Reading mode: Light Dark

What photo viewer do you use?

Go to last post
P

PhotoGo

Senior Member
Messages
1,688
Reaction score
0
Location
US
Currently I'm using FastStone but I've tried IrfanView, XnView too.

The problem I'm having is that none of these show the images the way I see them in either Photoshop or in View NX and Capture NX.
They all have a different hue to them when compared to the original image.

Is there a photo viewer out there that maintains the color profiles when viewing NEF's in it?

I don't care if I have to pay for one I just want one I can use as a default viewer that shows the color profiles correctly so I won't have to launch PS or V-NX every time I want to see a photo.

--
PhotoGo
 
People may think im nuts but I edit all my stuff in Lightroom 2 and Photoshop cs3 but when viewing them I use the standard windows picture and fax viewer in slideshow mode. not sure about the colours (they seem alright to me) but I like the simple full screen with black background, plus its fast.
--



... No Regrets ...
 
It's the best viewer I've used and I've tried lots of them. Pictures look sharp, just like they do in the expensive browsers. Vallen JPegger is freeware.
 
PhotoGo said:
Currently I'm using FastStone but I've tried IrfanView, XnView too.

The problem I'm having is that none of these show the images the way
I see them in either Photoshop or in View NX and Capture NX.
They all have a different hue to them when compared to the original
image.

Is there a photo viewer out there that maintains the color profiles
when viewing NEF's in it?

I don't care if I have to pay for one I just want one I can use as a
default viewer that shows the color profiles correctly so I won't
have to launch PS or V-NX every time I want to see a photo.

--
PhotoGo
Click to expand...
Hi,

I am using ViewNX for NEFs and ACDSee Pro for JPEGs or TIFFs. Both have color management. ViewNX recognize in camera settings and is free.

--
Best regards
 
it shows the images with camera settings applied and allows simple edits...

--
D 3 0 0
1 8 - 2 0 0 V R
5 0 1 . 8
8 5 1. 8
S B 9 0 0
 
I've always found the Windows (Vista) viewer to give a soft look as well as a slightly different color hue.
 
I like View NX the best right now.

Have used Bridge, Faststone (miss the compare function) and ACDSee recently and for my use, Viex NX is the simplest and best integrated into the workflow. The images look great on screen in View NX as well.
 
PhotoGo said:
Currently I'm using FastStone but I've tried IrfanView, XnView too.

The problem I'm having is that none of these show the images the way
I see them in either Photoshop or in View NX and Capture NX.
They all have a different hue to them when compared to the original
image.
Click to expand...
That is what typically happens if you shoot and edit your photos in Adobe RGB or ProPhoto RGB (which is a good idea) and then view them in those color spaces in a viewer that assumes they are sRGB (and nothing else). If you want to view your pictures in those viewers, simply convert them to sRGB after PP (or save a copy in sRGB and keep the original in the wider space).

BTW, you may also notice a "grainy" appearance with some of those viewers. It's a product of the viewer - don't be misled to believe that the picture is unsharp or very noisy (check those things in your PP program at 100%).
 
PhotoGo said:
Currently I'm using FastStone but I've tried IrfanView, XnView too.

The problem I'm having is that none of these show the images the way
I see them in either Photoshop or in View NX and Capture NX.
Click to expand...
Correct, none of them is fully color managed. Well, it can be done in XnView but the performance tanks and it's painful to use.

Here are some that will work:
  • ACDSeePro -- I didn't want this one to win my eval but it did anyway!
  • ViewNX
  • ThumbsPlus
  • Fast Picture Viewer -- minimalist but nice!
Irfan Skiljan did say he'd try and add support for the monitor calibration profile (that's the missing piece) at the next release. It may or may not happen and may or may not involve a performance hit.
 
On my PC I use IrfanView, and love it, it is simple and easy, and free. I even sent in $10 to him about 5 years ago, but he is not a PIA about the money.

I only wish Ifranview worked on my Mac.

Mike
--
If you have low standards, you can take a look:
http://michaeljberman.zenfolio.com
 
I'm using ViewNX in combination with Capture NX. If it wasn't for the fact that LR totally fks up the Nikon colors I would have used it.
PhotoGo said:
Currently I'm using FastStone but I've tried IrfanView, XnView too.

The problem I'm having is that none of these show the images the way
I see them in either Photoshop or in View NX and Capture NX.
They all have a different hue to them when compared to the original
image.

Is there a photo viewer out there that maintains the color profiles
when viewing NEF's in it?

I don't care if I have to pay for one I just want one I can use as a
default viewer that shows the color profiles correctly so I won't
have to launch PS or V-NX every time I want to see a photo.

--
PhotoGo
Click to expand...
--
Best,
Richard.
 
Richard Fossum said:
I'm using ViewNX in combination with Capture NX. If it wasn't for the
fact that LR totally fks up the Nikon colors I would have used it.
Click to expand...
Have you looked at the new profiles? Still in beta but seems very promissing and emulate Nikons color.

If Adobe can release a version with improved performance and the new profiles I think they have a winner. They have a release candidate 2.1 but all issues are not fixed yet.

--
Sverre
 
michaeljberman said:
On my PC I use IrfanView, and love it, it is simple and easy, and
free. I even sent in $10 to him about 5 years ago, but he is not a
PIA about the money.
Click to expand...
I've used IrfanView for more than a decade and love it. However... the colors will NOT match those of PhotoShop, Capture NX etc. if you have a calibrated monitor; it just doesn't take account of the calibration profile. On my system the colors are significant different -- it's not a minor issue.

It can handle embedded ICC profiles in TIFF/JEPG files (although there is a performance hit). However, that is only one half of the color management problem.
 
I use ACDSee Pro because it is really fast and I can do everything from the keyboard.

If I'm browsing old pics looking for quick 4x6s to print for friends or family I'll use Picasa 3. It's great for quickly finding pics I've already cropped/ranked in the past.
 
Hi Sverre,

Well, I've heard about them, but I don't have a working version of LR 2.0. I am not willing to buy LR 2.0 just to find out the beta profiles doesn't work for me. Anyway, as much as I've hated NX, I've actually come to like it quite a bit. The only real weakness i NX in my opinion is the file management and a few more quirks (like having to actively swap between arrow/drag when working browser/editor).

Let me know if you're satisfied with the Nikon profiles, then I might reconsider it.
SverreE said:
Richard Fossum said:
I'm using ViewNX in combination with Capture NX. If it wasn't for the
fact that LR totally fks up the Nikon colors I would have used it.
Click to expand...
Have you looked at the new profiles? Still in beta but seems very
promissing and emulate Nikons color.

If Adobe can release a version with improved performance and the new
profiles I think they have a winner. They have a release candidate
2.1 but all issues are not fixed yet.

--
Sverre
Click to expand...
--
Best,
Richard.
 
gght said:
It's the best viewer I've used and I've tried lots of them. Pictures
look sharp, just like they do in the expensive browsers. Vallen
JPegger is freeware.
Click to expand...
Will it, like Fastone, act as a "front end" to other image editors? Personally I find Fastone fantastic. However you actually see the "thumbnail" of the NEF image in Fastone (and possibly other viewers too) which probably explains the difference.

--
John Gruffydd
Mold, Wales, UK
D200, D70, E-10 + OM1,2n, Bronica ETRSi
 
John Gruffydd said:
Will it, like Fastone, act as a "front end" to other image editors?
Personally I find Fastone fantastic. However you actually see the
"thumbnail" of the NEF image in Fastone (and possibly other viewers
too) which probably explains the difference.
Click to expand...
Neither Jpegger nor Faststone are fully color managed. So they won't render images with the same colors as Photoshop, Capture NX et al (which was what the originator of this thread asked for).
 
I use only Lightroom 2 and CS3 for post processing as well.
For view? I am surprised that no one is using google picasa
Beta version 3 supports D300 raw as well. It is free and fast
George
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Keyboard shortcuts

f
Forum
m
My threads
Mobile site
About
Editorial content
Cameras & Lenses
Community
All content, design, and layout are Copyright © 1998–2025 Digital Photography Review All Rights Reserved.
Reproduction in whole or part in any form or medium without specific written permission is prohibited.
When you use DPReview links to buy products, the site may earn a commission.
©GPS Media - Guides, Products, Services.
Back
Top