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

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.

Um, that's exactly what Lightroom Classic and NX Studio are: photo managers with non-destructive parameter processing. In other words, more powerful versions of Apple's give-away Photos. They do manage and organise photo files on the HD... I can't help but wonder why someone would spend $4k on a camera but want to process the output with a giveaway app...

The Nikon z9 is supported in Mac OS Sonoma.

They do not know that since they are making up off their top of their head (or pulling it out of someplace else). The fact that Apple users view this as complicated is one area where people really do come off like sheep. The raw files include an embedded jpg for display. That is how Windows machines could display the standard non-HEIC raw files on day one. The HEIC files required an update but that is a revised format. Viewing nef (or Canon/Sony raw) files is NOT complicated and failure is with Apple not the camera manufacturers.

VikingOSX wrote:

Yes, one can extract a JPG image from most any camera RAW image using ExifTool. Getting the RAW image EXIF metadata into that JPG is an ugly ExifTool command line exercise, but in practice, it does work. Just did it on a Z8 RAW image.

Most likely how XnView MP can open just about any RAW file for viewing.

Nikon offer the free NX Studio that works with its Raw files. There are a lot of third party apps, like Lightroom Classic, that also work with these raws. Apple have not been prioritising raw support for some time now. I do wonder why you would spend $4k on a camera and even more on lenses and then try process the output with a freebie app designed with phone shooters in mind.

"WHEN"

Then you need to ask Apple corporate.

Yer_Man wrote:

The Nikon z9 is supported in Mac OS Sonoma.

+1 Indeed. I mentioned that earlier.

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

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

Hi Susie, thanks for all your hard work in trying to resolve this with Apple. I just got my new Z8 and was astounded when I realised 7 months after launch.... I import all my RAW .NEF into photos from where I edit using plugins etc., and store my images in Photos and the Cloud etc., so it's devastating to me it's taken so long and still unresolved. I have sent Apple a message in the right way as many of you have and hope they will resolve it soon. Wether it's Nikon or Apple or both, I would think they should be happy that we're using their products with their software and after many cameras in many years, I've never experienced such a long wait.......

claxatonian wrote:

the feedback link you provided is unresponsive

You posted the same link.

Please fix the issue with the Nikon Z8 raw files.

brianfromkimberley wrote:

Please fix the issue with the Nikon Z8 raw files.

FWIW, Apple is not here. Most likely you won't see support for Z8 RAW files until the next version of macOS, if then.

Just for the record, Affinity Photo does not support Nikon Z8 raw files - much to my irritation!