You are right as always Don, I was trying to alter the size at the top, but looking more carefully it has dropped to the bottom...serves me right for dabbling in b&w when I can hardly do colour

and yes, I am not going to let a camera like this gather dust and how can one practice NX without a range of picture types?

Its the selection process I am getting a bit frustrated with now; like many terms and icons that look familiar, they don't mean the same thing, 'faux amis' our French teacher used to call them...and vast as the help file is when you explore it further, it is still in Japanglais

It was too good to be true - I have come to the downside on my 1st attempt at printing. Ignoring for now the ghastly imperial lack of exact control 'page layout', the colour is worse than anything I have experienced for years. Printing was the jewel in the crown of DPP, straight off the .CR2 masterfile, sized and placed to a fraction of a mm and poke.

camera & all software set to Adobe or Nikon RGB, Epson 1290 set to gloss film (as on instructions for Ilford Gallerie paper), epson management set to 'no colour adjustment'; tried realtive and absolute colorimeteric and perceptual with virtually no difference. All overgreen and muddy, just like the garden.

So do I have to save a max quality .jpg to cart off to DPP, or does anyone have any other suggestions?

Chris,

I have limited experience of printing and cannot really help but I believe you need the correct colour profile for your printer.

I use NX only for primary editting and always save as TIFF before resizing and sharpening in Photoshop. Colour profile is converted just before I save to JPEG.

You are right in that the preferences I had put in including the printer & paper had gone awol, probably I had set them in the session before I crashed it. Unfortunately restoring them doesn't improve the print quality. Nikon must have the printer data wrong, both printable area and colour profile, so it is 'save as' and print from DPP which has it right as well as more layout options.

Since (a) mastering the colour management using DPP (b) joining a local camera club, I do a lot of printing now....in fact more robins and saints waiting for implanting on Christmas cards this very minute

Have you investigated 'Soft Proof' located at the bottom of the image. It allows different settings to be proofed before printing.

Yes, when you have the correct setting for the printer & paper in 'Preferences', this works well in proof and actual print.

A missing link is in place: one can sort ones pics so they look good on both web and prints.

I have got round the print sizing problem by creating some custom paper sizes a few mm larger than A4 etc and with top, left and right margins set at 0.1. This produces prints as near to the edge of the paper as the system ever allows, about 3mm. My Epson 1290 is now quite old and Epson never did a proper driver for OS10 using its 'borderless' printing facility. Anyway that is as good as DPP. Small sample tests can be done using the 2up etc; inelegant but works.

Incidentally you said it was possible to 'stamp' or 'clone'? I can see you can do this using the 'selection brush' for say sensor spots on a plain sky or even painting over sheep ear tags ditto and getting texture back with 'add grain/noise'...but the latter takes quite a lot of time compared to 'stamp', do you have another trick up your sleeve?

Here is now to remove dust spots in NX, although I find it much easier to use the healing tool or clone stamp in Photoshop.

http://nikoneurope-en.custhelp.com/c...i=&p_topview=1

Hope that enormous link works :D

Thanks once again Stephen - yes the link works fine and adds some good detail to my intuitive experiments.....but as you say it seems quicker elsewhere for all but the simplest ops.

From that link I now have the 'advanced search' bookmarked and this unlocks a huge library of previous Q&A and I think allows new questions

Maybe in 1.4 we will have a stamp tool & if I ask enough questions about print layout, a better print layout dialogue :rolleyes:

I decided to risk poking the 'later version available' button despite having read on the Nikon site that NX 1.3 needed mac OS10.4. So I am now running 1.3.0 (SPM version whatever that means) on 10.3.9. Although the interface at first looks identical, prog is 3x the size and presumably a large amount of re-write. Homework to be done on implication of using 'picture control' or 'non-picture control'. There also seem to be locks on some control point sliders. Off to Nikon advanced search!

Anyway in case anyone else is thinking no point in moving on from 1.2, there is, in that one might as well get used to the latest rather than invoking a partial re-learn.

Although no expert I believe v1.3 is not approved for 10.5 (Leopard). I have been running v1.3 since its launch without problem on an Intel Mac. I am sure v1.3 is good on all OS X versions prior to 10.5. The issue is a risk of corrupting NEF files when saving from v1.3 in 10.5.

I have refrained from moving towards 10.5 because of this issue as I only tend to edit photos on my home computer.

I moved back to 1.1 from 1.2 as it was just too slow on my machine. It will be interesting to know how 1.3 compares and if it is worth the upgrade. I have downloaded 1.3 but not installed it. :)

Don

Possibly 1.3 is a trifle slower than 1.2, difficult to tell as it depends on how much else is grabbing cache. But my computer is only 1GH chip and 1GB RAM....allows thinking time:D

Haven't seen 1.1, but as I said, worth getting used to the latest to save re-learn. There is also a whole new module "Picture control utility" for D2X Modes 1 to 3 whatever they; are Stephen will know.

Capture NX v1.3.1 hot fix now available for Mac OS X Leopard users. The fix apparently solves a potential file curruption issue which only occurered with OS X Leopard.

See link -> http://nikoneurope-en.custhelp.com/c...YWdlPTE*&p_li=
Just need Leopard now.....

Picture Control simulates the color reproduction of a D2X/D2Xs at three different colour mode settings on images taken with the D3 and D300.

One less reason to change the X :D

Don

I have now taken the image of my sensor dust as prescribed in D80 manual and 'Base adjustments'>RAW>'dust off' in NX works really well if a little slowly :)

How to do more than 1 adjustment within a partial selection.
Simplest example is when one has painted out, say a distracting notice with colour-picked colorize, then wants to use Filter>add grain/noise - arguably easier to go elsewhere and use clone tool, but clones that look OK on screen can jump out on print. Also useful when one doesn't know what one wants to do without trying 2 or 3 tools but within the same partial selection.

Have at last found 'Linked enhancements' on p68 0f my paper manual: just press shift key when summoning up 2nd and subsequent enhancements. Each then works within a 'partly selected area' and can of course be turned on/off individually.:) :)

Something I have never tried Chris.

Don

Thanks for the thought Don. I have amended no96 to solution.

Brill job Chris. I will have a play. :)

Don

'linked enhancements' study
 

When I originally posted the Griffin

http://www.worldphotographyforum.com...=24&ppuser=780

Derek suggested it deserved a plainer background and Lesley wanted me to lose part of the plinth, so having run out of current pics, thought it time to have a go - but blurring the background as if my lens had f2 rather than going for black which might imply a piece of jewellery in its case rather than a huge outdoor monster

An intricate shape to cut out. I went straight to NX, but went back to PSE4 later to make sure I wasn't being unfair. There is too much variation in shade/colour for magic wand selection (layer 1 in PSE 1) and as I used selection brush in NX, tried the PSE one - layer 2. The guess is better than with wand, but missing the front paw altogether in PSE 2 despite having specifically added it (PSE 1). If I had wanted to continue, I think it would have been by using the polygonal lasso to cut it out a bit generously then erode using eraser. However, knowing PSE polygon's flair for jumping the gun and finishing with a bold but totally inapropriate diagonal flourish, I suspect it would have to have been done in bits on several layers then consolidated.

In NX I use the gaussian blur on the whole cropped image, step 4. This is then modified using the selection brush minus and plus in alternation in LINKED step 4a 'colorize' on the same partial selection. All relevant tools open and handy to the mousework. In NX 1 there are still one or two very faint traces of the blue 'marker dye' still on the griffin and there, blurring would still occur. Missing 'blue dye' from the area to be blurred doesn't matter if it is practically black anyway; there one is just wiping out small whitish branches that could remain looking like part of the sculpture.

One can check progress by turning off the 'blue dye' by unticking step 4a at any time. But in NX 2, the colorize step 5 is shown ticked, as I have also shaded down the bits of sky showing through using 40% opacity on a grey pipetted from the trees.

NX 2 also shows steps 6 to 8 unticked which would convert to B & W, decide final crop and deal with the plinth for the pic as posted today. The B & W conversion deals with the filter colour+strength as well as mods to brightness and contrast needed to optimise as a B & W version, but turned off in NX 2 showing the colour version.

http://www.worldphotographyforum.com...500&ppuser=780

Note 11.4MB file encapsulating original 7.4MB NEF and both Modified coloured and B & W versions at full scale (and 9.3 MB temp cache). The equivalent .psd file after consolidating layers as far as possible would be at least 50MB for keeps. Reducing and saving as a forum sized .jpg is a simple further step, which need not be saved.

In case any non Nikononians are looking, everything except the 'base adjustments' are available on .tif or .jpg files. If you have say Pentax K10D or Sony Alpha 100 using the same sensor AND you have set your in-camera preferences correctly and exposed roughly correctly, you may have done extremely little in the camera and RAW steps available only for NEF anyway. There are dozens of ways of adjusting brightness in 'open' NX and I am not sure they are any less potent than the RAW exposure compensation.

A great write up Chris.
Toggling between the two versions in your gallery certainly shows the effort paid off. Amazing difference between the two images.

Don

For anyone yet to try NX (and I commend it to anyone not willing/able to pay for CS3, not just Nikon users), it is necesasary to use the correct regional site, (corresonding to where a Nikon product is registered) and regional version of NX to smooth the course.

Thus although the US site http://support.nikontech.com is the richest source for tutorials and Q&A, downloading upgrades from it causes trouble with an EU registration no or NX product key http://nikoneurope-en.custhelp.com (probably the same with FarEast).

The EU/US versions are slightly different, so even for free trial, start with the right one. For EU 1.3 trial (or upgrade from 1.2) you need a product registered, which can just be any old Nikkor lens.

Lastly for mac users, use Disk Utility>repair permissions before all installations.

Sign of a happy bunny there Chris.
You picked it up very quickly. Seems no time at all since you got the D80 and started using this prog. :)

Don

I expect you others already know, but Nikon View is now in an NX version and it is far niftier than the browser function within Capture NX.

Aswell as auto download and thumbnail preview of .nefs, it does a slideshow (nef or jpg) at whole pic, 50% or 100% - full screen or half with thumbnails above and includes Picture Control & EV correction for things needing only a quick tweak & as previously high compression for e-mail quickies.

All free :) , but if anyone can tell me how this compares with Aperture at the first sort stage, I would be interested.

I installed ViewNX a few weeks ago and has made my work flow more efficient. Although I knew about ViewNX for some time I dismissed it becasue the images quality was not fit for me to judge whether to keep, process or bin an image.

The thumbnails are much larger than NX and 100% views open instantly. The latest version seems to display fairly high qulaity images probably the embedded NEF JPEG.

When satisfied that an images can be processed a simple right click and choose open in Capture NX calls NX to open the image.

I was using ViewNX when I visited Don a few weeks ago so he has seen it in action.

Lastly for mac users, use Disk Utility>repair permissions before all installations. - QUOTE FROM CHRIS ABOVE - Message 102

For ALL Mac users use Disk Utility> Repair Permissions before & AFTER all installations.

Chris - I use mainly Aperture, but after reading through this thread I will try and compare it with View and Capture NX (both of which I have) for a week or so and report back - I've always fought shy of Nikon Software cos their Mac stuff usually sucked and they got into trouble with Apple some time ago for playing with system kernels causing instability in the early versions of OSX.

I have found NX to operate fine under Tiger and Leopard - no problems at all.

Make sure it is the latest NX version of view you have Andy. When I first used Capture NX, I did get a lot of crashes, but as reported this was from a mix of EU product key and US upgrades. On going to 1.3, I didn't appreciate that 'Picture Control' appears to be designed for D3 & D300 and although it works for nefs from other cameras, it does slow things down if hunting for non-existent data - that became clearer from dialogues in ViewNX.

Lastly, would only be a problem on your older machine, but definitely no 'Classic' running - that is where below OS problems rear their heads.

Hi folks, Just re-read the entire thread, and starting to get to grips with Capture NX 1.3.1. I've found a book that has been a great help - Nikon Capture NX by Ben Long ISBN-13 978-0-321-48999-9 Pub. Real World.
It covers version 1.1 but there is enough in it to get me started and point me in the right direction. My point about Apple and Nikon goes back a couple of years. Apple found that Like SYMANTEC Anit Virus, Nikon software changed things in the root of the OS that it was not allowed to change. For a while Apple withdrew its formal support from Nikon Developers. I understand things are back to normal which is why Capture 1.3.1 runs well now. I'll get back to running them in parallel and hopefully post results soon.

Guess what? APERTURE 2 has arrived - Everything now on hold while I sort it out

:D :D Thats because I am still using Nikon View 6. :rolleyes:

Don

Bin it Don & use the decent job (you also need Transfer to auto-load into it when you connect the camera)

a few postscripts

1: printing form NX. I am giving this up having found with Epson 1290 it gave up 7/8 way through super A3 prints. On new Canon ix4000 it produces faint lines down the print on a dark background (the sticky bud). So looks as if I do have to save/convert to tif for printing. (comments censored)

2: View NX; this is quite useful as a quick preview/weed after download. However, as far as my vintage powerbook/OS 10.3.9 is concerned it is as much a 'rogue' program as Capture itself, gobbling up vast quantities of cache until it runs out by which time everything has nearly ground to a halt. I got used to living with 1 rogue program years back (Microstation) - and can cope. But not 2 rogues, so rather withdraw my previous gushing over View NX.

3: Capture 1.3.2 seems OK, ie no more roguish than previous ones, and either it or me have got better at avoiding crashes.

On returning to a NEF file previously edited in NX, I found it came out looking like the attached; turning off all the ticked steps did turn off their general effect,so pleased i hadn't permanently removed the eartag:p but did not return to original file.

http://www.worldphotographyforum.com...1&d=1208456214
View NX displays the file normally right up to 100% and prints it hair perfect. However, the quick adjustments are greyed out and importing it in to utility returns 'no valid file found'. Thus there does not seem to be any way of extracting a jpg of the full sized edited file.

PSE4 won't open it all. GraphicConverter opens a similarly corrupted file.

In this case my original edit is possibly all I want, but its bad news for the integrity of NEF files. I really do not want to have to duplicate the lot on import and then do 2 weeds - is that what is recommended as a failsafe?

Am asking Nikon technical too, but won't be on edge of seat for reply which will no doubt blame the computer. OK I think it did happen once before out of about 2000 nefs.

PS away for about 10 days from early Saturday, so not being unappreciative not responding to any observations after tomorrow.

On visit to Nikon support I see that they say 'It is not recommended to install both Nikon Capture and Capture NX on the same computer as this may cause unexpected issues to occur' .......hm :o :rolleyes:

Just after it has earned its keep for once! It seems that an edited NEF file keeps at least 3 separate packages of information - the original info, the info for re-enacting/modifying editing commands and a full size preview of last edit; the latter only accessible to viewNX (on another computer??!!)

Chris,
I have Capture, NX, NC4.4 and Nikon View 6 all on the same machine with no probs.
When NX came out they did say that there could be a conflict if with 4.4 if it was not removed, but I have not had any probs.

Yes I know ....... View NX is missing from that list but quite happy with View 6. :rolleyes:

Don

Nikon EU are taking this issue more seriously than I thought, but having been away have not supplied latest lot of info requested...story continues.

Having had to do quite a lot of cache clearing and keeping an eye on the last few GB of HD memory left, I see that NX and View NX share the same cache, ie when emptying cache from NX prefs, it also wipes previews from View NX. Really just need a spare 20 or 30 GB on the hard-drive to keep them both happy:p

Returning to some lurid DPP editing on last year's Langdale shots taken with 350D, I have found that editing non-Nikon pics in NX can be very successful in practice aswell as theory. More details in another thread aimed (so far unsuccessfully) at non-Nikon users:
http://www.worldphotographyforum.com...8850#post28850

Another thread bump as we try to recruit another member - Gabby, Jims dad.

A big man from the world of film, but hopefully we can tempt him into digital. :)

Pleasure to have met you sir.

Don

PS : I had better link the NX2 thread as well
http://www.worldphotographyforum.com...ead.php?t=3441

Bump for me too !! :)