Rongnongno Loc: FL

It is quite simple actually.

Nikon raw registers all the camera settings to start within its proprietary file (.NEF).

A third party software (i.e. other than Nikon) discards most the manufacturer (not only Nikon) camera setting information and opens the file as a 'color image'.

Nikon software on the other hand uses all the camera settings and gives you what you shot. This w/o damaging the original raw information.

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As a few mentioned Nikon will save a either a JPG (8 bit B&W - editable by all) or/and as a raw file. I suspect that Nikon software uses 16 bit B&W when opening the raw (NEF) file vs the camera produced 8 bit JPG. (This needs to be verified).

speters Loc: Grangeville/Idaho

Well duh, any of the in-camera filter settings are for jpegs only, they do not apply to raw recording, as that is not an image file format, only the recording of raw data!

Delderby Loc: Derby UK

What you are seeing in NX D is not a true RAW file. It is using either an embedded JPG or some other conversion that has taken account of the WB settings. True RAW data ALONE cannot be viewed.

iamimdoc

Ok - so what is being viewed in other raw editors as a raw file is not an image file format? Are other editors applying filters on a file opened de novo? Does this imply each editor makes visible changes to a file ( that might affect how it looks) before any editing is done by the user?

I am just trying to understand what goes on.

Thanks

iamimdoc

Ok - so what is being viewed in other raw editors as a raw file is not an image file format? Are other editors applying filters on a file opened de novo? Does this imply each editor makes visible changes to a file ( that might affect how it looks) before any editing is done by the user?

I am just trying to understand what goes on.

Thanks

ggab Loc: ?

If you want to use multiple editors, do the raw conversion to tiff (assuming it does that) in the Nikon Software. Then use the others to fine tune the tiff image.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

When you shoot raw, the white balance you set isn't applied, although it is saved in the metadata. The image you see in the camera's monitor is the JPEG version with the WB adjustment applied.

Opening the file in a processing program - any program - lets you make adjustments to WB and everything else.

That's my story, and I'm stickin' to it.

https://blog.davidksutton.com/144/when-shooting-raw-do-you-need-to-adjust-white-balance-on-your-camera/

bbrown5154 Loc: Baltimore, MD

First thing is you are looking at an "edited" Jpeg file when viewing the pic in the back of the camera. It is applying the "incamera" processing for a Jpeg.
As far as I know (granted isn't much but I do use a Nikon D750) that there are some "nikon" things that Nikon processing software will acknowledge. One of them is Active D lighting.

Bill_de Loc: US

Raw editors typically allow you to set your own defaults that will be applied when the file is opened. When using the camera manufacturer's software, such as NX-d, you also have the option to open "as Recorded" or "as Shot" which will apply the camera's settings. You can always choose to use other settings.

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bleirer

Speaking for Lightroom, yes it applies some of its own settings as a default when it 'demosaics' the raw file. It never really changes the raw file, but just stores a recipe for whatever settings are applied. They are not baked in though, more like suggestions. It reads the in camera white balance from the raw file and defaults to 'as shot.' It applies the 'Adobe Color' profile but it has approximations of many camera profiles available to scroll through. When you export the file the changes get baked in, but the image is still modifiable to a lesser degree or range.

Aside: Each pixel of the raw file is monochrome, having captured values for only one color: red, green, or blue light. The raw editor decides what color one pixel should be by looking at it and the nearby neighbors to see how much red, green, and blue was nearby.

gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

PS Elements has a "Camera" selection that you can use to see the photo as rendered by the camera's settings other than just WB. Your RAW editors should have something like that too.

frankraney Loc: Clovis, Ca.

Yup

Rongnongno Loc: FL

raw for the purist is a data format, not an image because you need a 'translator'. In the end it is a latent image.

raw is the sensor capture w/o processing 10~16 bit color depth depending on camera. JPG is created by the camera when it goes what is called the 'Bayer filter process', This filter transforms the sensor capture into a known acceptable format: JPG. The issue with the Bayer filter process is that it reduces the image color depth to 8 bit. raw also records all the camera settings but does not apply them. Note that the optical settings (dof, speed and ISO are applied). Other data specific from the manufacturer not related to the capture itself is recorded capture #, camera seria #l, objective serial # and so forth. This is not very useful but in specific circumstances. It is part of the EXIF data. Some other stuff protected by patents also is processed.

raw readers or processor need to 'learn' (update) a raw format. You are usually out of luck the first few weeks/months when a camera is brand new.

A raw reader - if not from the manufacturer - will not process all of the information registered by the sensor, same as they will not apply any of your special setting. Same goes for editors.

When special settings are made only the manufacturer software reads and applies the settings - all of them. The difference is that these are applied in an external computer that can preserve the sensor bit depth. It does for every other settings so I suspect it also does when using the B&W selection.

It is important that you realize that the recorded data (WB by example) is used when opening a file but since it is a variable it is easily changed/corrected. Some folks will say that a raw file WB is easier to correct than a JPG file. This is not true. What is true is that due to the data lost (bit depth) during the Bayer filter processing will influence the final result.

camerapapi Loc: Miami, Fl.

Nikon editing software is not compatible will all other softwares. Nothing could be better than to edit RAW Data with proprietary software if we want the best in those files. Colors for sure are more accurate, specially skin colors.
I regret I lost Capture NX2. I am using now View NX2 because it is a simple editor and it is all I need before working with a 16 bits TIFF file with Affinity Photo.

Delderby Loc: Derby UK

Hi - not wishing to side track, but have you tried developing RAWs using Affinity?