Some Capture NX Thoughts

Adam Kmiec · Jul 11, 2006

This isn't an end all be all write up; Bob Johnson at Earthbound Light did a marvelous job providing a detailed write up. This is just some thoughts:

The interface is vastly improved but could still use some improvement; specifically, why can't I undock the file browser or image settings (basically everything in the left hand side)?

Color Management is better, but still not as good as PS. I really don't like the fact that the image colors change on screen when using a different profile. Photoshop never does that.

Speed is greatly improved, but still much slower the RSE and ACR.

Love Control Points; is completely speeds up the process for color saturation and for cleaning up noise in low light shots. Fantastic job.

The single biggest oversite (I could have missed it) is the lack of a spot healing tool.

This is a great first step and I'm looking forward to continued improvement. If Capture NX was 99.99 retail and 59.99 for upgrade I'd be 100% on board. At 149.99 it's a bit of a tough pill to swallow. That said if it had a spot healing tool I'd spend the cash for it.
--

Disagree with me all you like, but remember I have a right to an opinion and a right to state it.
http://www.thekmiecs.com
http://www.adamkmiec.com

jimh12345 · Jul 11, 2006

Yes $149 seems excessive to me, too.

I like what NX does, but it isn't quite in the 'must have' zone. And I agree that a 'clone' or 'healing' brush tool is the one thing that means I'll always have to have some other imaging software as well, even if I buy NX.

The "Control points" work well. In fact they're the "selling points" of NX as well.

The 'step' model is clear and logical. But I'm quite surprised to find I can't change the order of the steps once I've created them.

Some of the UI is nice, some is clunky.

If this 1.0 release is "it" I'll be disappointed.

Robert Peters · Jul 11, 2006

Adam Kmiec said:
This isn't an end all be all write up; Bob Johnson at Earthbound
Light did a marvelous job providing a detailed write up. This is
just some thoughts:

The interface is vastly improved but could still use some
improvement; specifically, why can't I undock the file browser or
image settings (basically everything in the left hand side)?

I ain't: "It ain't soup yet."

Adam Kmiec said:
Color Management is better, but still not as good as PS. I really
don't like the fact that the image colors change on screen when
using a different profile. Photoshop never does that.

Ouch, I missed that one. Thatalone, would be a deal-breaker.

Adam Kmiec said:
Speed is greatly improved, but still much slower the RSE and ACR.

Agreed.

Adam Kmiec said:
Love Control Points; is completely speeds up the process for color
saturation and for cleaning up noise in low light shots. Fantastic
job.

Haven't tried them yet.

Adam Kmiec said:
The single biggest oversite (I could have missed it) is the lack of
a spot healing tool.

This is a great first step and I'm looking forward to continued
improvement. If Capture NX was 99.99 retail and 59.99 for upgrade
I'd be 100% on board. At 149.99 it's a bit of a tough pill to
swallow. That said if it had a spot healing tool I'd spend the
cash for it.

Bob Peters

Adam Kmiec · Jul 11, 2006

is wierd. have you used capture before? if so then you probbably no what I mean. open a RAW file and switch back and forth between the different Color Modes and you can actually see the image change on screen. it's strange and I can't really get used to it; it's a major reason why I still use PS.
--

Disagree with me all you like, but remember I have a right to an opinion and a right to state it.
http://www.thekmiecs.com
http://www.adamkmiec.com

Robert Peters · Jul 11, 2006

sfisher · Jul 11, 2006

Adam Kmiec said:
This isn't an end all be all write up; Bob Johnson at Earthbound
Light did a marvelous job providing a detailed write up. This is
just some thoughts:

The interface is vastly improved but could still use some
improvement; specifically, why can't I undock the file browser or
image settings (basically everything in the left hand side)?

I don't know I can.

Adam Kmiec said:
Color Management is better, but still not as good as PS. I really
don't like the fact that the image colors change on screen when
using a different profile. Photoshop never does that.

not sure I've seen that. Could you give the steps to what are you doing to cause it.

Adam Kmiec said:
Speed is greatly improved, but still much slower the RSE and ACR.

I'm hoping that improves a bit as it appears they were forced to release a version early for the D2Xs. But as I don't have to process large volumes of photos, It isn't all that much of an issue. And If the reason the other apps are faster, is because of using less precise algorithms or other short cuts, then I'd just as soon it take its time. I have no idea, if that's the case. maybe they could have a performance/quality adjustment where the user could decide just how much quality they were willing to give up for speed in processing.

But then again it might not be what's going on at all...

Adam Kmiec said:
Love Control Points; is completely speeds up the process for color
saturation and for cleaning up noise in low light shots. Fantastic
job.

The single biggest oversite (I could have missed it) is the lack of
a spot healing tool.

Yeah, that would be a great addition.

Adam Kmiec said:
This is a great first step and I'm looking forward to continued
improvement. If Capture NX was 99.99 retail and 59.99 for upgrade
I'd be 100% on board. At 149.99 it's a bit of a tough pill to
swallow. That said if it had a spot healing tool I'd spend the
cash for it.

Yeah, and I want 22 cent gas back again!

Adam Kmiec said:
--
Disagree with me all you like, but remember I have a right to an
opinion and a right to state it.
http://www.thekmiecs.com
http://www.adamkmiec.com

Not in my reality.

--
-Steve
===================

Dodging and burning are steps to take care of mistakes God made in establishing tonal relationships. ~~Ansel Adams~~

Backdoctor · Jul 11, 2006

--
Harris

PBase/DPReview/NTF supporter
Egret Stalker #4, WSSA #29

http://www.pbase.com/backdoctor

Adam Kmiec · Jul 11, 2006

1. would love to know how you undocked and floated the options on the left. I've played with it for 3 straight days and can not get it to work.

2. Open a RAW file, then choose Color Mode I, then Choose Color Mode II. The actual look of the image changes on screen.
--

Disagree with me all you like, but remember I have a right to an opinion and a right to state it.
http://www.thekmiecs.com
http://www.adamkmiec.com

Adam Kmiec · Jul 11, 2006

the manual is outstanding; better than most on the market.
--

Disagree with me all you like, but remember I have a right to an opinion and a right to state it.
http://www.thekmiecs.com
http://www.adamkmiec.com

SebZ · Jul 11, 2006

Adam Kmiec said:
This isn't an end all be all write up; Bob Johnson at Earthbound
Light did a marvelous job providing a detailed write up. This is
just some thoughts:

The interface is vastly improved but could still use some
improvement; specifically, why can't I undock the file browser or
image settings (basically everything in the left hand side)?

I can undock the browser but funny enough I can't move it later on, and undocked floating window stays in one place.

Greg Zillgitt · Jul 11, 2006

Adam Kmiec said:
2. Open a RAW file, then choose Color Mode I, then Choose Color
Mode II. The actual look of the image changes on screen.

As it should, and as NC does. I think you're confusing modes and profiles.

--
http://www.pbase.com/gzillgi

BPatrick · Jul 11, 2006

I have found color sync profiles to not work to the level of Capture. My biggest issue is a problem using a second monitor. With capture, if I open an image on the MacBook Pro screen and drag it to my 24 inch screen, with Capture, the colors adjust with the 24 inch monitor profile so color is still accurate. NX does not pick up the color sync profile on the second monitor. Instead, it is still using the profile from the default display; resulting in a terrible shift in color in the image on the second display.

Ben

sfisher · Jul 11, 2006

Adam Kmiec said:
1. would love to know how you undocked and floated the options on
the left. I've played with it for 3 straight days and can not get
it to work.

open the browser and click where my arrow is pointing

Adam Kmiec said:
2. Open a RAW file, then choose Color Mode I, then Choose Color
Mode II. The actual look of the image changes on screen.

The image below is cut right from help menu, the color is supposed to change

Adam Kmiec said:
--
Disagree with me all you like, but remember I have a right to an
opinion and a right to state it.
http://www.thekmiecs.com
http://www.adamkmiec.com

--
-Steve
===================

Dodging and burning are steps to take care of mistakes God made in establishing tonal relationships. ~~Ansel Adams~~

Oleg Metelitsa · Jul 11, 2006

In Capture 4.4 the only way to change the color space of output file was using menu "Tools-> Option-> Color Management" tab. So, we have to use the same color space to edit photo and to save it.

On the contrary, in Photoshop it is possible to use AdobeRGB to edit photo but turn to SRGB to save jpeg.

Capture NX definitely improves color management comparing to Capture 4.4, but color management interface is not very intuitive

Adam Kmiec · Jul 11, 2006

1. I completely missed that; bravo and thank you much for sharing.
2. Here is what I am talking about (screen grabs being used)

Image as Mode II/Adobe 1998

Image as Mode I/SRGB

In photoshop this would never happen. The image would look the same on screen. In this instance the color is definitely different. Maybe Greg is on to something, but I for the life of me can't gigure out why it would change. I'm open to suggestions; it's almost like changing color modes are converting profiles in Capture and Capture NX brings out a Soft Proofing like function. I did make sure Soft Proofing was turned off.
--

Disagree with me all you like, but remember I have a right to an opinion and a right to state it.
http://www.thekmiecs.com
http://www.adamkmiec.com

Adam Kmiec · Jul 11, 2006

I forgot to add that this does NOT happen when choosing to convert the profile to a traditional profile like ProPhoto, SRGB, etc. However it does happen when choosing a specific printer profile like HP Photosmart 8750 Tri Color + Blue Photo + Gray. Would love your input.
--

Disagree with me all you like, but remember I have a right to an opinion and a right to state it.
http://www.thekmiecs.com
http://www.adamkmiec.com

sfisher · Jul 11, 2006

Yes but color modes aren't just profiles otherwise there wouldn't be two for SRGB as Nikon states color mod I is for portraits were the flesh tones are emphasised (reds and yellows) and mode II is for landscapes where greens and blues are emphasized

--
-Steve
===================

Dodging and burning are steps to take care of mistakes God made in establishing tonal relationships. ~~Ansel Adams~~

kantucky · Jul 11, 2006

Let me ask someone here who might be a software expert this question. I have Silkypix, running it right now on my computer with an image open. I also have this browser window open and my mail program. I could also listen to music on my computer at the same time with Silkypix open if I wished and it runs fine. Nikon Capture NX, while I can see it's a very interesting program, hogs all my system resources, nothing else could be running, and it still runs painfully slow. Why is that?

CWilt · Jul 11, 2006

Use a custom curve and it doesn't do that. At least with NC.

Adam Kmiec said:
is wierd. have you used capture before? if so then you probbably
no what I mean. open a RAW file and switch back and forth between
the different Color Modes and you can actually see the image change
on screen. it's strange and I can't really get used to it; it's a
major reason why I still use PS.
--
Disagree with me all you like, but remember I have a right to an
opinion and a right to state it.
http://www.thekmiecs.com
http://www.adamkmiec.com

--
Simplicity is a complicated thing.

http://stakeman.smugmug.com

sfisher · Jul 11, 2006

kantucky said:
Let me ask someone here who might be a software expert this
question. I have Silkypix, running it right now on my computer with
an image open. I also have this browser window open and my mail
program. I could also listen to music on my computer at the same
time with Silkypix open if I wished and it runs fine. Nikon Capture
NX, while I can see it's a very interesting program, hogs all my
system resources, nothing else could be running, and it still runs
painfully slow. Why is that?

I don't know why, as I'm writing this, I have full streaming video running (I'm watching tv from my tv server) I have Adobe PS CS2 and Adobe Acrobat and Capture NX open as well as 2 Term Server sessions open to computers in other states where I making software changes. NX isn't fast but its working acceptably, and not painfully slow.

I also expect it will be optimized, and debugged in a month or two and will gain some speed, but just as with capture 4.4 I don't expect it will be the fast kid on the market, I think they (Nikon) are going for quality of rendition, and not taking shortcuts in algorithms/precision to render the image faster.

--
-Steve
===================

Dodging and burning are steps to take care of mistakes God made in establishing tonal relationships. ~~Ansel Adams~~

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