Nikon Capture NX - ( v. 2 ) - version upgrade licence - 1 user - upgrade from 1.x - Win, Mac

I own several Nikon cameras including one DSLR and have been using Capture NX for postprocessing work for some time. Capture NX has always represented fair value for the money (by comparison with Photoshop CS3, which triggered significant sticker shock when I priced it.) However, Capture NX wasn't perfect, there were a number of frustrating aspects to it.
I've been using the free trial version of Capture NX2 for two weeks now and I have to say, it fixes most of the problems of the previous version. Simple things like the autoretouch brouch make it much easier to clean up sensor dust spots, something that was a pain in the older version.
I'm still having problems with color profile setup for my HP photo printer, this still seems to be an area that needs work. But I certainly will purchase the upgrade and flip my trial copy to a paid copy when the upgrade option becomes available.

I have been using Nikon Capture NX since its first release, and it just keeps getting better. Nikon Capture NX2 is a major upgrade from NX 1.X, and it is a worthy and significant improvement.

Basically, Nikon Capture NX2 is a full-featured digital photograph processing program that provides a "digital darkroom" for digital photographers who want to manipulate digital photographs. Its real strength is its ability to process NEF (Nikon Electronic Format) photographs, (also sometimes called RAW) and it does this better than any other program. Basically, if you shoot in NEF format (rather than say, JPEG) the various settings of the photograph (i.e. exposure setting, white balance setting, sharpness setting) are done in software within each image. Capture NX2 allows the photographer to change these settings AFTER SHOOTING. The changes one makes to NEF images in this manner are non-destructive; that is, the changes do not degrade the image with compression loss as is the case when changes are made to JPEG images. Put simply, Capture NX2 gives the digital photographer much more power and flexibility than an elaborate darkroom gave to film photographers--those fortunate few that had one at all. Capture NX2 probably has more features for processing NEF images than any other program, and this is its particular strength.

But it does not end there. NX2 has many other features. It allows batch processing of images, and simultaneous processing of such images according to particular settings. So, for example, if you took a couple of hundred shots in NEF, and decided upon certain white balance, sharpness, and exposure modifications for these images, rather than having to process each image individually, NX2 will allow them to be processed as a batch. The software is easy and intuitive.

Nikon Capture NX2 also continues the development of it U Point technology. This is an easy and intuitive way to manipulate the color of images that is far simpler and easier to learn than Photoshop's layer mssks.

Capture NX2 has many other features such as aberration adjustments, vignetting adjustments, blemish and dust corrections, etc. All very useful at times.

One feature of the NX2 upgrade is an improved workflow menu. The Nikon design team clearly listened to its user base, and there were a few complaints about the placement of some of the menus in the earlier version of NX. I think that the workflow for Capture NX2 will please almost everyone--the tools are right there for us to use, and I found that I was able to go right to work without reference to the manual. Good job Nikon.

Nikon Capture NX2 appears to run in a very stable manner in Windows Vista. Using my Intel 1.6 Dual Core notebook computer (4GB DRAM) the program is stable, snappy, and quick. Vista users will appreciate this program. Users should know that NX2, like its predecessors and in common with most digital imaging programs, runs better with more DRAM. While it requires at least 1GB DRAM, it improves remarkably if you upgrade to at lest 2GB. I run 4GB DRAM.

This is an essential tool for any Nikon digital photographer who shoots in NEF format, and with such a powerful tool available, I never shoot in any other format. This program is a winner!

Here I am, a Photoshop user for 7 years and raving about Nikon Capture NX 2. How did this happen? It's Adobe's fault. They sent me looking elsewhere after Bridge CS3 totally crashed on my computer. Bridge is junk software, as one internationally, well recognized Photoshop guru called it in a public forum. He was right.

So, I started looking. I got Capture NX free when I bought a Nikon D300. I tested it, compared it, and liked it. I bought the NX 2 upgrade and I couldn't be happier. Life is much simpler now.

So, what is my workflow? I use NX 2, and, if I need CS3, I use it. But I will not upgrade to CS4. NX 2 doesn't do everything, but if CS disappeared, I'd have no problems except for panoramas...but there are alternatives other than CS3.

Look, Photoshop is geared for designers; Capture NX 2 is geared for photograpers. Adobe, as far as I concerned, is not concerned about software screwups that impact only photograpers. They are big and they are non-responsive.

Finally, I dumped Adobe's Lightroom after testing their Lightroom 2 beta. Much ado about nothing. That's another reason I went for NX 2.

So, if you want to free yourself from Adobe's every-18-month upgrade and make great photos in half the time, go with NX 2.