simular & very powerful for the $.

khorinek

I would suggest Lightroom or Corel Paint Shop Pro 2018.

bbrown5154 Loc: Baltimore, MD

Nikon's Capture NX-D is free.
I don't like it as much as I did and (still do) NX2 but its free and works.

mborn Loc: Massachusetts

:sm24

tdozier3 Loc: Northern Illinois

You can try Corel Aftershot Pro, free for 30 days