Nikon D5300 raw images look awful

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Nikon D5300 raw images look awful

I have a Nikon D5300 camera and have installed the Digital Camera RAW Comatability Update 5.02 on OS X 10.9.1. When I import RAW images into iPhoto (9.5.1) or view them in Preview they look horribly over exposed or washed out. I have read some others have the same issue with Aperture. When I look at them on the camera or with other software such as Nikon's ViewNX 2, they look fine. If I take jpeg images with the camera they look fine in iPhoto or Preview. Is there a problem with the RAW compatablity for the Nikon D5300? It is listed as being added in the Digital Camera RAW Comatability Update 5.02. These reults are the same for all my MacBook Pro's.

Posted on Jan 15, 2014 12:09 PM

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Answer 1

Old Toad

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Jan 15, 2014 12:14 PM in response to MarkInDavis

View the raw file with Preview and see if the problem is repeated. Both Preview and iPhoto use the same system image rendering components so this will tell if it's system wide or limited to iPhoto.

OT

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Answer 2

MarkInDavis Author

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Jan 15, 2014 12:23 PM in response to Old Toad

Raw images look the same in iPhoto and Preview, so problem is clearly not limited to iPhoto. NonApple software seem to display the raw images properly, so I think the Digital Camera RAW Compatability has issues for this particular camera. It worked fine for my old Nikon D40X.

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Answer 3

MarkInDavis Author

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Jan 16, 2014 10:11 AM in response to MarkInDavis

Update: I downloaded Adobe DNG Converter. If I use it to convert the raw Nikon files to Adobe DNG format and them import into iPhoto or view with Preview, the raw images look fine. This definitely seems to be a a problem Apple has with reading the raw files (.NEF) from the Nikon D5300. Is there anything I can do besides wait for an another update from Apple for the Digital Camera RAW Compatability?

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Answer 4

Old Toad

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Jan 16, 2014 10:29 AM in response to MarkInDavis

Tell Apple about it at http://www.apple.com/feedback/iphoto.html

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Answer 5

MarkInDavis Author

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Jan 17, 2014 10:28 AM in response to Old Toad

I have included a couple screen snapshots of what a photo should look like (converted to Adobe DNG format and imported into iPhoto or viewed with Preview) and what it looks like when directly imported into iPhoto as RAW file or viewed with Preview. I used screen snapshot because the actual photo is rather large. By the way, I have installed the Digital Camera RAW Compatability 5.03 Update and there is no change.

Here is a screen shot of what the image shoud look like:

Here is what the photo looks like in iPhoto or Preview.

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Answer 6

Old Toad

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Jan 17, 2014 11:05 AM in response to MarkInDavis

A rather obvious problem. Log into another user account on your Mac and see if the problem persists in iPhoto there. If it does then we know it's system wide. If it does'nt then the problem only exists in your account. I'm betting on the former.

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Answer 7

slylab

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Jan 26, 2014 2:06 PM in response to MarkInDavis

I had the same issue - images washed out when imported using iPhoto or Apeture (but OK if using Nikon View NX 2 or Adobe DNG Converter).

I found that if you select 14-bit (instead of 12-bit NEF for DL5300) then it works fine when importing into iPhoto.

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Answer 8

Jan 28, 2014 1:42 PM in response to MarkInDavis

Exact same issues here with my D5300. Gonna try slylab's suggestions tomorrow(Thnx!). Hopes it works out fine.

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Answer 9

Yer_Man

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Jan 28, 2014 1:44 PM in response to TradeMARC

Are you using D-Lighting? Try shooting without it.

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Answer 10

Jan 28, 2014 1:51 PM in response to Yer_Man

D-lighting is off. Thought that was the problem too.

Pictures are overexposed about +2. Sort of fixed it in Raw Fine Tuning with turning the exposure back -2.

But I know I should'nt have to do that, the pictures looked fine in the camera.

First test is with the 14-bit setting

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Answer 11

Yer_Man

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Jan 28, 2014 2:54 PM in response to TradeMARC

"Fine in camera" is not your Raw file. It's a jpeg processed from your raw file.

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Answer 12

Feb 9, 2014 1:09 PM in response to MarkInDavis

I have the same issue with my D5300 with Aperture, but it doesn't cause me a problem on Preview or iPhoto.

In the two latter apps the NEF files display just fine but in Aperture they are blown way out.

My short term fix is to use iPhoto instead of Aperture. It's annoying because I prefer Aperture and why pay for Aperture when I got iPhoto for free and now can't use Aperture?

I have a fully updated iMac, hoping there's another update for Aperture soon.

Anyone have any ideas why this would only affect Aperture for me and not iPhoto or Preview?

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Answer 13

LarryHN

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Feb 9, 2014 1:24 PM in response to Pebbleheed

Probably a good question ask in the Aperture forum too

LN

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Answer 14

Feb 25, 2014 2:16 PM in response to LarryHN

I have the same problem. If I select view/quick preview (which disables all adjustments & onscreen proofing) it stops the problem. But then you can't alter the image settings... So only a sort of solution...

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Answer 15

LarryHN

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Feb 25, 2014 3:21 PM in response to veronicaVVV

Well since it is a Peartureproblem not an iPhoto problem then you need to ask in the Aperture forum

Probably a good question ask in the Aperture forum too

LN

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