Viewing RAW files on Windows 7

[Drivermann]

Until recently I have been using a Windows 8 PC at home. When I download any RAW (NEF) files windows 8 is able to open them as a thumbnail.
I recently bought a Toshiba laptop so that I can use Photoshop away from my home office. Windows 7 doesn't display a RAW/NEF file which makes sorting files a little difficult.
Does anyone have a suggestion of a program, preferably free that will open or display RAW files as thumbnails after they have been downloaded from a card reader.







:nlogo:

[Grant S]

Google's Picasa will let you manage images including RAW, videos and all sorts of graphic files.

[arthurking83]

For simple file/thumbnail viewing Nikon have a codec pack (http://www.nikonimglib.com/nefcodec/) that installs the required codec to view NEF files from the latest cameras.

The link is to Nikon's Codec Pack v1.22 .. it gets updated every now and then, but once you have it installed and your camera's NEF files are compatible, you don't need to update it again.
If you get a later model camera in the future, you may need to update the Codec pack.

What this does is simply allow Windows built in file explorer to recognise Nikon's NEF format.
I think it's supposedly works with any other M$ software like picture viewer and or any other image related M$ programs.

Best(IMO) viewer for your files is ViewNX2(for NEFs) and then FSViewer (http://www.faststone.org/FSViewerDetail.htm)(other file types too).
Each have their relevance. Note tho, if you do try out FSViewer don't try to use it to convert NEF files to common formats. It's no good at that.
ViewNX2 is better(and quick) if you want simple viewing/converting.
For more intricate editing tho, other software is recommended.

[blkmcs]

Microsoft provides a download for viewing RAW files in Explorer

http://www.microsoft.com/en-au/download/details.aspx?id=26829

[arthurking83]

The only problem with the M$ codec pack is that the most latest(and sometimes greatest!!) camera aren't (yet) supported.

Even tho the current codec pack was only a recent release(22/4) the D4s isn't supported(in Nikon circles).
Not that everyone is rushing out to buy D4s's :p .. just a point to note.
But for other, more common and reasonably priced cameras .. Sony A7's aren't yet supported, neither the Fuji X-Pro/XT-1.
This is where manufacturer specific codecs can be more 'helpful'.

From what I understand tho, the M$ codec pack is the same codecs as each manufacturers release for their respective raw files, just all condensed into the one file.

A note about these codec packs.
Their purpose is for native support of raw files in the OS, or any software/apps that the OS manufacturer may offer. They're not needed nor usable for thirdparty image software, nor required for manufacturer specific software.

So the codec pack will work when viewing raw images via Windows Explorer, or MS image apps that are raw file capable.
But not helpful in any way if you use Lightroom, PS/CS, PaintshopPro or whatever. For that you need any update that thirdparty vendor may have on offer.
Same with manufacturer specific software. You may need an update from the manufacturer of your camera(in this instance Nikon) of any software of theirs that you choose to use.

one small exception to this last part, I know of, is Nikon's ViewNX2. If you have an older version of VNX2 and a newer camera, unsupported by the older version of VNX2, if you have the latest codec pack from Nikon installed, you can see the thumbnails generated of the raw files, but you can't view the larger version of the raw file. it seems that part of the codec pack is used by VNX2 for generating thumbnail previews, but to view the file in it's native NEF format, you need the program update.
This threw me out a bit a while back. I downloaded a few D4s images in NEF format, and could see them in VNX2 as thumbnails. clicked on the previews and got a msg saying unsupported file type!
I was in a pre D4s update of VNX2. Updating to a later version sorted that out.