Update Software ??

williaes

I am a bad creature of habit. I have been using an old version of Nikon transfer to get my RAW files onto the computer. I have been using this same software to set exposure value on the RAW files and then transfer into a type of photoshop software. (Serif Photo Plus 4). I have recently noticed that some of the photos appear to be getting soft on focus during this process. I am not sure at what point this is happening. I can open the RAW files in Nikon View and they are tack sharp. Open the finished JPG and they are a little soft. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
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Any ideas what to change over to without spending a fortune in software? I have never used Light Room. <o:p></o:p>
Thanks

cmason

Download the free trial of Lightroom. Look around for discounts, often it can be found for $150. If you are Mac, you might want to consider Aperture, even cheaper via the Mac App Store.

If none of those suit you, try RAW Therapee

williaes

CMASON, Thank you for the link. I may try that RAW Therapee and see how that works. Still as a bad creature of old habits I am running windows xp on all my machines. I would like nothing more than to change out a couple of them to Macs. I realy wish I knew what is causing the issue in the first place. My firmware in camera is current and up to date. The Serif Photo Plus is current. The only thing I can think of is the outdated Nikon software. I need to force myself to learn a new catalog system and batch system for the transfer of RAW files.

I think I will try LightRoom also.

Thanks again,

T. Bombadil

williaes wrote: »

I am a bad creature of habit. I have been using an old version of Nikon transfer to get my RAW files onto the computer. I have been using this same software to set exposure value on the RAW files and then transfer into a type of photoshop software. (Serif Photo Plus 4). I have recently noticed that some of the photos appear to be getting soft on focus during this process. I am not sure at what point this is happening. I can open the RAW files in Nikon View and they are tack sharp. Open the finished JPG and they are a little soft. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p>
<o:p> </o:p>
Any ideas what to change over to without spending a fortune in software? I have never used Light Room. <o:p></o:p>
Thanks

One thought: Is it possible that when you use Nikon View, it is showing you the embedded JPG or the JPG that the camera would have produced. This is a feature of Nikon software - to know the in-camera settings and use them. (though I don't have direct experience with Nikon View).

Other software will show you an un-retouched raw, which will generally be soft compared to a JPG (or 'virtual' JPG) rendering which included some sharpening.