Nikon D3/D300 RAW

With the Mac OS (and therefore Aperture and iPhoto) unable to support RAW files from the Nikon D300, and Nikon Capture NX not yet working safely under Leopard, we are in a bind. I have Photoshop and Lightroom, which support the D300, but I'm committed to Aperture. The short-term solution may be to shoot RAW + JPEG, put both versions in Aperture, and wait and hope. Hurry up, Apple!

Capture NX is running fine under leopard for me. Although that's 1.2. I gather 1.3, which you need for the D300, might not be so good.

I bought a Nikon D300 today (ordered last week), and spent an hour today taking pictures with it. Raw images, of course. Then I brought it home and tried to import into Aperture: "Unsupported"
Then I figured I'd use the software that came from Nikon. The CD's installer hangs before installing anything. Then it *kernal panic*'ed.
So I downloaded Capture DX from Nikon's site. Installed it. Launched it. Registered it. And then tried to open a Raw image. Crash. Relaunched, tried to view a folder full of Raw images. Crash again.

I found a solution!!!
I isntalled *Adobe Lightroom... in Vista... on a Dell* XPS 1330 laptop. It works. No problems.

It sounds like you have more serious issues with your Mac -- maybe hard drive directory or permissions issues. Boot from a 10.4 or 10.5 install disc and check/repair your drive with Disk Utility, or use DiskWarrior of Disk Utility doesn't seem to fix it.

Or... If you upgraded to Leopard directly over your previous OS, maybe try an "Archive and Install" to make sure your OS is "happy".

You might want to try Lightroom on your Mac -- that's what I've been using on my MacBook Pro to process the images from my D300. I may give Aperture a try when there's support for the D300, but I won't hold my breath.

Yes, this Mac certainly has issues... It rarely successfully wakes from sleep. But the disk's directories and permissions are fine... (Unless due to constant crashes and Aperture corruption... they aren't) However, failing hardware has nothing to do with both Nikon and Apple being "unprepared" to support their products.

Nikon's software is (by their own admission) incompatible with Leopard.

Apple's software is (by their own omission) incompatible with the d300.

BOTH companies have had the "new" software (and hardware) seeded to them in advance of release. (Yes, I know this for a fact, not rumor or speculation).

Both companies will fix their issues... eventually ...and yes, I do know how hard developing software and hardware and staying compatible with all the "latest stuff" is.

But here's my point: Adobe managed to do it. So why can't Apple & Nikon?
And my other point (since I'm ranting): It worked PERFECTLY on my PC. And it was fast, too. I love Macs. Really, I do. But it worked better, faster, and TODAY in windoze. And that makes me sad... but at least I could view the photos I took with my new toy.

any idea if when the raw code is available if the "unreadable" files will then recognize the format and be able to open up the image.

also, could you import the images separately, raw into another file and the jpg into aperture and go from there and then convert the files when you import later into aperture after the code is written.

My 300 is due on the 28th and I am trying to get my hands around the raw problem for now.

brad

Just spent my first day Sunday with my D300, about 500 images... having fun, lots of good stuff...

The D300 (and D3) new hi-res LCD is AWESOME in every way (brightness, contrast, saturation, and a ton of delicious resolution) and the new camera CPU is really snappy reviewing and zooming around images...wow. I needed to lighten my touch on the controls to keep from overshooting what I wanted to look at on the zoomed image...can you say **** FAST....really fun. Set for single button zoom to 100% on the used focus sensor to check the shot...totally instantaneous...love it. Can even set it for closer review, but this is just perfect for me.

Hooked up the HDMI to my plasma, and that was great too. OK, too much fun, let me make a couple of points...

I am running Leopard, and had upgraded my Capture NX to 1.3 last week in anticipation of my new D300 (and D3 hopefully soon after).

No issues at all with RAW images from the D300 in Capture NX under Leopard. I loaded them into Aperture for safekeeping, but spent most of my time playing with NX.

BTW, I had posted previously that it looked like a free copy of NX was a UK-only deal...but I can confirm that NX does come with the camera in the US now, which is a good deal, like a $150 rebate. I already owned NX, so it did not really help me financially. The NX inclusion appears to be sort of a Nikon marketing after-thought...on the end of the camera box it lists Capture NX as an optional accessory, but above these specs there is a blue sticker that says "Release Campaign" Capture NX.

Now NX is not a common part of my daily workflow, due to speed issues...BUT since I am forced to work with NX for a bit until Aperture support is released, NX reminds me what an awesome RAW converter it is.

I will say this as loudly as possible...if you are a Nikon RAW shooter...NX is vastly superior to any other software in output image quality. Every time I used NX, I end up pulling an older RAW images that I have in Aperture (or ACR, etc.) into NX, and the difference is obvious and usually startling. This is the point when I always wish all camera manufacturers would make RAW conversion a standard process module that all other software would use. That would eliminate this silly waiting (and complaining) for 3rd party support...the manufacturer would release the software module right in the box with your new camera, and you would simply drop that into an industry standard format plug-in in your workflow software of choice. It would make Nikon (or other) images as Nikon intended, and we could stop grousing about what converter is "best". Since all but the camera manufacturer's software has been reverse-engineered, we are supporting software that is inherently based on a guess...and therefore has to be inferior to what is technically possible...seems pretty sad to me. Imagine Aperture interface and flow with a Nikon-made RAW converter...where do I sign???

I have been an NX user since its release, and the new D3/300 features like active D-Lighting (the control is not active unless it is a D3/300 image and you have the feature turned on in the camera) are really sweet. Having a ball seeing what it can do, but it is **** impressive. Hard to describe this "magic button" but it is controlling multiple aspects of exposure (saturation, contrast, highlights, shadows) in a very natural and pleasing way. I am sure there will be lots of writing in this, and I am wondering if this will remain a secret sauce for Nikon/NX only, or will Nikon open up the information as part of its API so other software can utilize this additional in-camera encoded info for Active D-Lighting.

Anyway, just happy to report no issues with Leopard and NX 1.3 with D300 NEF after about 5 hours of work...ran some batches, couple of prints...didn't skip a beat. Based on this short experience, I would say Nikon's claim that NX does not support Leopard is likely based on conservatism, and maybe not having fully tested with 10.5, rather than actual incompatibility. I will post if I find a glitch contrary to this current experience.

I totally agree. NX as a converter for NEFs can't be beat. I roundtrip all my hero images from Aperture. A pain, for sure, but well worth it for the good ones. Export master (just in case down the road, there's some problem with NEFs that have all this extra develop metadata in them). Open and process in NX. Save the NEF. Save as a highest res jpeg or tif. Import the NEF and the raster image back into Aperture renaming and adding NX keyword on the import, and stack with the original. Throw in Nik Color Efex for Capture NX, and I'm one happy camper. I can do images in a 12MB NEF that would turn into 200MB in Photoshop--and the filters are "live". Want a bit more fog? Click on the disclosure triangle and nudge it up. No convert for smart, no redos. Yeah.

I have the exact same issue (all 3 installers on the CD hang, but I haven't experienced the kernel trap yet).
I'm running Leopard 10.5.1 on MBP 2.4 GHz.
I received my D300 today but I haven't shot any picture yet (battery is charging).

Vincent

Travel a lot out of NY area and found a D300 in Jackson, MS this week. Shot very few images, however experiencing a lot of the same things as other postings here; images don't open in Aperture, cannot install Nikon software on Mac Pro (Leopard).

Good news is; Raw images open in Bridge and CS3 just fine!

I'll manage without Aperture until they provide the upgrades.

As far as Core Image fixes needed in Leopard, I'm assuming this isn't the case since the images open fine in Adobe programs on Leopard.

Same experience as bobdc and same opinion too, except I have not installed Leopard yet. Strange thing is when Aperture is running and I am connected to my D300, I can view the NEF thumbnails still "in the camera" (on the CF card). But when I transfer them to Aperture I can not longer see them. Adobe Camera Raw (if updated to the most current build) will handle the D300 NEFs (regardless of NEF compression or bit scheme) nicely.
I like Aperture's image and library management much better than Bridge. So I hope Apple gets us an Aperture update soon.

Adobe doesn't use core image to decode raw files, Aperture does, which is why adobe doesn't need a core image upgrade, but aperture does.

When you see the thumbnails before importing into Aperture or any other program, you are seeing the thumbnail embedded in the file. As soon as the programs try and render an image from the actual raw data, they wipe out this thumb, and if they then can't render the raw data that they find, you get an unrecognized image.

Apple will upgrade for the D300/D3 in their own time, same as they did for the 40D that everyone was yelling about in September. It seems like a poor marketing decision to always be six weeks behind the curve on these things, but IMHO worth the wait to not have to use lightroom : )

Hello -- I picked up my D300 yesterday and I just wanted to register my frustration at not being able to open .nef's in Aperture.

There is -- clearly -- a lot of interest in this subject already [judging by the amount of posts and views for this thread].

If I have to wait more than a couple of weeks, I'll have no option other than to migrate to a piece of software that will handle the new Nikon cameras' raw files quickly and intuitively.

I don't like CaptureNX much... it's the library capabilities of Aperture that I need.

C'mon Apple!

Also, as an adjunct to the other matter discussed in this thread: I downloaded CaptureNX on my Mac Pro [specs below] running Leopard 10.5.1 and it installed fine and runs well.

I'm not gloating, just remarking that successful installation is possible.

I add myself to the list of complains about Aperture not been updated to support Nikon D300 and D3 cameras. I received my D300 a week ago and was forced to buy Lightroom to convert the files as I hate Capture NX. I have a D3 pre-ordered and I I'm supposed to receive it within a few days. It is very frustrating as a professional using a professional software that they are not keeping it up as Adobe, for example, is doing. Please Apple I don't want to start using the competitions software.

I received my D300 a couple of days ago. I too was unable to install Nikon software from the CD. I went to nikonusa and downloaded Capture NX and attempted to upgrade to the latest version - crash! Uninstall all Nikon software and download only the Capture NX 1.3.0 upgrade. It works perfectly with Leopard