How to use it
- Drop in NEF files.
- Wait a few seconds per file while each is developed.
- Download the JPGs.
About NEF
NEF, Nikon Electronic Format, has been Nikon's raw format since its first professional digital SLRs around 1999, and it continues on the Z mirrorless bodies today. NRW is the equivalent from some Coolpix compacts. Nikon has changed compression options over the years, adding lossless and later “high efficiency” compressed variants on recent Z cameras.
A note on High Efficiency NEF
Newer Z bodies offer High Efficiency and High Efficiency★ raw options, which use a newer compression scheme. Support for these arrives in raw libraries after the cameras launch. If one of these files will not open here, re-save or export it from Nikon's own software, or use a standard lossless NEF setting in camera.
Picture Controls
Nikon's Picture Controls (Standard, Vivid, Portrait and so on) are applied by the camera and Nikon software. This converter develops the file neutrally, which suits editing but may look flatter than the camera's JPG.
RAW and JPG compared
| RAW | JPG | |
|---|---|---|
| First released | Late 1990s, varies by maker | 1992 |
| Compression | Sensor data, uncompressed or lightly compressed | Lossy |
| Transparency | No | No |
| Animation or pages | No (holds a JPEG preview) | No |
| Best for | Editing photos with the most latitude | Photos for sharing, email and print |
| Support | Raw editors and camera software; not browsers | Universal |
Questions people ask
Can I convert Nikon Z raw files?
Yes, standard compressed and lossless NEFs from Z cameras work. Some High Efficiency files may not yet.
What is NRW?
The raw format used by certain Nikon Coolpix compacts. It works here too.
Will Active D-Lighting be applied?
No. That is a camera and Nikon-software setting.