Z6 RAW in CS6 with Bridge

Z6 raw files open fine for me in camera raw 11.2.1, as they have in earlier versions for quite a while now.

I have no idea if the Adobe raw file convertor updates are still compatible with CS6 or why they should be. No software publisher supports old software forever. The Adobe convertor in CC supports Z files with the cumulative improvements made to the convertor, and they are significant, over the years.

https://helpx.adobe.com/camera-raw/kb/camera-raw-plug-supported-cameras.html?red=a implies that older versions of PS are not supported. That page suggests DNG for older Adobe software. I do not know, or care, if DNG preserves lens correction data from S mount lenses built into Z raw files.

If the update is compatible with CS6 then the most common error used to be where and how the update file was placed in the Adobe directory. Sometimes a reboot of the computer can help.

The CC model is a financial hardship for some but the purchase of a Z6 implies that is not the case here. As an owner of a valid C6 license and a Z6 I would opine that use of that ancient software package for raw processing of Z6 files is far from optimal.

In any event there are a number of free, high quality solutions for converting and processing Z raw files, specifically Nikon's own. There is no difference between a 16 bit tiff imported into CS6 vs one that came through the CS6 version of the Adobe convertor.

Not sure if this is helpful, but the most recent version of ACR is 12.2.1.159. I use it in conjunction with CC versions of Photoshop and Bridge, and they read NEF files from the Z7 just fine.

If you don’t want to spring for an Adobe CC subscription, you could try Nikon’s RAW converter. I hear good things about it.

Thanks a lot, much appreciated advice. I didn't realise that Nikon's own was compatible.

And Yes, you're right, a commitment to the Z6 and it's potential does imply making a commitment to CC but imI self employed and recovering from big time surgery so the outgoings add up and become worrying!

I'll get there. In the meantime, Thanks Again

Kevin

Thanks J, I'll try again. Someone on dpr has a quote suggesting it doesn't matter how good your equipment is if your mind's out of focus

Best,

Kevin

Many Thanks, I think that's my problem ie running CS6 ans, ultimately I should stump up for CC to 'honour' the potential of the Z6 but I'm strapped at the mo so the idea of the Nikon RAW Converter sounds great.

Appreciate your reply

Kevin

As described by Adobe here, the latest version of ACR you can use with CS6 is 9.1.1.

Support for the Z6 was added in ACR 11.1, as described here.

4eyesgood said:

Many Thanks, I think that's my problem ie running CS6 ans, ultimately I should stump up for CC to 'honour' the potential of the Z6 but I'm strapped at the mo so the idea of the Nikon RAW Converter sounds great.

Appreciate your reply

Kevin

Click to expand...

You can set up Capture NX-D's Open With command to include any editor, such as Photoshop, so that you can use NX-D much like Camera Raw. After you make your raw adjustments in NX-D, such as white balance, etc., you can open the resulting file directly in PS (as a tiff file) and proceed from there. The main downside to this approach IMO is the very large increase in file size that occurs.

Thanks Horshack, looks like I'll have to jump into CC

Best,

Kevin

Thanks for the guidance

Yes, that's the problem with the TIFF path but I had a pc built to run fairly fast and have 500 Gb segmented for photo work so, plenty of space and always save to lowish Jpeg at the same time for email attachments etc

Much appreciate your help

Kevin

4eyesgood said:

Hi,

I'm still learning my way around a new Z6.

Had a couple of close ups FX via FTZ of Iris with mouthwatering detail. Excitedley pluggedcam into pc,; downloaded ACR 11.2 and ....NADA.

ACR 11.2 is definitely installed. I can read d5300 Nefs no prob

Is there something I'm doing wrong or is this a comparability prob?

II' be grateful for any thoughts or guidance

Best,

Kevin

Click to expand...

You got ACR 11.2 to install on CS6. I couldn't even get 10.3 or whatever to install two years ago....

So as you probably already found out, ACR is a separate "add-in" or "extra" for Photoshop that photoshop calls up when you open a RAW image. It will probably install OK as you download the installer and just run it, but CS6 and PS6 won't be able to open the program.

The last version I am aware of that worked with CS6 was 9.3 I think.

Might be time to move to CC. They'd added a lot of features to PS/LR CC.

The last version on ACR that works with CS6 (on a PC) is v.9.1.1.461. That might be different on the MAC.

I'm shooting with a Z7 and simply convert the RAW files using Adobe DNG Converter v11.2.0.135 and the resulting DNG's open just fine with ACR v.9.1.1.461.

The DNG Converter v11.2.0.135 works fine with all flavours of the Z7 RAW formats (Large, Medium, Small) and creates a DNG format RAW file that can be used by most previous versions of ACR. The Z6 NEF files should work the same way. All you lose is the newer ACR tools/adjustments and the additional processing time needed to do the conversions.

Here's the link if you need it:

https://helpx.adobe.com/ca/photoshop/using/adobe-dng-converter.html

Thanks Very Much Russel, will try the link later.

If I can manage for a while via DNG and CS6 it'd be a heck of a lot easier on me and my wallet!

Best

Kevin

Just a note of thanks Russell. All sorted. The extra time is fine by me and the ACR is a version that I'm used to

BTW, did you know that if you trial CC you can download Bridge free and keep even after the trial's expired?

Thanks Much for your help

Best

Kevin

4eyesgood said:

Just a note of thanks Russell. All sorted. The extra time is fine by me and the ACR is a version that I'm used to

BTW, did you know that if you trial CC you can download Bridge free and keep even after the trial's expired?

Thanks Much for your help

Best

Kevin

Click to expand...

Makes me wonder if ACR and with the "free" version of Bridge CC would work for those who want the benefits of ACR but don't want to pay for the update / go to CC....?

I need PS myself, so I just use the CC version, but wondering if this would be a viable medium term solution (sort and rank in bridge, and launch ACR from bridge to do edits). I know a few people who will only use ACR for 90% of their edits, and almost nothing else.

sirhawkeye64 said:

Makes me wonder if ACR and with the "free" version of Bridge CC would work for those who want the benefits of ACR but don't want to pay for the update / go to CC....?

Click to expand...

I'd be curious to know if Bridge CC 2019 and ACR 11.2.1.159 would open an adjusted image in PS CS6? If it was opened as a smart object would that smart object launch Bridge CC 2019 or would it default to it's own CS6 version which would not support the same adjustments. Sounds like it might just be a mess.

I'm a CC holdout and after owning every version of Photoshop since v2.5 (on floppy disks!) I refuse to support Adobe's current business model. Because I teach I have CC2018 and CC2019 on my computers to prepare class materials. But I refuse to let my own professional work anywhere near those versions as I want to be able to continue working on my own images when my right to use the CC versions ends (if/when I leave my teaching post and and I lose my Enterprise license). I'm familiar enough with Photoshop that there's not much since CS6 that's a 'must have' as most of the new tricks can be done using old methods and the results are often more predictable.

For now I'll stick to my Z7 NEF -> DNG workflow and keep working with my images without having to pay Adobe for that right.

Russell Proulx said:

I'm a CC holdout and after owning every version of Photoshop since v2.5 (on floppy disks!) I refuse to support Adobe's current business model. Because I teach I have CC2018 and CC2019 on my computers to prepare class materials. But I refuse to let my own professional work anywhere near those versions as I want to be able to continue working on my own images when my right to use the CC versions ends (if/when I leave my teaching post and and I lose my Enterprise license). I'm familiar enough with Photoshop that there's not much since CS6 that's a 'must have' as most of the new tricks can be done using old methods and the results are often more predictable.

For now I'll stick to my Z7 NEF -> DNG workflow and keep working with my images without having to pay Adobe for that right.

Click to expand...

Photoshop CS6 is a perfectly good program. I’d keep it if I had it, too. I’m not happy at all about the subscription approach. But for what it’s worth, Adobe CC users don’t lose access to their files if they discontinue their subscription. They lose the ability to edit them with Adobe’s tools, but they can continue to manage them through Lightroom Classic CC or just open them from their own filing system.

From Adobe:

Free membership benefits after cancelation

• After you cancel, you continue to have access to a free Creative Cloud membership.
• If you saved your work on your computer, you continue to have access to those files on your device.
• You no longer have access to your Creative Cloud applications, nor most of the services included in your paid Creative Cloud plan subscription.
• Your allowed cloud storage is reduced to 2 GB. If you're over your storage limit, you have 90 days to reduce your online usage. After 90 days, you could lose access to some or all of your files saved on the Creative Cloud servers. To learn about your storage, see How do I know how much storage I've used?
• You continue to have access to the Adobe XD free Starter plan and the Premiere Rushfree Starter plan.

Lightroom CC or Lightroom Classic CC user?

• Lightroom CC: Adobe will continue to store your original images for one year after your membership lapses. During that time, you can continue to launch Lightroom CC to download your original files from our cloud services.
• Lightroom Classic CC: You'll still have access to all your photos on your local hard drive through Lightroom for the desktop. You can continue to import and organize photos as well as output your edited photos through Export, Publish, Print, Web, or Slideshow. Access to the Develop & Map modules and Lightroom for mobile are not available after your membership ends.

Russell Proulx said:

sirhawkeye64 said:

Makes me wonder if ACR and with the "free" version of Bridge CC would work for those who want the benefits of ACR but don't want to pay for the update / go to CC....?

Click to expand...

I'd be curious to know if Bridge CC 2019 and ACR 11.2.1.159 would open an adjusted image in PS CS6? If it was opened as a smart object would that smart object launch Bridge CC 2019 or would it default to it's own CS6 version which would not support the same adjustments. Sounds like it might just be a mess.

I'm a CC holdout and after owning every version of Photoshop since v2.5 (on floppy disks!) I refuse to support Adobe's current business model. Because I teach I have CC2018 and CC2019 on my computers to prepare class materials. But I refuse to let my own professional work anywhere near those versions as I want to be able to continue working on my own images when my right to use the CC versions ends (if/when I leave my teaching post and and I lose my Enterprise license). I'm familiar enough with Photoshop that there's not much since CS6 that's a 'must have' as most of the new tricks can be done using old methods and the results are often more predictable.

For now I'll stick to my Z7 NEF -> DNG workflow and keep working with my images without having to pay Adobe for that right.

Click to expand...

I might have to try this CS6/ACR combo on a computer.... I still have my CS6 license and disc somewhere.... I'd be curious too. But I've also grown to like the new tools and features in the newer version so if anything, it would just be a test for me to see if it can be done and what possible problems there might be. I would think that ACR will check the file version of the XMP file or whatever and if it didn't recognize the version, it wouldn't open the file in an older version of PS6 or ACR. You might be able to open the RAW file (depending on which camera, obviously Z series and probably many cameras made in the past 3-4 years wouldn't open natively in CS6 or at all).

However, one workaround is once you get it into PS (any version) save it as a TIFF file (larger, but more compatible, especially backwards compatible I would think as the TIFF spec hasn't changed much in the past 5 years that i'm aware of). I haven't tried this, so I can't say if CS6 can open a TIFF that was saved in a CC version of PS or not. But I bet if you turn off the extra features when saving the TIFF (ie. compression, etc) it might be OK.

Absolutely agree with you. I think my main reservation is ethical ( as it is with all of our dominating corporations). Feel v uncomfortable that something as human and humanitarian as photography should be held to Ransome by Adobe

I downloaded the 'free' Bridge, which was fantastic: clear, expanded, with Lr type batch saving etc. All Rosey in the garden until you go to ACR which is disallowed unless associated with a CC purchase!

Worried that in upgrading I'd lost my original CS6 Br but thankfully still there and v happy with your DNR 'reverse engineer' to ACR.

I save in both TIFF (obviously) and Jpeg for email but have noticed that via the DNR process the Jpeg maximum is quite small (8mb). Not a bother for me as save to around 2mb for mail etc