Nikon Capture NX2
 

Thanks to Andy153 for putting this one on the radar. Capture NX2 is announced today.

See here ---> http://www.capturenx.com/

The application is ready to download for a 60 day trial here---> http://nikonimglib.com/cnx2/index_en...tml#os-windows

Hi all - if you watch the startup video on Stephen's link then those control points are straight out of Nik Software Viveza. Holds great promise - will try download and possibly update asap.

I remember when I tryed to download Capture NX in 2006 after several failled attempts I decided to downlaod a day later. I am currently downloading the mac version which is coming very slowly and I expect to fail.

I might be a job for tomorrow.

For those who are interested here is a pre-view of the new Capture NX 2 - it may be a little slow. http://www.luminescentphoto.com/arti...x2_review.html

Thanks for that Andy, Jason P Odell is a much respected NX guru. His review certainly carrys some weight.

Most interesting are selection control points where in Phils example Noise reductin can be applied to a specific region using a control point. I.E. NR on blue sky or just on dark tones.

And here is a "hands on" review that is even better
http://www.outbackphoto.com/CONTENT_...NX2/index.html

With the official Nikon announcement here

http://nikon.com/about/news/2008/0603_01.htm

I have spoken to Nik Software Tech Support this morning and users of Nik ColorEfex Pro 3 for Photoshop will get a FREE upgrade to use it with Capture NX 2

A couple of years ago when Capture NX was launched, its was first announced then a release date was suggested which happened to be put back several months to July, if I remember correctly. I am amased that this re-incarnation was simply launched with a download trial immediately. Is anyone selling Capture NX2?

If so what is the upgrade path and what will it cost?

Stephen - No one selling at the Moment - you can install a fully functional 60 day trial - which I have just done. There will be a pricing structure within the trial period time which will include free upgrades for some, an upgrade price for registered users of NX 1.3.3 and a full price for new users. Likewise there is a structure for Nik Software ColorEfex Pro 2 and 3.

It seems there are several options to purchase the application. Download or upgrade.

http://www.europe-nikon.com/product/.../overview.html

Pricing from AP site suggests £129.99 for full CD but only £79.99 to download. I am expecting the upgrade, download to be less than £50.

won't let me download :( , probably busy & as usual wants OS10.4 or 10.5, but then so did NX1.2 in theory :p . Might just upgrade OS if it works as well as promised, masking selections look much improved in reviews, thank you Andy for URLs.

NB anyone with an EU pass-code should ensure they are downloading from EU not USA site as it could cause problems when they want upgrade money. I suppose at present it is free becasue really a beta.

I have the *.dmg file downloaded after three attempts this morning. I can upload to my idisk for others to download if need be. It will be when I get home later this evening.

Good point Chris, it does seem to be Leopard compliant whereas NX never was although it caused no problem on my system.

Well as you can guess Foxy sent me a ping about this. ;) :)

No problem downloading program and manual from here as I just have.
http://nikonimglib.com/cnx2/

Re price well that may be the rub. I compared USA prices as at least they show them somewhere
Nikon Mall still only has NX and that is listed as Full version $149.95, Upgrade $89.95
Nikon USA Press Centre announcement - NX2 Full version $179.95 or Upgrade $109.95

Going back to the release of NX then I think the UK upgrade price from NC4.4 was around £75. So given that USA prices have risen the UK price for upgrade may be more like £80-£90.

I will read through the manual before installing and activating the 60 day clock. :D

Don

Have downloaded the .dmg, but unfortunately this time it is serious about wanting 10.4. However may be able to give it a whirl on disused family PC and expect it largely ignores the OS anyway same as 1.3

For UK pricing and availability check this link
http://www.dphotoexpert.com/2008/06/...flow-software/

Don

Have given it a whirl on 3 images on the PC. There only appear to be 2 really new features:
1 - The auto-heal brush is simple and effective for removal of sensor dust and bits of gunk in unimportant areas; not yet a fully controllable stamp tool
2 - The selection control point is somewhat enigmatic, maybe works on the type of pic in the review or manual where there are objects of strong colour with strong edges, but on landscapes it is difficult to see what advantage it has over previous selection methods apart from opening up possibilities of creating and saving masks rather than relying on the duplication of a step including a selection and/or linked enhancements; need to wait for 3rd party tutorials on that as the manual is of little help.

Against the improvements, the interface (PC version) is pretty grisly. Fewer floating pallettes, slide bars of so subtle a grey they are near invisible and a PS style tool bar. Yuk.

There seems no obvious distinction between operators in RAW and others, the Exposure Compensation now being in View NX style 'Quickfix' section. Also more of View NX stitched into the browser part.

For speed, using a Dell dimension 2400 nominally 2.4x as fast as my ancient powerbook, the transformations appeared slightly faster, but against that, getting the tools in place if anything slower and overall less certainty as to whether it had finished doing whatever or not yet. In 1.3.2 on mac it covers its slowth by producing a preview of lowest resolution it can (intelligently) get away with and beavering away in the background on the full works; OK unless you are doing things needing 100% scale. NX 2 on PC seems to wait more until it has the 100% job available and the activity wheel meanwhile also an incredibly subtle/invisible grey.

I don't think I will be barging anyone else out of the way on the rush to upgrade immediately. Maybe see how soon really informative tutorials augment the rather basic manual and what the interface is like on Mac

After working on one picture I have three comments.

Brilliant, Fantastic and Wonderful.

The sort of editting I do is quite repetitive and I found trawling through the menus on every photo fatiguing.

I managed to edit my photo without clicking a menu and finished it off in minutes.

Bravo, Nik software and Nikon.

Any chance of a screen dump Stephen? If poss with LCH>'master lightness' open, which is where about 80% of my landscape working happens and the window undersized so it has sliders? From your comments it must be better on mac than PC??? In the PC version the LCH panel seems fixed into the adjustments panel, though there is talk of alternative interface styles.

Here you go, one with and one without. LCH window occupies parts of the edit list just like any other step then minimised within the edit list like the ones above.

Thank you Stephen - sorry, not making myself clear enough. I like the LCH panel as BIG as possible* and in NX2 it seems confined by the size of the edit list; so to get it wider one needs to stretch the whole edit list sideways? Also it was the image window I am worried about, the edges look ominously grey rather than trad mac blue bubbles on white?

*I rarely have pics with lovely clear edges and bright colours like this, so the curve in LCH becomes a series of undulating steps, but precisely matched to parts of a landscape
http://www.worldphotographyforum.com...1&d=1212566130
Note F2,4,5 tools which I rarely touch minimised and out of way and F2 & F6 where they are handy - I don't think you can pull them out of the tool-bar in NX2? Nor have tool settings as squarish floating windows?

Sorry, Chris.

There does not seem to be a way of making the LCH tool larger than in the edit list.

Chris - here is a quote from the review of NX2 - they seem to have altered the way it's presented

"The Adjust Section

The Adjust Section of the Edit List is where the "Edit Steps" are placed when you make adjustments to your image. Edit Steps can be added to NEF images and also RGB images like TIFFs and JPEGs. There are two significant changes to the way Edit Steps behave in the Edit List.

First, in NX2, tool palettes and dialogs are completely contained within the Edit List itself; no more annoying pop-up windows to fuss with. Second, the Edit Steps gain additional selection tools and the control/display of selections in significantly enhanced. Users can now use a "overlay mask" view to help them make selections-- the image is still shown behind the mask. A new "Base Mask" option allows you to apply a overall fill effect and vary its opacity when creating selections. New tools in the Edit Steps allow you to quickly revert to previous settings or delete the selection effects."

Thank you Andy - I was a good child and did read the reviews you so kindly linked for us..or I wouldn't have got desperate enough to dust off the PC to get at NX2.

The trouble is that one man's 'annoying pop-up windows' are my 'floating tool-boxes', easily placed, not too small and optimum shape. I think you can see from Stephen's reaction and mine that we use the beast in totally different ways and its obviously ease of use for professionals going to press that is winning out on this upgrade. I had another play on the PC and find that more of the tools will float, but they can't be resized as flexibly as in 1.3.

Yes, the masks seem to be the real big additional feature.