When will Nikon Z8 Raw files be supported by Apple Finder, Preview and Photos?

Question

When will Nikon Z8 Raw files be supported by Apple Finder, Preview and Photos?

The latest versions of iOS is installed on my MacBook Pro (Ventura 13.5.2 ), iPad and iPhone

When using Apple PHOTO, PREVIEW and PHOTOs App:

--->>> Nikon Z8 raw files (NEF format) can NOT be viewed.

while, Nikon Z6 and Z7 raw files (NEF format) display correctly.

NEF Raw files display as gray squares in PHOTOS

Photos Editor cannot edit Z8 Raw File (NEF)

Adobe, Topaz, Affinity, and many other editing packages already support Nikon Z8/Z9 RAW (NEF) file formats. When will Apple support them?

HOWEVER: Nikon Z7ii and Z6 raw formats (NEF) ARE VIEWABLE and EDITABLE

When will Apple be releasing versions of FINDER, PREVIEW & PHOTOS that support Nikon Z8 and Z9 raw (NEF) format?

This is very disappointing.

I hope Apple will address the issue and provide a release date for when the issue will be resolved.

MacBook Pro 14″, macOS 13.5

Posted on Sep 11, 2023 8:31 PM

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Answer 1

Top-ranking reply

susiefromarlington Author

Level 1

20 points

Oct 1, 2023 10:02 PM in response to Green Lantern

I have contacted Apple Support directly.

I explained the situation and sent a NEF file generated by my Nikon Z8.

After sending the NEF, I received a response “We do not support the file type you tried to send. To which I responded: “Exactly the issue; however you do support the same file type generated by the Nikon Z7ii.” Then I sent the Z7ii generated NEF file, which is supported.

The are elevating the issue to their “Senior Advisor Team”. I am expecting a call back tomorrow (2023-Oct-02) at 12:30PST.

Stay tuned!

I’m also going to contact Nikon’s support team, as it is my belief that Nikon should be proactive in assuring files generated by their cameras can be viewed by their user’s computing systems. It’s just good business to work with the operating system manufactures in a timely manner (like prior to final release of the camera to the public). Just sayin.

Having retired from the Avionics industry, I know that one voice carries very little weight … I strongly recommend that everyone contact Apple to get the iOS updated to support the Z8 generated files.

To contact Apple Support directly:

Go to Apple.Com

Select “Support” from the top level menu

Select “Contact Us” from the sub-menu

You will be prompted for information:

Select Your computer (example: MacBook Pro) from the list of devices

Select. Apps & Software

From the list of Apps and Software, select: PHOTOS

The system asks for your location … share or don’t share

On the next pop-up, at the bottom select contact type “Call” or “Message”.

Then be prepared to provide the information about the issue.

I will post the feedback I receive, tomorrow.

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Answer 2

Sep 12, 2023 1:06 PM in response to dialabrain

I’m not asking for a workaround or workflow additional steps, I’m asking WHEN will Apple release an update to support file formats generated by Nikon Z8/Z9 cameras. Nikon Z8/Z9 generate NEF files.

Is there a plan and a schedule to release an update to support the camera models released by Nikon?

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Answer 3

Oct 2, 2023 1:09 PM in response to Yer_Man

Yes, NX Studio, Adobe, Topaz, etc all support RAW files generated by the Z8 and Z9.

Those are not examples of tools used to organize file on a hard drive, however.

Apple offers PHOTO PREVIEW as a tool to help organize and select files. Sadly, Apple has not updated their system to recognize the new NEF raw formats generated by Nikon’s Z8 and Z9 cameras. When organizing files stored on the hard drive, using the “preview” functionality of the Apple OS, is extremely helpful.

Yes, NEF files vary between models, as they do with all camera models. This is why it is necessary for software suppliers to offer updates to their programs to read and present the files. Nikon (obviously), Adobe, Topaz, and many other photo editing software suppliers have updated their software - but Apple has not. At this time, Apple’s list of compatible formats does not include the raw files generated by Nikon’s Z8 or Z9.

The Z9 camera has been out for over a year; the Z8 only a few months. Neither are supported by Apple.

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Answer 4

Yer_Man

Level 10

163,686 points

Oct 2, 2023 12:01 AM in response to susiefromarlington

Nikon offer the free NX Studio that works with its Raw files. There are a lot of third parry apps, like Lightroom Classic, that also work with these raws. Apple have not been prioritising raw support for some time now.

The fact that each of the Nikon raws have the same suffix does not mean they are the same file type. Raws are just sensor dumps from the camera. The raw decoder has to be written for each individual camera model.

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Answer 5

Oct 2, 2023 1:12 PM in response to susiefromarlington

The Apple Support representative recommends filing a feedback report to the Apple Photos team. Here is the direct link:

Feedback - Photos - Apple

He stated the more feedback, the more likely the issue will be worked. If no one says anything it will go unresolved.

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Answer 6

Sep 11, 2023 10:42 PM in response to susiefromarlington

susiefromarlington wrote:

Adobe, Topaz, Affinity, and many other editing packages already support Nikon Z8/Z9 RAW (NEF) file formats. When will Apple support them?

You could try creating .DNG versions of your Z8 Raw files, and seeing if applications that rely on Apple's Raw compatibility libraries (such as Finder, Preview, and Photos) can work with the .DNGs. (You might want to keep the original Z8 Raw files around, as well.)

https://helpx.adobe.com/camera-raw/using/adobe-dng-converter.html

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Answer 7

Oct 2, 2023 12:02 AM in response to susiefromarlington

Re: “Exactly the issue; however you do support the same file type generated by the Nikon Z7ii.”

Except that the same filename extension dies not mean that it is the same file type. Camera companies typically use the same extensions (e.g., NEF for Nikon, CR2 or CR3 for Canon) over and over even as the actual contents of the files change from one camera model to the next.

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Answer 8

Oct 2, 2023 1:08 PM in response to Yer_Man

Yes, NX Studio, Adobe, Topaz, etc all support RAW files generated by the Z8 and Z9.

Those are not examples of tools used to organize file on a hard drive, however.

Apple offers PHOTO PREVIEW as a tool to help organize and select files. Sadly, Apple has not updated their system to recognize the new NEF raw formats generated by Nikon’s Z8 and Z9 cameras. When organizing files stored on the hard drive, using the “preview” functionality of the Apple OS, is extremely helpful.

Yes, NEF files vary between models, as they do with all camera models. This is why it is necessary for software suppliers to offer updates to their programs to read and present the files. Nikon (obviously), Adobe, Topaz, and many other photo editing software suppliers have updated their software - but Apple has not. At this time, Apple’s list of compatible formats does not include the raw files generated by Nikon’s Z8 or Z9.

The Z9 camera has been out for over a year; the Z8 only a few months. Neither are supported by Apple.

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Answer 9

dialabrain

Level 10

124,601 points

Sep 11, 2023 9:16 PM in response to susiefromarlington

Apple does not announce when or if they are going to support specific cameras. However, The Z9 is supposed to be supported, uncompressed only.

Digital camera RAW formats supported by iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and macOS Ventura - Apple Support

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Answer 10

Sep 30, 2023 4:01 PM in response to susiefromarlington

I'd suggest that you should send feedback to Apple support.

The more Nikon Z8 users who send them feedback, I think the sooner this problem is likely to be addressed.

Here's the link: Feedback - Apple "Photos" Support

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Answer 11

dialabrain

Level 10

124,601 points

Oct 2, 2023 3:56 PM in response to susiefromarlington

susiefromarlington wrote:

Yes, they just added Z9, but only single shot RAW files, which helps.

Actually, Z9 support was added in Ventura.

Digital camera RAW formats supported by iOS 16, iPadOS 16, and macOS Ventura

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Answer 12

Nov 24, 2023 8:50 AM in response to susiefromarlington

Oct 2, 2023 1:12 PM in response to susiefromarlington

The Apple Support representative recommends filing a feedback report to the Apple Photos team. Here is the direct link:

Feedback - Photos - Apple

He stated the more feedback, the more likely the issue will be worked. If no one says anything it will go unresolved.

the feedback link you provided is unresponsive

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Answer 13

Old Toad

Level 10

210,365 points

Nov 24, 2023 11:09 AM in response to susiefromarlington

You'll have to ask Nikon. They need to provide Apple with the necessary technical data so Apple can include it in their system update. Apple doesn't go to Nikon to ask for it.

And everyone here is an end user like yourself so don't know any more than you do

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Answer 14

Sep 12, 2023 1:30 PM in response to susiefromarlington

Nobody here can tell you WHEN.

Even if someone from Apple who had a rough idea as to WHETHER and WHEN was reading these forums, they would probably be under restrictions that prevented them from telling you.

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Answer 15

Sep 12, 2023 2:00 PM in response to susiefromarlington

You install iOS on Phones and iPads, and macOS on Macs.

These are fellow user supported communities in which Apple product development teams do not participate. Thus, there is no one here to answer any why or when questions, nor speculate about any internal Apple planning or feature release dates.

The Z5, Z6, Z7, and Z9 are currently supported in macOS Ventura 13.5.2, and the macOS implementation of the data that supports each .NEF RAW format of these models is different. That will be true for the Z9, or any future Nikon camera support.

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When will Nikon Z8 Raw files be supported by Apple Finder, Preview and Photos?

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