Using Nik Software from within Capture NX2

[davidd]

For those of us who use Nikon's Capture NX2, it is disappointing that Nik Software's Filter Programs are not available for NX2, with the exception of Color Efex Pro, which I use frequently. I have seen mentioned on other forums that the Lightroom versions of the other Nik software can be run as stand-alone programs. This means that they can be called from within Capture NX2, which converts the file you are working on to a TIFF and passes it across to the program of your choice. I tried this out, and it worked fine, so I purchased Nik's HDR Efex Pro.

The one problem with this is that Capture NX2 only allows you to specify one 'Edit With' external program at a time, you have to go into the setup and change the program each time you want to use another external editor. I saw another thread on another forum where someone had written a Batch File to call a number of external programs. You set the batch file as the 'Edit With' program, and when you called it it presented you with a list of your external editors, for you to select. This appeared to work OK, but being a batch file was a bit messy, running in a DOS window. I had a look at it and decided to create a small program to do the same thing using VB6.

I have now written this program, and offer it to anyone who would like to test it. It allows you to specify the name and path of your external editors, and send a file to any one of them from within Capture NX2. No Guarantees that it will work for you, but it's probably worth trying.

If anyone is interested in trying this out, send me a PM and I will email the program to you.

[davidd]

Hi

If anyone is interested, you can also use Topaz Lab's filters from NX2 in this way as well.
If you install Topaz Fusion Express (a free program), and make it one of the Open With programs in my little program, you can then use any Topaz Filter that you have installed (Lightroom Versions).

[arthurking83]

I think your use of the term 'dissapointing' is a bit mild.

I'd label it massively incompetent on the part of both Nikon and Nik. Nik are the company that produce CaptureNX(and 2) and for them to not have the other filters available for CNX(especially the noise addon!!) seems to me to be a completely backward business step.
My main reason for using CaptureNX is the fact that it works on the raw file, and maintains the raw format, so I like to have a copy of the raw file only once edited(tiffs and jpgs are ephemeral, and come and go with the seasons.. or mood).
So, for Nikon not to have the value adding ability that these Nik filters allow for CaptureNX2 seems to be nothing less than an imcompetent business decision.
(I'm sure Nik would produce the plugins for CNX if Nikon allowed them too, can't imagine the effort would be that difficult for them to do. I'm assuming that Nikon may not be allowing them to do so).

We can only live in hope that this may change soon.

Overall, it is massively overdue for a revamp to version 3 status now(new features, 64bit, etc..), even tho I still think that CNX is still the best software for Nikon raw files.

[davidd]

Hi

yes, I agree that NX2 is the best software for Nikon. I use it almost exclusively, and it's great having the Nik Color Efex Pro integrated into it.
If you are using HDR software (like Photomatix or HDR Efex Pro) or pano stitching software the files need to be converted to tiff anyway, but for general use I would rather keep the files as NEF.
Even so, using the Open With command from NX2 does allow you to use a variety of different editors, eg Photoshop or the Topaz filters, by converting to a tiff.
My little program just allows you to have more than one editor called from NX2 without having to keep changing the properties of the Open With program.
We can but dream about NX3 at the moment! :rolleyes:

I have seen people say that most of the Nik plug-in software features (ie Noise reduction, B&W conversion and Control Points) are built-in to NX2 anyway, and having these plug-ins is just a way of allowing users of other software to access these features, but I'm not sure if this is entirely accurate.

[iammtg]

For those of us who use Nikon's Capture NX2, it is disappointing that Nik Software's Filter Programs are not available for NX2, with the exception of Color Efex Pro, which I use frequently. I have seen mentioned on other forums that the Lightroom versions of the other Nik software can be run as stand-alone programs. This means that they can be called from within Capture NX2, which converts the file you are working on to a TIFF and passes it across to the program of your choice. I tried this out, and it worked fine, so I purchased Nik's HDR Efex Pro.

The one problem with this is that Capture NX2 only allows you to specify one 'Edit With' external program at a time, you have to go into the setup and change the program each time you want to use another external editor. I saw another thread on another forum where someone had written a Batch File to call a number of external programs. You set the batch file as the 'Edit With' program, and when you called it it presented you with a list of your external editors, for you to select. This appeared to work OK, but being a batch file was a bit messy, running in a DOS window. I had a look at it and decided to create a small program to do the same thing using VB6.

I have now written this program, and offer it to anyone who would like to test it. It allows you to specify the name and path of your external editors, and send a file to any one of them from within Capture NX2. No Guarantees that it will work for you, but it's probably worth trying.

If anyone is interested in trying this out, send me a PM and I will email the program to you.