Capture NX is no longer supported by Nikon. It’s time to move on. Tombstone image used under creative commons license from Jo Naylor.
It was a good run, while it lasted.
Yesterday, Nikon released the final version of Capture NX-D, a free program that is essentially an OEM version of Silkypix. Although Capture NX2 still appears for sale on Nikon USA’s site, it’s unclear as to the way forward.
I’m happy to offer Moving to Lightroom: A Primer for Capture NX2 Users as an online training course on Saturday, April 26th from 9am-1pm Mountain Daylight Time. If you’re contemplating making the move to Lightroom, or are just getting started with it, this class is designed to make your transition from Capture NX2 easier.
Course Outline
The Lightroom Environment and how it differs from CNX2
Preparing your Nikon NEF files for import into Lightroom
What to do with NEFs that you’ve edited in Capture NX2
Basics of the Library module for file management
Fundamentals of the Develop module for RAW processing, including local adjustments and sharpening tools
How to process your NEFs to match Nikon’s Picture Controls
How to send images to external editors like Photoshop
How to share images edited in Lightroom
All participants will receive a printable PDF copy of the course presentation notes.
In this episode of The Sensor Plane, I sat down with Mike Hagen, a professional photographer from Washington state, USA. Mike and I have both published books on Nikon’s Capture NX2, and were avid Capture NX2 users. We discussed the current state of Nikon NEF processing in light of the recent announcement that Nikon was dropping support for Capture NX2 and releasing a new product, Capture NX-D.
Mike and I discussed some options for current Capture NX2 users looking to move forward as Nikon transitions to the new Capture NX-D software.
Although infrared cameras capture little or no visible light, you still produce a color image in your camera. You can get creative with these colors depending on the type of conversion you have and your software. One favorite technique is the “blue-sky” effect. In this post, I’ll explore a couple of ways you can create this effect with different software packages.
The “IR Queen,” Deborah Sandidge, taught me some cool techniques in Virginia. Here she is, captured in all her IR glory!
I had the chance to play around with an infrared DSLR while teaching a workshop in Virginia. I’ve never used IR before, and I’m glad that the “IR Queen,” Deborah Sandidge was there to show me the ropes.
In the past, IR photography was something most people really didn’t do. Options for IR before digital came along were to either use IR-sensitive film or an IR cut filter on the lens. Neither of these options were particularly ideal. IR sensitive film was a real pain because it had to be kept cold and had to be loaded in complete darkness to avoid clouding it. IR cut filters, which only allow infrared wavelengths to pass, make shooting tough because they block all visible light… meaning you can’t see through the camera with one attached to your lens. Moreover, exposures with IR filters needed to be on the order of minutes to capture anything.
With digital, the game has changed. You can send your old DSLR or even a point and shoot camera in to a company and have the optical low-pass filter removed and replaced with one that blocks most visible light. Depending on your ambitions, there are several “flavors” of conversions, including some that allow certain visible wavelengths to pass through in addition to the IR ones. Once you’ve converted your camera, you’ll need to explore the art of processing IR images. Continue reading Exploring Infrared Photography with the IR Queen→