Join Now
Join ePHOTOzine, the friendliest photography community.
Upload photos, chat with photographers, win prizes and much more for free!
If your a Nikon user, You may also be using the Nikon ViewNX software that came with your camera.
And why not, Its not a bad little program for a freebie.
Nikon constantly strive to update this little gem to, Up to Nikon ViewNX version 1.3, They where doing a fairly decent job....
BUT for some strange and sadistic reason, The latest version 1.4 update, Appears to be spoiling all the fun.
Yes folks its got a Bug or 2...
It would seem that Nikon ViewNX version 1.4, Has a problem working out what is meant by asking it, To convert a Raw/NEF file into a 16bit TIFF file....
Mostly it just goes right ahead and converts to an 8bit Tiff, Despite being instructed to create a 16bit Tiff...
Now thats bad enough, But it also seems to require you tell it what size ( in pixels dimensions too ) the output should be, Despite the box for this being unticked.
Am I going mad? Many think I'm half way there now..
However I have wasted several good hours, That might have been better spent sleeping, Trying to figure this out, Ran tests with 2 computers, My own very special high spec, Custom computers at that.
The conclusion is simple, If like me you duly updated your Nikon ViewNX version 1.3 to the latest version 1.4, Simply " UNINSTALL the horrible thing, Then re-install version 1.3.
Now Nikon ViewNX version 1.3 re-installed, Everything is working perfectly......Again...
No doubt Nikons NitWit programmers, Will get around to fixing the issues, By the time it becomes version 1.5 , Although I'm not holding my breath.
Quote: which cost me a day's work
Its a shame there is no way ( Or little chance ) of claiming compensation for the time and grief involved, Then perhaps they would test the software properly, Before releasing it.
I mean, Just how difficult can it be, Just ask the office T lady/boy to sit at a stand alone desktop ( Windows & Apple OS ), Then ask them to run through it with a few test files, Before plastering It all over thier website.
What was the rush to go public.? version 1.3 was holding the fort quite nicely..
Yep, I had the same issues, went back to 1.3.
Just as a matter of interest, I now live in the US, is there any differences between Nikon (Windows) software from the UK site (that I usually download from) & that from the US?
Reason I ask as I had to uninstall the UK versions before I could install any of the US versions. I got a little ditty on the screen informing me that there was a different region software installed & uninstall the (UK/European) Nikon software before I installed 'new' US region software I had downloaded from Nikon USA.
Quote: I had downloaded from Nikon USA
In theory there should be no differences, That said now we are delving into the area of Video powered DSLR's, That might have a bearing, But I doubt it.
One reason might be that Nikon does not want to upset the US market, Because American customers have a tendancy to carry guns... Where as here in blighty, We are not allowed to shoot " Software Programmers " When they screw up...
Quote: Thanks for the feedback Vince
No worries Mike, I was hoping peeps would see this before updating, Comes on the back of my heads up about the availability of the updates, For CaptureNX2 and ViewNX.... Oh' The Pain..!!!
Anyhow to clarify any questions, During my testing on the version 1.4 update, I wondered if by uninstalling, Then re-installing a fresh 1.4 update ( ie: Not an overwrite ) That this might help...!!!
But NO it made no difference, But did produce a strange new screen on first run of the program, Announcing that the software was being started for the first time.
Had not seen that one before? Might tie in with the issue mentioned by " cmawson " ......LOL... Perahps a special Euroversion of issues, Just for little ole us...
Anyhow have run loads of tests now, And can confirm to those affected, That by uninstalling the version 1.4 update, Then doing a fresh install of the older version 1.3, Everything is sorted, And works A O K.... So no harm done.
If the Guys from Nikons software developers are reading this, Come on people, Get your act together, Your Pee-ing a lot of people off.
Further to that, Do we now have to wait until version 1.5 before its fixed, Or are we gonna see a version 1.4 and a half....
The thing that gets up my beak is, I run 64bit systems, And as Nikon has not as yet made codecs available, So we can view RAW thumbnails via Win Explorer under 64bit, I and no doubt many others rely on the likes of Nikon ViewNX to view our RAW output.
Sure you can use Capture One 4 Or Lightroom 2 ( I do as it happens ) But not everyone has these softwares, Some might struggle to justify the expense of buying them too, Having forked out good hard earned cash, On a Nikon camera, In the first place.
So please, Pretty please, Wake up software people, That includes you lot at " ADOBE " 64bit Operating systems are the future, They are here now, They have been for some time, There is no excuse for not writing 64bit compatible.....
I use NX View 1.4 and not noticed any difference at all between 1.3, mind I do only view the images with it then open NX Capture2 from it.
For me Nikon's small suite of programs are a dream to use, I use:
NX Transfer to get the images onto computer, then:
NX View to scrutinise, select and delete and open images in:
NX Capture2 to do minor corrections and saving as TIFFs before bunging into Elements5
Brill.
Quote: NX View to scrutinise, select and delete and open images in
Well John, Try using Nikon ViewNX version 1.4, To convert a RAW/NEF file to a 16bit TIFF....!
Then you'll see what this thread is all about...
For those Nikon users, Who only have Nikon ViewNX to work with, Or those of us who trusted it to convert RAW/NEF files, It just does not work as it should, Or indeed as it did in the 1.3 version.
Obviously if you don't use it for the purpose of RAW conversion, You will not encounter the problem, But that does not mean its not there..
Happen I know what the thread is about Vince...
Was just suggesting folk could still get by with V1.4 and it's known faults if worked around them.
It does need sorting out as you say though and good to inform folk of it's shortcomings.
Read this thread with interest as I upgraded to version 1.4 some time ago and have had no problems, but I'm like John and don't really use if for converting raw files to anything else. However I decided to test it out and had no problems in converting several RAW files into a 16bit Tiffs. Have not read of anyone having similar problems on the CaptureNX group on flickr which usually flags up problems quite quickly.
Tony
Add a Comment
ePHOTOzine, the web's friendliest photography community.
Upload photos, chat with photographers, win prizes and much more.
Related Content
Nikon Nation
Are you a Nikon owner? Check out Nikon Nation to find the latest Nikon news, reviews, discussion and photos on ePHOTOzine.
Join Our Free Newsletter
Awards
Current Competitions
Olympus 'Portraiture' Competition - Win £1000 Worth Of Gear!
30th April 2013 - 31st May 2013
This month, to celebrate the launch of Olympus' new micro site Olympus Image Space, Olympus are giving you the chance to win £1000 worth of Olympus gear!...
Featured e2 Photo
May's Photo Month
Check out ePHOTOzine's inspirational photo month calendar! Each day click on a window to unveil new photography tips, treats and techniques.
