CaptureNX-D and ViewNX-i - Nikon software updates.

[arthurking83]

Nikon have just released updates to both ViewNX-i and CaptureNX-D.

ViewNX-i is updated from v1.1.0(a) to v1.2.0 now
CaptureNX-D has been updated from v1.3.0 to v1.4.0

LINK HERE.

ViewNX-i is too massive a step down from ViewNX2 for me to contemplate installing it, so I can't comment on it's ability/usability.

CaptureNX-D on the other hand has had a few tweaks done under the hood.
Remarkably, it's actually getting 'usable' to the point that by about version 10.10.10 .. I may actually even like it

Both software have been updated for the about to go to market D5, plus have had some other tweaks .. ViewNX-i to fix a few bugs.
But CNX-D has now had a heal tool added to it .. just like CaptureNX2 had about 10 years ago!
It's basically exactly the same as CNX2's auto brush .. so don't expect PS/CS clone healing qualities about it's operation.
Bit of a disappointment that it still only has a radius of only 100 pixels .. considering the number of megapixels that modern cameras are using.
Works kind'a OK on the one or two images I tested it on .. but as before, and as it was with CNX2 .. it's hit and miss sometimes as to what it automatically selects as the cloned pixels.

It's basically there to eliminate those pesky dust spots, that made CNX-D pretty much useless on it's own. On one quick shot at removing a dust spot on a plain red area at 100pixels wide, the software decided to also include a random piece of bugs leg into the cloned area!
I'm finding it impossible to imagine what hallucinogenic substances the programmers were ingesting at the time they settled on the algorithms for the automatic-ness of the auto healing brush.

eg. I had plain red background(over an area of a few hundred pixels) with a small dust spot clearly surrounded by all red, and the algorithm chose a part of the leg of the insect well over a few hundred pixels away to add into the 'healed' area!
It's easy to reset and try again, and it got it second time.

Anyhow, frustration warning aside .. the other pleasant surprise was that it was far zippier than I remember CNX-D to be with v1.3.0
Note that I've used(or at least tried too) all versions since the beta stage.
Up until v1.3.0(for me) has been completely unusable. Main problem has been the inability for the program to actually start up.
With v1.3.0, I had success, in that it hasn't yet crashed on me at all. But it's slower than glacially slow. It's redefined the term slow.

Bit with the latest version(1.4.0) It's remarkably not as slow .. which it must be stressed, is not the same as fast operation!

navigating to a folder with about 30-ish D800 raw files, it's usable in that it renders the thumbs in a few seconds(still much slower than VNX2 is which does it in a sec or two), and the fist image it automatically lands on and renders on screen takes about 10 or so secs to load(VNX2, about 1 sec)
Much nicer than the minimum 30s to 1 min it used to take to load up .. and the few odd minutes it'd take to render the thumbs as well.
If this keeps up. I'm going to miss the coffee/smoko breaks it used to allow me to do in the time it needed just to open up.

Also, image adjustments felt a lot faster .. even the dreaded auto retouch and noise reduction tools.

Summary for each of the new products:

ViewNX-i: who cares, I don't, you shouldn't .. don't bother(it's pretty much the silliest program Nikon have ever allowed into the wild).
CaptureNX-D: it's nothing like what CaptureNX2 is like in terms of ability to tweak/edit an image. It's still glacial compared to what Nikon used to offer, but it's slowly getting there(ie. better).
They're slowly adding new tools, and obviously tweaking performance.
Once they add a localised brush tool of any kind, it'd make for the type of program that is getting close to an all rounder .. for those that are looking for something usable and free for Nikon's raw file types.

ps. you could use it on jpgs and tiffs if you really needed too, but why bother! .. get the free CS2 for that. The only real reason for using CNX-D is that you are working on Nikon's raw file types(NEF and NRW).

pps. there is also a new Nikon raw codec, but as the only change is for the D5, it's not really worth mentioning it .. unless you have or a planning to get D5!

[Jorge Arguello]

Ok, I will install the new version now.
Also, if you want to install both, now there is a program that includes both

[arthurking83]

.....
Also, if you want to install both, now there is a program that includes both

I've explained my reasons for not using ViewNX-i previously, but will re-iterate again briefly here.

If you rely on ViewNX2 then installing ViewNX-i will remove NX2.
I'd have no issue trialling NX-i if it didn't do that.

The reason I rely on VNX2 is that it's my best method for adding tag data to my raw(NEF) files and maintain compatibility will all other programs.
That is, in the raw file of a bird image, I tag the images with stuff like bird, and so forth making it easier of course to create and maintain and search a catalogue of my images.
Having the tags IN THE RAW FILE simply means that I don't tie myself down to using only the one program to search the catalogue of images.

There are some cataloguing programs out there that simply create the database on the tag data in the image itself.
If I was a jpg only shooter .. this isn't a problem but most if not all tagging software don't tag the raw file for fear of corrupting it.

CNX-D can't add tag data, and I don't yet know if ViewNX-i can .. but if it can, Nikon have made it clear that they will do so in a sidecar file format exclusive to their own software!
That is they will no longer add the tag data into the raw files, but keep it all in some obscure side car file that isn't interoperable with other software! .. it's just stupid!

[Jorge Arguello]

View NX i can add tag data, as well as location, but as you said, it does in the sidecar. The new View NX i can do some basic adjustments, like View NX 2, but (again) in a sidecar file.

You are right that changing the approach of adding location and tags into a separate file, is a big change in our work flow. The sidecar file is an XML. I have not found where the TAGs are stored in the NEF. The location can be found in the "GPS" section but there is no search program that can give you the NEF file with the location you are looking for with this new Nikon approach.

[arthurking83]

I'd love to test VNX-i some more, but it removes any VNX2 installation at the same time .. just stupid!
They are obviously 2 different programs, and why they don't allow you the option of both is beyond my capability to understand.

it's easy to reinstall VNX2 .. but ... anyhow, it's just not worth it at the moment.

What I see as 'the problem', is that I will inevitably update a camera of mine to a newer model, and that newer model won't be supported in VNX2, so I may have to update to VNX-i just for this issue.
I have figured out a way to add tagged data into(ie. not just next too or side by side with) an NEF without using any Nikon software, and it's been reliable so far on many thousands of NEFs, both from scratch and also to edit/append already added tag data.

But one thing I really don't like(actually hate) is this strange addiction to adding data or editing details into sidecar files only. One day when it all goes balls up for someone, they'll realise the insanity of it all.
Actually to be more accurate I wouldn't mind it all if the sidecar file system were standardised properly. It allows for more flexibility(eg. for future extensibility .. ie adding more data types to this data set than we can think of for now) .. and an easier way to edit this data set with more simple/powerful tools.
But that's the issue, one maker wants it their way, another maker wants it their other way .. and the morons that invented the so called system want it their other way with no way for other's to see it or use it.
The hope(for the future) is that someone important will come along one day and smash some respective heads together to get them to all cooperate!

[Jorge Arguello]

Well, I know that View NXi and Capture NX D, does not like to everyone.

The latest version of both looks to be working a bit better. The CNXD has also a healing tool. I used it in CNX2 a few years back, but I can't compare the result, but CNXD healing tools works nice. I installed the latest version of both ( 1.2.4 and 1.4.3 ), and I have no issues.

For those with upgrade to Win 10 , you should upgrade the programs using the account used to upgrade windows, even other accounts has administrator access.