akamerica

Yes that works, however with all downloaded as nef to post process with software. If I took nef and jpg my editing would perhaps be more detailed.

akamerica

Yep, a one sentence answer with a software's name.

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

What you see as a “straight” forward question I see as a question someone lacking knowledge. It doesn’t make much sense to do a straight conversion from raw to jpeg without applying at least the settings the camera would have applied. It would be helpful to know exactly what the OP is trying to achieve and why.

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

Go for it, but it won’t serve you well.

SuperflyTNT Loc: Manassas VA

What software do you use to post process your photos? If it’s a parametric editor you have to export it to another format, (like JPEG), with that software to apply the edits. If it’s not a parametric editor it will save it as another format when you save the edits. If you’re looking to just convert directly without edits you should probably just use the free Nikon software. And going foward if you’re not actually editing the images you should just shoot JPEG.

DirtFarmer Loc: Escaped from the NYC area, back to MA

As I understand this thread, you have shot raw a lot and have saved all your raw files but you have dropped Adobe as an editor without saving all your raw files as jpg so you are asking what programs people use for converting raw (nef) to jpg in bulk. As I said above, I use Adobe LR and PS and I consider it a low cost solution with a high value payoff. That's my opinion. But it probably doesn't help you since you have dropped Adobe, for whatever reason.

You appear to understand that postprocessing is essential to getting the best possible outcome from the raw file. There have been a couple replies that let you know you can get a copy of the embedded jpg preview contained in the raw file. That is the simplest way to get a jpg from the raw file and gives you what you could have gotten by shooting raw+jpg, but since you did not postprocess the raw file you don't get the optimal output.

So what you really want is a program that postprocesses the raw file and will give you a jpg in return. There are many such programs. They vary in capability, so I don't believe any of us can advise you which is best for you. That is a subjective determination.

The main reason I see online for people dropping Adobe is cost. Even though the cost is minimal (in my opinion) it is constant, which is what turns off a lot of people. If that is why you dropped Adobe, then you will be looking for a good program with minimal cost. I would suggest that the manufacturer's editing software will fill the bill there. It's been a long time since I used Nikon software but it has the advantage that it can extract the camera settings from the raw file and use them to duplicate the jpg that the camera would have produced. Of course that may not be what you want, but at least it will give you a starting point.

Nikon used to offer a couple programs to postprocess raw files. One of them was free and another was a paid program. Since I don't use Nikon software I can't tell you which is which, but you should be able to check one out from the Nikon website.

If cost is not the reason you dropped Adobe, then you're on your own as to which would be the best replacement because you will have to evaluate each program to see if it overcomes the reason for dropping Adobe.