Nikon Capture NX Software for Windows and Mac Reviews

• Wonderful, intuitive software!

  
  By A2XRMQA6PJ5ZJ8 on 2006-08-11
  I was one of the first to download the full-featured Nikon NX software on a trial basis in July 2006. I was immediately hooked. This is a very innovative software program that most photographers who shoot in NIKON RAW format will want.
  
  For those not familiar with RAW format, essentially a RAW format photo file enables the photographer to make post-shot changes to a photo to a much greater extent than is possible when shooting conventional JPEG file shots. So, for example, if one wishes to adjust the exposure on a RAW photo, you can do so and the effect is essentially the same, within the range of a couple of F/stops, as though you had shot the picture that way in the first place (there are exceptions to this beyond the scope of this review). The same is true for many other settings, such as Color Mode (SRGB versus Adobe, for example), White Balance, Sharpening, etc. You can modify some of these to some extent on JPEGs, but when you do there is always a loss of data--while there is no such loss when modifying RAW files. The bottom line is that if you botch a setting shooting RAW files you are much more likely to be able to salvage the photo if you shot RAW, as compared to if you shot JPEG. If you are shooting a wedding or some other critical event where failure is not an option, only a VERY competent expert would not opt to shoot RAW, in my opinion at least.
  
  Capture NX enables the photographer to make very significant enhancements or adjustments to RAW, or to some extent JPEG or TIFF images. The centerpiece of the program is what Nikon calls "Control Points." The program enables one to place control points at various locations on a photograph, and thereby control or modify the color of selected portions of the image. What is even more amazing is that the program also enables the user to make very fine selective adjustments to other effects, such as sharpening or D-lighting, such that only selective parts of an image will be sharpened, for example.
  
  Other programs have offered the ability to do what Nikon Capture NX can do, but in my opinion I have seen no other program that is so intuitive, and so easy for the photographer to learn. Many photographers, especially non-pros like me, want to spend more time taking photographs and less time behind the computer in the "digital darkroom" modifying them. Capture NX is designed for precisely that--it really is very intuitive and easy to learn.
  
  I found the NX user interface to be better than that of Capture 4.4, which NX replaces. Others have differed on this point, but I very quickly became comfortable with the more orderly layout on Capture NX.
  
  There are a few areas in which version 1.0 can stand some improvements in future upgrades. Certain menu options stubbornly return to default settings rather than remain at the user's last (and usually preferred) setting. Despite the good user interface, there are a few areas that will stand some tweaks in future upgrades. In short, NX V1.0 has a few rough edges as first-release versions of software usually do. Nonetheless, in most respects this is a polished product that certainly is ready for "prime time," in my opinion at least.
  
  Like Capture 4.4 before it, Nikon NX want a LOT of memory. A fast CPU and at least 1 GB of RAM is recommended.
  
  Overall, this is a remarkable product that I highly recommend to any photographer who shoots in Nikon's RAW format.
  
  

• key features but poorly implemented

  
  By AFJT774KNRUBR on 2006-11-12
  I am an amateur looking forward to get a deep understanding of digital photography. I decided buying Capture because I consider it to be a MUST for any amateur or professional photographer. The NEF editing capabilities of Nikon Capture 4.4 are astonishing, I tried the Capture 4.4 and then decided buying its successor NX. I own a Nikon D70 with kit 18-70mm lenses. Let me point out what I consider the functions I appreciated the most in Capture NX:
  
  - Color noise reduction! Same as in Capture 4.4, I took pictures for a birthday party and the person I was photographing was a 45 years old female with some wrinkles, all wrinkles vanished setting the color noise reduction intensity to 10. Needless to say, she was extremely happy to see that "I had taken 15 years away from her in the picture".
  - All the NEF Camera Adjustment settings where you can regulate WB, sharpness, contrast, compensation and color saturation.
  - Last but not least the U point functionality is simply incredible to me where basically users can isolate sections of the picture and modify those sections without affecting the rest e.g. increase color saturation for only the face without affecting the clothing, backgrounds etc. Nikon has done a great job with this one.
  
  All the incredible features offered by Capture are shadowed by the very poor implementation of the software: user-unfriendly and terribly slow. I have a Dell Precision Workstation Dual CPU Xeon 3.2Ghz with 2GB of RAM. Takes me up to a minute waiting whenever I tried changing any parameter, when I go back and check Capture's installation requirements it makes me laugh. I use it to re-touch all my NEF pictures but because of being very slow and unfriendly (I personally find NX more unfriendly than 4.4) will make you spend considerable amount of time even if you own the fastest PC in the market.
  
  

• Excellent Software-Excellent Usability-uses ALOT of SYTEM RESOURCES!

  
  By A37ZQL6QQG6JZR on 2007-01-11
  I have to respectfully disagree with the poor review from Wrestling NX before I give my opinion. The Windows are actually not Windows at all, they are called Palettes and are not supposed to be resized, otherwise anything that needs resizing, IE the image iteself can in fact be sized or viewed in the bird's eye (awesome feature). All of the Palettes can be maximized and minimized, not uncommon with Image Editors really. Lastly, the reason it looks different was not because Nikon wanted to confuse us, but rather because the previous version (awful) was created solely by Nikon, whereas this version was a collaborative effort between Nikon and Nik Software (no relation). Smart move since Camera makers are notorious for making terrible Image Editors.
  
  My opinion on this software is high, spent 30 days with the trial and then bought it I thought it was so good. It is very easy to make a crappy image look wonderful, and a great image look even better. Extremely intuitive, and user friendly palettes; standout features are three-fold
  
  -Control Points as a means to edit specifics. Allows real control over the image and it is very logical to make impactful changes with this feature.
  
  -Edit List to show you what you have done without disturbing the original. Great because you check & uncheck what you have done and see with your eye if it was the correct choice.
  
  -Raw editing is great, no compression so your starting with great source material the way you shot it from the camera. This is really where this software shines.
  
  I would suggest spending a little time with the manual, especially if you are mostly familiar with Photochop. This software is not a chopshop, it is for balancing, and enhancing digital photographs, this is what it is designed and targeted to do, not compete head-to-head with PS. The workflows are great and easy to understand and don't interfere with anything.
  
  My only knock on this software is it requires at a bare minimum 1GB of RAM to flow, if you want it to really move plan on 2GB, it's a hog. But all software is bloated these days (particularly image editors) so I am not removing a star for this.
  
  Buy and enjoy, it will improve your editing experience.
  
  
  
  1/17/06- One MAJOR point/drawback I want to make about this software..I advanced myself into shooting and editing in RAW since I learned everything else pretty well in this software. I just want to warn anyone thinking of this software, and please PLEASE!, HEED MY ADVICE HERE. If you don't have a MINIMUM, an absolute MINIMUM! if 2GB of RAM, raw mode will crawl to the point it is so slow and innefficient it becomes not worth it. I have 1GB of RDRAM and I switched back to jpeg mode because it was awful in RAW mode. Would have loved to have had that functionality, but I am not upgrading my entire PC in order to do it. Too bad it is so bloated.
  
  

• New version 1.1 fixes most of the problems

  
  By A1GG7ZSI8Q2GPL on 2007-03-17
  I was an early adopter of Capture NX, and I had mixed feelings... The basic premise of the software is great -- especially the control points -- but it was excruciatingly slow. It bogged down, and sometimes even locked, while performing basic tasks. After downloading the update to version 1.1, however, these problems seem to have gone away. A great tool, and now no complaints.
  
  

• Extremely expensive upgrade

  
  By A1VDOWGWGBAFNZ on 2006-11-22
  I purchased the earlier version (Capture 4) a few months ago to use with my RAW files from the Nikon D70 camera for $120.00. Now that I upgraded my camera to the Nikon D80, Capture 4 won't read/open the image files. Nikon customer service tells me the only way to open the D80 files is to "upgrade" to Capture NX for ANOTHER $89.00!
  
  I am not spending $89.00 (upgrade) just to keep using my Nikon software purchased few months ago.
  
  NX appears to be a solid software but Nikon obviously has some software customer service issue.
  
  
• The Very Best Nikon Raw Converter
  By A2WQ0K40UVHREJ on 2006-12-05
  This program is the best Nikon RAW converter available. Images look much better with Capture NX than conversions through Adobe Photoshop or adobe Lightroom. It's not even close. And the noise reduction for high ISO images is superb. You need this program to get the very best from your Nikon Raw files.
  
  
• Nikon Capture NX Rocks!
  By A1T4HEHDGAOUX5 on 2007-05-15
  I worked for 5 years as a professional photographer in the late 1980's. Since then my film camera equipment has collected dust. Now I am upgrading to digital and having to learn the tools that are now available.
  
  I have used Photoshop, sporatically, for years using digitally scanned film negatives. Photoshop does a great job, but much of its power comes from pixel by pixel editing. The filters are great, but global application of an adjustment is often not desired. Along comes Nikon Capture NX Version 1.1.0!
  
  I downloaded the free trial (30 days) onto a Dell D610 with 1GB memory. I have only tried working with JPEG images at maximum resolution from a 10.2 Megapixel sensor. The Capture NX program is fast and did not crash or stall my machine as other reviewers have reported.
  
  Capture NX has the same unsharp mask and other filters commonly used in Photoshop to apply globally to an image. However, the real power of the software is the U Point technology. The user can apply control points that allow both the size of the region and amount of adjustment to be controlled. The results are truly amazing!! Also, unlike Photoshop, each adjustment can be removed or adjusted. In other words, the "undo" history includes every adjustment made to the image.
  
  The Capture NX software has surprisingly few adjustment controls to master, but the adjustment/filters that are provided are the ones I use 98% of the time. For those last few changes, if needed, I can always go back into Photoshop. Again, Capture NX is a truly amazing software package! I wish I could of had this amount of control and ease of application back in the days of using a darkroom.
  
  
• Too slow
  By A3CSFSG2C48H4I on 2006-10-10
  I downloaded the trial version of this software and it worked somewhat slowly but o.k. with 5 mp Nikon 5700 raw (nef) files. Unfortunatly once I tried to work with Nikon D80 nef files, the program ran so slow on my computer it was no longer useable. My computer: HP a520n, AMD Athlon 3200+ (2.2Ghz), 512 MB PC2700 DDR SDRAM memory, 160 GB 7200 rpm Ultra DMA hard drive. Not the latest and hottest machine I admit but also not the worst one. I assume this program needs at least 1 GB RAM to run at an somewhat acceptable speed.
  From what I can tell working with smaller files this program is not bad at all, however as a raw converter it is simply too slow for most computers. Why can Nikon not simply provide a $50 Photoshop NEF plug in? Why don't they focus only on cameras and lenses, the stuff they know?
  
  
  
• Capture NX is interesting
  By A1ZVTJ3SLFZ214 on 2007-01-04
  I have been using various photo editors over the years and haven't found one that does it all. I haven't tried Photoshop because of its high price and steep learning curve. What prompted me to get Capture NX was my desire to shoot RAW format in my new Nikon D80.
  
  Why shoot RAW? This can be a whole other story, but RAW is the best image you can get from a digital camera. It is compressed, but RAW takes truer colors than JPEG. Plus it has more information about a photo for better editing.
  
  All Nikon DSLR's come with Project which is a rudimentary photo manager. All it does well is convert RAW to JPEG. Other photo editors can edit RAW, but their capabilities are usually limited.
  
  I first heard about Capture NX from a few web sites and Nikon offers a 30-day trial. Once I started using the trial version I was hooked. It doesn't do everything, but it has some really powerful capabilities. Nikon has a new term for image editing they call D-Lighting. I guess that means Dynamic Lighting. The closest comparison is Auto-Exposure. It sharpens and adjusts lighting on photos. I use this a lot as it does a pretty good job of enhancing a photo. Some of Nikon's new DSLR's like the D80 and D40 now have D-Lighting as part of the camera's built-in editing capabilities.
  
  Another "cool" feature are the "Control Points". These are points that you can be put anywhere on a photo and selectively adjust brightness, contrast and saturation. You can adjust how wide or small of an area it adjusts. This is really good for adjusting a wide area in a photo. Like darkening a background to hide it or enhancing a background to make it pop out. This is much easier than other photo editors where they either adjust the whole photo, or you have to carefully mask an area off. Problem with masking is the adjustments are usually too noticeable. With Capture NX the adjustments with the Control Point are blended pretty well so you can't really see the adjustment. It also has the normal red-eye reduction and other adjustments. It has a lot of sophisticated adjustments for light curves and RGB histograms. I haven't mastered those yet, but they do help. Noise reduction is another plus.
  
  What is missing from this program are some basic cloning tools. Many times I like to clone an area on to a similar area to remove hot spots or smooth them up. Capture NX just allows you to tone it down, but not complete cover it up. I also wish it had more basic batch tools like renaming many photos at once. The renaming process is overly complicated.
  
  This editor can be used with any JPEG or TIFF photo. You can also compensate for dust on a DSLR CCD sensor by taking a reference dust-off photo and then Capture NX can use that photo to remove dust particles on images.
  
  Who should use this software? I would not recommend this to beginners. It is powerful, but many of the tools are not for beginners. If you own a Nikon DSLR then this would be good for editing RAW. I have been taking photos for years and have owned about 5 SLR cameras and this tool is teaching me new things about photos in general. I would also not consider this software a replacement for Photoshop, but it does do a lot for the price.
  
  
  
• Excellent Product
  By A3UO7TPKCH3D4 on 2007-06-13
  I shoot Nikon cameras (D80 and D70) in raw mode as well as non-Nikon point and shoot cameras. I also have and use Adobe Photoshop CS2 and Adobe LightRoom. The latest release of Nikon Capture NX has caused me to change my work flow because of the ease of use. The U-Point Technology really makes a difference (once you figure out how to use it) and in most cases it eliminates the need to use Photoshop layers, etc. This program has saved me many hours in doing photo edits. From a work flow standpoint, I use Nikon View first to review raw files and then I move to Nikon Capture NX for edits, adjustments and sharpening. Only in some cases do I need to use PhotoShop now.
  
  
• Capture NX is Fantastic!
  By A12JPAG0DHG9WW on 2007-01-05
  Nikon's Capture NX software is powerful and easy to use.
  It can be used on Nikon's proprietary NEF (Nikon Electronic Format) files as well as standard JPEG and TIFF files
  I recommend watching the online tutorials at Nikon's website. The tutorials are very well done. They may help you decide whether the product is for and if you purchase it, you will find the tutorials have shown you how to make very sophisticated photo editing enhancements without ever picking up the manual.
  This software provides the most versatility if you are editing NEF files. The NEF file captures all the information that came through the camera lens when the photo was taken. The software allows you to change the camera's "original" settings of white balance, exposure value, sharpening value, and color mode and more. If the lens created a vignetting problem, you can remove it. Files in JPEG or TIFF mode can be edited as well but not to the same extent as NEF files.
  The changes you make appear in the interface in chronological order and are stored with the file. The original file can always be retrieved by deselecting the changes that were made.
  
  Nikon allows you to download Capture NX for a thirty-day trial period. A fantastic idea! I recommend waiting to download it until you have the time to really to work with it.
  
  If you are adept at using photoshop, you might not think this product is for you.
  If you are new to photo editing, you might find that this product is all you will ever need, especially if you shoot in NEF format.
  
  I am a fairly skilled photoshop user and yet, I found that this product has enhanced my abilities in photo editing. I think it's fantastic!
  
  
• WAY TOO SLOW...
  By A1G04PVRHS7FZR on 2007-04-06
  I have used this program extensively and while I love what Nikon is trying to do...once again they release something to the market when it is not ready. No program should be this slow. I am running 2gb of ram and CS2 files fly by, but this program is so slow I can literally get up, make a cup of tea and it still may be saving. It crashes as well on a computer that had never ever crashed once with any other type of software. It's great as a RAW converter in the way it easily allows you to manipulate colour modes, tone compensation, sharpening and in some ways, the converted file has better image quality compared to Rawshooter and ACR...the other two RAW converters I have used. This program is not suitable for a professional on a time constraint though....I really start getting irritated with it, and it actually causes me to get stomach cramps when I'm on the way home from a shoot as I realize how tedious my evening will be, slogging through files. The browser included doesn't even work properly...half the time the thumbnail will not preview a file, even if it previewed it the day before. Really, Nikon seems to be going downhill...not just with their cameras, but with their strange logic and business decisions. As a loyal Nikon user for about 15 years...it's downright embarrassing. It's software like this that makes me want to just shoot JPEGS again....
  
  
• Works Great
  By AKEX9B73RACXW on 2007-02-16
  Originally the program was a little slow on my AMD Athlon 64 3200 with 1GB ram. After I applied all of the updates as well as the new version 1.1 update the program is at least 250% faster than prior to the updates. This program is right up there with Photoshop when it comes to photo editing.
  
  
• Nikon NX Capture Software review
  By A4GL8I5VD73BO on 2006-11-05
  I am very exited about this new software for editing my photos. The greatest feature is the easy masking procedure through selective control points. It has already saved me many hours of work, especially when editing the sky areas.
  For final touches, however, I often continue to put my photos into CS2 since there are additional levers for ultimate fine tuning, which NX Capture does not offer.
  
  
• Simple Yet Powerful Photo Editing for Nikon Users
  By A1B1SI7XF7K3B on 2007-01-05
  Nikon and NIK Software have given photographers shooting Nikon .NEF format (and all .jpg shooters) a powerful, flexible editing software. While not as complete as Photoshop, it does give .NEF (Nikon's proprietary RAW format) shooters just about everything needed for color adjustment, sharpening, lighting, white balance adjustment, and many other editing solutions. And the use of Capture NX's Control Points gives you much more flexibility making adjustments than with other editing software.
  
  A major benefit when editing NEF files using NX is that the files are not degraded when making or saving changes. All details are kept the same as first recorded by the camera.
  
  The software is easy to use right out of the box. While reading the enclosed documentation will benefit any user, it's not difficult to use from the start (even this ol' disabled guy had an easy go of it). I originally downloaded the 30-day trial from Nikon's website and was hooked! It didn't take long for the trial to expire for me to order the software through Amazon and I've used it more than any other editing package ever since. I believe that any Nikon shooter, if you try it, will buy it too.
  
  
• great for Nikon Shooters
  By A3AL1SI8Y0VYVB on 2007-03-18
  If you shoot RAW with a Nikon digital camera "Capture NX" makes retouching those normally unsalvageable shots a breeze. Working with proprietary Nikon NEF files this software is a boon. Though sometimes slow ( even on a 2ghz dual processor G5 with 4 GB of RAM) Capture NX allows not only global corrections but also area/subject corrections without having to resort to masks.. well worth the cost for a Nikon shooter.
  
  
  
• Nikon shouldn't try to make software.
  By A1GYXV06Y78KUA on 2007-06-09
  Capture NX's claim to fame is that it's the only software that can access all the in-camera settings recorded in the NEF raw file (NEF is Nikon's proprietary file format). Other software can read the image, the EXIF data, and the white balance, but that's about it.
  
  If NX were a well-designed application, this might be alright. However, it's actually a clunky, slow, nonintuitive piece of work, in my opinion. I worked with the trial release for a month, and simply found the slowness and poor user interface to be too much to tolerate.
  
  I use Adobe Lightroom ("LR") instead. Excellent results in a fast and intuitive interface. The much-touted "Control Points" of NX are here in LR (sans the name Control Point). Once you've calibrated your DSLR, presets in LR can reproduce the color that NX produces from the NEFs.
  
  
• 5 stars so far on the color correcting pull bar alone
  By A2FB1NNSZRA93X on 2007-08-16
  will not replace photoshop for me, but offers a wider control over certain color correcting and balancing features. Have not used it thoroughly, but this single feature alone was worth the cost of the software. Also took a class from Nikon where they highlighted features of this software, and what I saw in that class combined with my experience with this software makes it easy to recommend.
  
  
• Nikon NX Software Version 1.1
  By ALW0SEIJBJM8J on 2007-08-23
  After my 30 day trial expired, I bought the software. Software is stable and I have had no problems so far with speed etc. Many options and patience is required. Best advice is to take lots of images and use the software.
  
  Only software that interprets your Nikon in camera setting like WB, etc. After installing version 1.2 over 1.1, things slowed down. I would recommend deleting version 1.1 and installing version 1.2 from Nikon website. Version 1.2 seems much fster.
  
  Bill
  
  
• Best photo software for photographers rather than computer geeks
  By A2HLQVSXODQOQC on 2007-09-18
  This is really nice intuitive software. It feels as though it was designed by photographers rather than computer programmers.
  
  If you've ever produced your own prints in a darkroom, this software does those sorts of photo improvements better than any other software out there. For instance you can lighten/darken areas so easily, you just click in the area you want to work on and the software works out what area you want to affect. So you don't need to do the laborious tracing you have to do in Photoshop. It's hard to believe but the software just gets it right and does what you want! This aspect is quite magical and revolutionizes photo processing. You'll get great results faster and easier. You can also do many other traditional photographic alterations really easily, such as make beautiful sepia prints, and make black and white prints with proper contrast and tone like traditional black and white film, something other photo software struggles to achieve.
  
  However, Nikon Capture NX lacks some of Photoshop Elements' features. For instance it has no instant spot removal tool. Capture NX is about making existing photos look great, not about changing them completely. So for instance in Photoshop I can move a person to a different place in the picture - I can 'fake' a picture. I can't in Capture NX. Capture NX is more about photography, less about gimmicks. 'Real' photographers - such as people who used to make their own prints from film in a darkroom - will love this software.
  
  I also have Photoshop Elements, and I've decided I'll need to keep using that occasionally as well - for spot removal, changing backgrounds and the more gimmicky photo manipulations. But for general photographic use I'll be using Capture NX 90% of the time. I don't have a Nikon camera, I have a Fuji, which shows how Capture NX is good for everyone, not just Nikon owners. By the way, it's worth buying the book about it, because it's so different from other photo software (but actually far easier) that you might not realize how to use it unless you read a book on it.
  
  Overall, Nikon Capture seems a little expensive - I reckon it should really cost no more than Photoshop Elements - but is is amazing: a new milestone in photo software.
  
  
  
  
  
  
• Must Have if You Shoot Raw (especially Nikon)
  By A3UAO18H1B7NB2 on 2008-01-05
  Seamless match to Nikon cameras that shoot RAW (NEF) with features normally found in more expensive packages (U-Points must be tried to be believed). Some operations like White re-balance, highlight/lowlight recovery, and exposure compensation either cannot be done or cannot be done as well once the picture is frozen in JPEG or TIFF. Capture NX works on RAW data and does a great job of letting you change the majority of in-camera settings AFTER you have taken the shot in an easy non destructive, reversible way - better than having your own dark-room. The program is an excellent complement to Photoshop, which can then be used to cut and paste people or things in or out of the picture. As an alternative to Capture NX, Adobe Camera Raw's Photoshop plug-in is a distant second choice, unable to deal with Nikon camera settings and localized changes in as easy and seamless a way: for instance, if you want that Mode III look in ACR, you are out of luck. Capture NX keeps getting better with every new release. I have started using version 1.3 on my T7200 based laptop, and do not seem to have the speed issues of earlier versions. I am looking forward to an improved Photographer-friendly skin (here ACR's more limited and therefore simpler interface has the lead: why not bring all of the contrast/brightness controls under the same view?), a more advanced, layered D-lighting feature, and easier dust spot removal - ok, I know that we are now into cut and pasting territory, but that's typically the only reason why I have to open Photoshop. Other than that, I love this program which improves pictures so quickly and easily in a single non-destructive post processing stop before printing.
  
  
• This is Good Stuff
  By AS4M8HJXQ2MLF on 2008-01-06
  I have been working with a D70 and Paint Shop Pro for some time now, and I'm going to tell you why Capture NX blows away PSP and other nonprofessional photo editors, and has reinvented my love for digital photography.
  
  First, you've heard the hype, but the UPoint technology really IS a breakthrough. No more difficulty "lasso-ing" what you want to adjust. Just drop in a color point, adjust the size, and the program miraculously determines, in one second, the borders of what you want to adjust. (Somehow it can determine the borders of an object itself without being told) And, it does its job while using much less computer resource than PSP used to use.
  
  So you blew out your girlfriend's face with backlighting? Just drop a color point on her face, then adjust the brightness, contrast and color sliders. Fixed, just on the face. No spillover onto the background. And it more powerfully did its job than the same effort on PSP.
  
  And there's more. Capture NX allows you to instantly wipe out stray white balance or hue problems, by clicking on a gray point, and applying it to an object you know to be true gray, such as pavement. Bingo, weird color casts are eliminated. Put a black point on what you know to be black, say a car tire, and the program adjusts the tonal range of the photo to maximize depth. Same with the white point. Almost instantaneous. Yeah sure, you can also play with the CURVES feature, like I used to in PSP, but this is way, way faster.
  
  Well, some of the features are the same as in PSP, but they just work faster, with less stress evident on my laptop. Nice photo but evergreen bushes in front are too dark? Click ADJUST COLOR, get into LCH EDITOR, then click on the evergreen to have the computer locate the exact color specification for that hue, then adjust the luminance of that color range to make it less dark, by moving a dot on a curve. Accurate, stressless on my weak computer, and AWESOME. And I learned this stuff in 3-4 hours only.
  
  And, as a bonus, in coming to understand these features, and others like UNSHARP MASK (a misnomer; this is usually used to "sharpen" the apparent focus of a photo), I have come to understand why I (previously) wanted to upgrade my camera because I couldn't get my D70 photos to "pop" like the D80. Now I can; just saved $565 for the new D80 body. (But when the D90 comes out, get out of my way- there is no substitute for greater ISO sensitivity without noise.)
  
  This stuff is powerful, and effective, with no unwanted artifacts (unlike those I often experienced in my PSP program). Buy this program; Nikon really knows how to execute. And nobody's going to buy them out and drop the ball on upgrades, like PSP (Corel) did.
  
  
• Nikon NX is excellent
  By A1S4X24FCUJOB6 on 2007-01-09
  After going through the tutorials on Nikons website I found it easy to enhance my pictures. The best part, it takes only a few minutes to turn a average picture into a great one.
  
  
• Great software
  By A3M5QJY74PD8M5 on 2007-01-27
  This is great software but why is it not included with a two thousand dollar plus camera??????
  
  
• Nikon Capture NX
  By A34ZGOJCS1GXI5 on 2007-06-22
  To me this is a true photo editing program. Take the picture with the camera (in this case a Nikon D50) , subtle and intentional changes are made with ease after some practice with primary color functions. Creative and Abstract and Freestyle also can be easily explored. "Control Point Technology" is immpressive. Truly a darkroom in a box. I did not nearly master Adobe however my pictures used to come out fake and somewhat harsh.
  Photo editing Yes, Photo Imaging No. Nikon SLR RAW users recomended. Download the full version Free which is totaly legit and use it. That's what sold me, I bought it before my free trial ran out. Smile
  
  
• Great software for processing Nikon raw files
  By A10AZ6ZQEQSIQJ on 2007-08-04
  I was forced to upgrade from Nikon Capture 4.0 because the raw files from the D80 cannot be used on the older version. That said, I'm glad I upgraded to Nikon Capture NX. I've always liked the colors of Nikon Capture better than Photoshop for converting NEFs, and Nikon NX continues the trend. The color control points are very easy to use and provides great results once you learn how to use them. Highly recommended.
  
  
• Great editing software
  By A37HBDRS4Z3PXH on 2007-08-23
  This is a great editing software program. I am a Nikon user and find the Capture NX very easy to understand, navigate and it does a great job of tweeking my photos. It's not really for doing creative stuff, but for lighting, sharpening etc.. it rocks!
  
  
• Difficult to Use
  By A176RJVEFIFF6L on 2007-09-27
  I read a review of this software in a digital photography magazine, so was excited to purchase it. While I am sure it is a good piece of software for the advanced user, I find it fairly difficult to use. I expected it to be a whole lot easier than Adobe Photoshop and Photoshop Elements, but found that not to be so. Both require a lot of study, and I needed to purchase another "how-to" book to get a grip on the features. While I'm sure I will use some of the features, it's not the "one" digital editing program that I sought.
  
  
• Don't buy this software for "Fisheye" 10.5mm feature
  By A1X9DBPYLSCQ7B on 2007-10-17
  I bought this software for one reason, and one reason only: To convert some photos I already shot with the 10.5 mm Nikon Fisheye lens to rectilinear.
  
  It says it has this feature. It doesn't.
  
  It won't convert images not saved as ".NEF" (raw images). It tells you that the pictures weren't shot with a "Compatible Lens".
  
  I don't always shoot raw. I bought this software just to convert a batch of photos I already shot, and it won't let me. What's worse, is I can't return it or get my money back.
  
  If you want this software to convert Fisheye-to-Rectilinear, there may be better choices. For all other things this software does, get Adobe "Lightroom". Nikon Capture NX looks like a cheap toy compared to Adobe Lightroom.
  
  
• Nikon Capture NX for windows and Mac
  By AIW0EGZVD1U16 on 2008-01-27
  
  Nikon Capture ( NX )shines as a basic post processing software doing 75-80% of what an average Nikon Digital SLR owner would use .It is required because of its excellent sharpness and color rendition with the Nikon Jpg and proprietary NEF ( Nikon electronic file )file that is far better than non Nikon programs .
  
  But for the hardcore digital editor it falls short of photo-shop software and adobe light-room . People who buy capture Nx after using the many tools to eliminate background objects - layers - extreme perspective correction - brushes and filters - cut and paste - clone tool - of photo-shop will be disappointed . You really need both ,that being said the learning curve is very steep for photo-shop for an average user.
  
  Check the Nikon chat-rooms / forums as there are still some compatibility issues with Mac or windows with newer software. Most post processing software requires over 1-2 GB of ram on a newer machine also another hard drive ( 300GB + at 7200 rpm ) is nice to have.
  
  Compared to other software NX is cheaper and easy to master in a week or so of playing with it. Try the free down load to sample it for a few days and see how your machine handles it. The large 10 MP Raw ( NEF )files run painfully slow and older PCs .
  
  I recommend it to every serious Nikon DSLR photographer.
  
  

• Real World Nikon Capture NX (Real World)
• Nikon EN-EL3e Rechargeable Li-Ion Battery for D200, D300, D700 and D80 Digital SLR Cameras
• Nikon 7072 Lens Pen Cleaning System
• Nikon ML-L3 Wireless Remote Control for Nikon D40, D40x, D60 & D80 Digital SLR Cameras
• The Photographer's Guide to Capture NX (eBook)