NEF to JPG

[KenB]

I have a Nikon D200. I accidentally shot in Raw. How do I change NEF to JPG?

 

[KmH]

You first have to develop the NEF Raw file using a Raw converter.

Nikon's View NX that is included with a D200 can do that.
You can download View NX here of you don't have the software disc that came with the D200 - ViewNX from Nikon

Photoshop Elements, CS, CC, Lightroom all have ACR a Raw converter.

There are free, open source Raw converters available online like IrfanView, and RawTherapee.

 

[AlexanderB]

View NX will give the same look as your camera, other converters may not.

 

[Derrel]

Also, inside of each NEF file is an embedded JPEG file. If you wish, you can make duplicates of all the files. Then, working on the dupes, re-name each file so it ends in .JPG. I've done this a few times. The computer will ask if you really wish to re-name the file, at least under the OS's I've used, and you hit the YES button, and Presto-change-O! You've got the embedded JPG "outta jail"!

 

[480sparky]

Also, inside of each NEF file is an embedded JPEG file. If you wish, you can make duplicates of all the files. Then, working on the dupes, re-name each file so it ends in .JPG. I've done this a few times. The computer will ask if you really wish to re-name the file, at least under the OS's I've used, and you hit the YES button, and Presto-change-O! You've got the embedded JPG "outta jail"!

But isn't the embedded JPEG like 1,000 or 1,200 pixels along the long edge? Not very high-res.

 

[Derrel]

Also, inside of each NEF file is an embedded JPEG file. If you wish, you can make duplicates of all the files. Then, working on the dupes, re-name each file so it ends in .JPG. I've done this a few times. The computer will ask if you really wish to re-name the file, at least under the OS's I've used, and you hit the YES button, and Presto-change-O! You've got the embedded JPG "outta jail"!

But isn't the embedded JPEG like 1,000 or 1,200 pixels along the long edge? Not very high-res.

Depends on the camera. But no, it's not a massive file.

 

[Tailgunner]

Also, inside of each NEF file is an embedded JPEG file. If you wish, you can make duplicates of all the files. Then, working on the dupes, re-name each file so it ends in .JPG. I've done this a few times. The computer will ask if you really wish to re-name the file, at least under the OS's I've used, and you hit the YES button, and Presto-change-O! You've got the embedded JPG "outta jail"!

But don't you have to process the image? I mean make changes to WB, Highlights etc?

 

[Derrel]

Also, inside of each NEF file is an embedded JPEG file. If you wish, you can make duplicates of all the files. Then, working on the dupes, re-name each file so it ends in .JPG. I've done this a few times. The computer will ask if you really wish to re-name the file, at least under the OS's I've used, and you hit the YES button, and Presto-change-O! You've got the embedded JPG "outta jail"!

But don't you have to process the image? I mean make changes to WB, Highlights etc?

I offered a software-free solution to a first-time poster, Ken, who accidentally shot .NEFs, and now needs .JPG images. My reply was geared to a first-time poster asking a very simple question, so my post's option might not be the best for other people.

How much adjusting the photos will need will depend on a host of factors. For all we know, Ken nails that WB and exposure religiously, in-camera! As I wrote, make duplicates, and work on the duplicates. That way, the .NEF files are still available for when he later gets the right software setup going.

 

[Tailgunner]

Also, inside of each NEF file is an embedded JPEG file. If you wish, you can make duplicates of all the files. Then, working on the dupes, re-name each file so it ends in .JPG. I've done this a few times. The computer will ask if you really wish to re-name the file, at least under the OS's I've used, and you hit the YES button, and Presto-change-O! You've got the embedded JPG "outta jail"!

But don't you have to process the image? I mean make changes to WB, Highlights etc?

I offered a software-free solution to a first-time poster, Ken, who accidentally shot .NEFs, and now needs .JPG images. My reply was geared to a first-time poster asking a very simple question, so my post's option might not be the best for other people.

How much adjusting the photos will need will depend on a host of factors. For all we know, Ken nails that WB and exposure religiously, in-camera! As I wrote, make duplicates, and work on the duplicates. That way, the .NEF files are still available for when he later gets the right software setup going.

Sorry about that, I wasn't trying offend or attack your method. I've never processed RAW images and read how awful looking RAW images where unedited.

 

[Derrel]

Oh, no problem Tailgunner...no offense taken. I offered my advice as a simple solution, just one "way" to skin the proverbial cat. As Sparky mentioned, the embedded JPEG image is not a high-rez image, but it is easily extracted simply be re-naming the .NEF file.

I'm not sure how large the D200's embedded JPEG files are...I don't have any D200 .NEFs around.

The BEST course of action would be to convert the .NEF files using Lightroom, or Adobe Camera RAW, or one of the Nikon software apps, or a third-party raw converter, but my sense was that Ken was not equipped to do that.

 

[480sparky]

........... make duplicates, and work on the duplicates. That way, the .NEF files are still available for when he later gets the right software setup going.

If you use non-destructive software, you can edit .NEFs forever, with multiple permutations, and still have access to the original capture.

 

[Richichi]

But don't you have to process the image? I mean make changes to WB, Highlights etc? .... Sorry about that, I wasn't trying offend or attack your method. I've never processed RAW images and read how awful looking RAW images where unedited.

That's not necessarily true, Raw images don't look like crap out of camera, only bad pictures look like crap if you nailed it perfectly in camera what is left to do? Raw just gives you more latitude for processing images rather than letting the camera think for you as it really doesn't have any idea of what you see with your eye/mind

 

[480sparky]

But don't you have to process the image? I mean make changes to WB, Highlights etc? .... Sorry about that, I wasn't trying offend or attack your method. I've never processed RAW images and read how awful looking RAW images where unedited.

That's not necessarily true, Raw images don't look like crap out of camera, only bad pictures look like crap if you nailed it perfectly in camera what is left to do? Raw just gives you more latitude for processing images rather than letting the camera think for you as it really doesn't have any idea of what you see with your eye/mind

Raw images don't look good OR bad.... 'cause they're not images. They're data files. Once they're demosaiced with software, they may not look like much because the camera settings may not have been applied.


FWIW, try opening a raw file in a word processor. I get:

The gibberish at the bottom seems to go on forever... after about 5 minutes, the software locks up and informs me I have exceeded the limit for number of pages allowed.

Before it crashes, I can call up the Word Count command:

 

[KmH]

But don't you have to process the image? I mean make changes to WB, Highlights etc? .... Sorry about that, I wasn't trying offend or attack your method. I've never processed RAW images and read how awful looking RAW images where unedited.

That's not necessarily true, Raw images don't look like crap out of camera, only bad pictures look like crap if you nailed it perfectly in camera what is left to do?

Even if nailed in the camera, and at a minimum - Capture sharpen (global), artistic sharpen (local), and output sharpen based on image use destination/media type.

 

[jenko]

I've never processed RAW images and read how awful looking RAW images where unedited.

Unedited Raw files are exactly what your camera records. A jpeg is letting the camera process that original for you. The camera has a "standard method" or "formula" it uses to process your raw file, and the result is a jpeg. Developing a raw file is taking matters into your own hands. You can customize the development of the file to suit your vision. A jpeg is nothing more than your camera's vision of your original Raw file. Raw files also have a ton more info and give you more options when developing.