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Update Software ??

williaeswilliaes Registered Users Posts: 110 Major grins
edited November 4, 2012 in Finishing School
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
2 Corinthians 9:15

williamspics.smugmug.com

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    cmasoncmason Registered Users Posts: 2,506 Major grins
    edited November 1, 2012
    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
    Photos
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    williaeswilliaes Registered Users Posts: 110 Major grins
    edited November 1, 2012
    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 The only thing I can think of is the outdated Nikon software.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,
    2 Corinthians 9:15

    williamspics.smugmug.com
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    T. BombadilT. Bombadil Registered Users Posts: 286 Major grins
    edited November 4, 2012
    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.
    Bruce

    Chooka chooka hoo la ley
    Looka looka koo la ley
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