If you can run to it then without a doubt get Nikon NX2.
Here is a link to download a 60day free trial.
http://nikonimglib.com/cnx2/index_en...tml#os-windows
If you use a Mac then click the link left hand side half way down the page.

What can NX do for you. A link to the NX tutorials
http://www.capturenx.com/en/index.html

Also there are a couple of threads on NX in the Darkroom Forum.

Don

PS : Another useful link re NX
http://www.nx101.com/index.html

If you get the plug-in for Photoshop called Adobe Camera Raw, it will give you a user friendly raw conversion capability. Which specific version of the plug in you need will depend on which version of Photoshop you are using. A quick google for "adobe camera raw" and clicking on the answers from adobe.com should get you to the right area afte a bit of hunting around Adobe's site.

Personally, I prefer Phase One's Capture One for raw processing, but that's only just my personal preference, and the fact it does some cool things for mono film simulation, which is one of my pet hobbies.

The basic ViewNX you got with the camera should get you started and allow you to see what you can do with a raw file without getting bogged down to begin with. Once you've got the hang of things, then NX2 as recommended by Don really does seem to be the thing for Nikon users.

Duncan

I started off shooting jpg only as I was slightly concerned about RAW processing and worried that I'd never get the handg of it, I was also not convinced of the benefits of shoting RAW. However I was nagged by someone to give it a go so I did... and I'm very glad that I did. The processing control that you get with RAW files is lovely and in tests I found that a RAW files converted to a jpg gives a better image out of my camera than a straight jpg. As for the processing time, I can honestly say that I can process a batch of RAW files at least as (if not more) swiftly than a batch of jpgs. I don't see any point in shooting RAW & jpg in camera, if you need the jpg you can convert on the pc so why waste space on the memory card.

Yay! Someone else who can't see the point of raw+jpeg, I thought it was only me. The only time I can think it would be useful would be for a wedding photographer who needs to get a set of proofs rushed to the bride before she leaves the reception or another "must have NOW" user need, press 'tog perhaps? Otherwise, I struggle to understand the need for shooting dual format.

I use Lightroom and CS3 Extended:)

I agree with you if you are confident in processing RAW. To start with I think it best to do both then you have a reference to compare your RAW processing effort against.

I do both mainly because of my ancient PC (Built from folks throwouts) takes an age to open RAW files compared to Jpeg. The Jpegs give me the chance to quickly sort the wheat from the chaff. As I've not had a payrise in the last 8 years upgrading the PC is the least of my worries.

If I did RAW only I would only gain about 20% extra space of memory space. I managed 225 RAW + Jpeg shots on a 4Gb card the other day.

I'm another one Duncan.
When I first went digital, a little over 2 years ago now, I used Phase one software, and thought it was great until Lightroom came along. But now, I am firmly hooked on Lightroom. As mentioned above, there is no need to convert from raw at all now, unless for a specific purpose such as web use, and that can be done in a few clicks.
Regarding jpeg only capture - there are advantages - speed in camera and on download, more images per card being the main ones I can think of. But I would have to be absolutely sure I'd nailed it in camera, and got the colour space I needed for the end product, and correct resolution, pixel dimensions etc. Overall, RAW gives you control over all these variables, and some wriggle room on exposure and curves without compromising image quality. (I should add that it depends on what your end product is - I print up to 18" by 12", so things like compression artifacts, posterisation of colours, loss of edge detail etc would be big problems for me.)

I'm another RAW only - even if I want to show a client the shots right away all I do is load them into Lightroom and up pops a preview off all the images with some light preset shrpening, noise reduction based on ISO etc - you can set the default conversion to you own taste & save to be camera specific.

To understand ACR trt "Real Wold Camera RAW" by Bruce Frazer/Jeff Schewe - great book

Absolute Luxury :rolleyes: Sounds like I'll have to bite the bullet and find a few faster bits for the old PC.

Takes about 25 seconds for 1 to preview on my old dog.

How about you're out at an event, along with other 'togs. It's a race (and kudos) to be the first to get the results and some pictures online. I take my laptop, with mobile broadband dongle. The desktop software I use allows me to drag and drop the jpegs (but not the RAW files) into the upload box, re sizes them for me automatically and off they go, they can be on the site in minutes of capture.

If this is a high volume event, then I'll only shoot jpegs, but I really like shooting both as I can use the jpegs immediately and play around with the RAW's later if I need to. Just my preference and I know a few other sports 'togs who do this.