Capture NX2

[Michaelaw]

I have a trial version of this software that I'm reluctant to load, I do all my post work in PS, always have, and probably always will. Is there any advantage to using Capture NX2 over PS? Has anyone used this software who could explain the differences, advantages etc? Or maybe it has worthwhile features not found in PS but specific to a Nikon? I appreciate any input on this

[Barefoot]

If you find yourself shooting raw, then there is no reason not to use NX2. Most professionals ( Scott Kelby, Vincent Versace, ect. ) using Nikon equipment agree that ACR falls short of matching the developing powers that NX2 offers in regards to the .nef file.

I’ve been using it myself for over a year now and believe it to be one of, if not the best piece of imaging software on the market. It fits the Nikon camera like a glove. If it had a proper cloning tool, I wouldn’t use anything else. Some say that you can’t create layers or layer mask with the program, but they simply haven’t learned to because it can be done. If you knew what other NX2 users already know about the software, you wouldn’t hesitate to install and purchase the key code. The “U-Point Technology” (control points) is amazing.

Just my

[Michaelaw]

Thanks for the input BF, I'll give it a try

[Barefoot]

I still use PSE7 and CS3 for things like dodging and burning sometimes if the results of the control points don’t suite me or to apply the Orton effect even though that can be done in NX2 also. I just like the Orton better in PSE7 or CS3.

Be warned! It is a resource hog. Before the purchase of a quad-core system I used it sparingly, but with the extra processing power I now have I’m able to run NX2 and several other programs at the same time with no trouble at all.

Lots of tutorials on youtube.com for things that can be done with NX2.

[Michaelaw]

Thanks, running a quad so It will be fine. I don't mind rescource hoge as long as they don't load in start up as TSR files, I'd rather wait the few secs it takes to load than have it always running in the BG

[F8&Bthere]

From my bit of experience and quite a bit of reading everything Barefoot writes is dead on. You'll see for yourself, but I am always trying to streamline my workflow and have become a huge fan of Lightroom as a all-in-one pkg deal that catalogs, keywords, culls, nondestructive edits, prints, exports, etc. I have NX2, never got comfortable with the interface, but I did do some tests where I took NEF images through both LR/ACR and through NX2 and compared them. I couldn't see anything inferior about the LR versions, but that's just to my, perhaps unrefined, eye. I have the Nik control point plug-in for Photoshop, but that is an awesome feature of NX2. I kept NX2 installed in case I ever ran into a RAW file that I really wanted to toil over with the best care and attention, or that I wasn't quite satisfied with the ACR result, but that hasn't happened yet. So for me, it's probably great, but it's an extra step for me that I personally haven't found necessary in my workflow.

So Michaelaw, did I miss your momentous migration from Oly to Nik? I'll have to look for the thread with the announcement.