The electronic image format NEF (Nikon Electronic Format) is a type RAW format from Nikon. NEF files, obtained from different Nikon camera models will have different structures. Therefore, the company cannot guarantee compatibility of files with NEF extension with other programs.
IN NEF photo format Data taken directly from the camera matrix is stored. NEF files contain metadata and are large in size. This makes working with them difficult, especially when it comes to transferring files to other users over the Internet or posting them on various resources.
NEF format: how to open it
Probably everyone who had to work with NEF files, asked themselves: how to open these files? There are several options here.
You can use "native" programs for NEF files, developed by Nikon, with a wide range of options. However, they are quite expensive, and users also have to look for programs that support specific models cameras.
From free programs designed for view NEF, we can mention XnView Full, ViewNX 2, F-Spot, IrfanView and Faststone Image Viewer. With their help you can view images from NEF extension, and also convert them to other formats, such as JPEG. There are more "sophisticated" paid programs such as famous Adobe PhotoShop CS, ACDSee Photo Manager, ACD System Canvas and CoolUtils Total Image Converter.
Of course, if you convert NEF to JPG just from time to time, you're fine simple will do program like FastStone Image Viewer. This is a very simple and compact program, with a clear interface and a minimal functionality.
How to Convert NEF to JPEG
If you find it difficult to limit yourself viewing NEF-images and often need to convert NEF files, it is best to purchase NEF converter . One such converter is . It is good because it has the so-called function " batch conversion", that is, you can convert NEF files not one at a time, but in whole groups.
The program has a powerful engine that allows you to process an unlimited number of files. You can mark multiple photo NEF manually, or mark all files located in the selected folder. To do this, you just need to click the “Mark all” button.
Also, you can edit photos, change the color palette, set image quality parameters, rotate pictures, resize, add logos, comments, etc. The finished files will be placed in a folder that you designate.
NEF format can be classified into two main categories:
- file with NEF extension (full Nikon Electronic Format) - a raw graphic fragment obtained using a digital camera Nikon. NEF represents standard format camera data storage ( electronic format Nikon) and is one of the most popular for Nikon raw image fragments.
The raw image fragment is the main copy of the data obtained through the lens of a highly sensitive Nikon sensor, which has not been subjected to additional digital processing digital filtering system.
The NEF extension is based on the widely used format, which also requires negative post-formatting.
Being a large binary file, NEF can occupy up to several tens of megabytes of disk space. However, depending on custom settings Nikon cameras, auto-generation of the format can be done in both compressed and uncompressed form.
To play an extension, it is not at all necessary to perform post-processing; viewing and editing the format can be carried out on a wide variety of OS platforms (including Windows and Mac) using various devices. There are also a wide variety of free online services available for “developing” NEF images.
- NEF format is an encrypted Nero association file. Nero became widespread among a wide range of users as a software utility designed for copying optical disks and support for various tools Windows multimedia. Regarding this software NEF is used as backup file records (backup).
Programs for opening and editing NEF
To play back a NEF data file on a Windows OS platform as a raw Nikon image, use one of the following software plugins:
You can open or edit the NEF format in Linux OS using the Google Picasa utility.
This format adapted to work on Mac OS using Nikon ViewNX, Apple Aperture or Snap Converter plugins.
An encrypted NEF file that represents a backup recording file ( backup copy), can be played exclusively via the Nero plugin.
If an error occurs when opening the NEF extension, the reasons may include the following:
- the file is damaged or infected;
- the file is not associated with the OS registry (an incorrect application for playback was selected);
- insufficient device or OS resources;
- damaged or outdated drivers.
Converting NEF to other formats
Based on the fact that the practical scope of the NEF format is limited exclusively to post-processing of images obtained from a camera Nikon, broadcasting it to other formats is extremely rarely in demand. However, if there is a need for this, to organize the conversion process you can use the same software utilities as for playback, for example,
Received from Nikon cameras. Most professional photographers shoot in RAW mode because it allows them to make changes to the image during post-processing. They can reduce noise, adjust white balance, and change low and high exposure levels without compromising image quality. Unlike JPEG or other compressed formats, which include preset values for features such as white balance or brightness and color depth, RAW images give the photographer more freedom in shaping the final look of the image.
JPG is one of the most popular image formats in use today. Its main advantage is the ability to store good quality images in files small size. This is possible due to the type of compression used. The mechanism of this type of compression prioritizes some parts of the image over others, preserving high-quality areas of the image that are most visible to the human eye.
How to convert NEF to JPG?
The easiest way is to download good program conversions, for example Photo Converter. It works quickly and efficiently, allowing you to convert any number of NEF files at once. You will be able to quickly appreciate that Photo Converter can save a lot of time that you will spend when working manually.
Download and install Photo Converter
The photo converter is easy to download, install and use - you don't need to be a computer expert to understand how it works.
Add NEF files to Photo Converter
Launch Photo Converter and load the .nef files you want to convert to .jpg
You can select NEF files through the menu Files → Add files or simply transfer them to the Photo Converter window.
Select a location to save the received JPG files
Select JPG as the save format
To select JPG as the saving format, click on the icon JPG at the bottom of the screen, or the button + to add the ability to write to this format.
Now just press the button Start and the conversion will begin instantly, and JPG files will be saved to the specified location with the desired parameters and effects.
Try the free demoVideo instruction
Why does a camera save photos in NEF format? The answer to this question will be too long. In a nutshell, NEF format is needed to receive best quality photos And further very convenient and professional processing. I’m not a photographer, but out of logic I recommend, even for beginners, to set the saving format in their cameras to NEF or RAW.
Typically, photographers then open NEF photographs one by one in Photoshop, process them and save them in JPG or other common format so that they can be viewed on any device and program.
In our case, we need high-quality without processing convert a bunch of photos from NEF to JPG. I’ll say right away that you shouldn’t convert online, the output will be a photo with very poor quality, and it will also take a very long time. What then should you use?
The first option, which takes longer, is save photos from NEF to JPG one by one using Photoshop. If there are not many photos, then this method will do. Nothing complicated, open the photo in NEF in Photoshop, click “Save as...” and select JPG format, ready.
The second option will allow convert hundreds and even thousands of photos at once without losing quality, without distortion of brightness and contrast. We will do this through the FSViewer42 program. The official website no longer works, but I managed to download it a long time ago and uploaded it to this site for you. Download . The program does not need to be installed, just unzip and run. Next, I'll show you how to use it in screenshots.
We launch the FSViewer42 program and look on the left for the folder with photos in NEF. Then we simply select these photos.
Now we need to select the conversion tool. At the top, hover over “Tools” and select “Convert Selected.” 
A window with conversion settings will open. It is enough to select the format into which the photos should be converted, in our case we are converting NEF to JPG, so we select “*.jpg”, and also select the location for saving new photos. Click the button with the green triangle “Convert”. We wait until the photos are processed, then we check. Ready. Conversion time depends on the number and size of photos. 10 Full HD photos will be processed in approximately 30-50 seconds. 
Thank you for reading my blog. Always happy to help, ask questions, write comments, suggest ideas for interesting articles.
Greetings, dear readers. Today's article will be of interest to all amateur photographers, and especially owners of Nikon cameras. If you are the owner of a Nikon digital camera (the model does not matter), you may have noticed that when you transfer the received images to your computer, they are in an unusual NEF format.
By the way, what is noteworthy is that the NEF photo format is used for RAW images, which are created using digital cameras.
Photos in this NEF format take up a fairly large amount of memory, which makes storing them much more difficult. You may also have difficulty viewing them, because without special programs it's impossible to do. To solve your problem, I have compiled a small list of free programs for opening photos in NEF format:
- FastStone Image Viewer;
- IrfanView;
- Picasa.
The problem with opening and viewing seems to have been sorted out. Now let's return to “heaviness”. The large amount of memory occupied by NEF photos can be reduced by converting. Let's take a look at three as an illustrative example. best programs, which will allow you to convert NEF to JPG, JPEG or any other formats you prefer. So, let's begin.
PhotoScape
First free program, which will help us in converting NEF format photos - PhotoScape. In general, it is a very popular and multifunctional graphics editor. If you like to take photographs very often, be sure to install the PhotoScape program on your computer.
Let's start converting. To do this, open the program and in its main menu select “ ConverterRAW».
A dialog box with the same name will open. Click the " Add" and select the required NEF photos from the folders on your computer that you want to convert to JPG.
After downloading, click the " Convert" Then confirm by pressing the button " Yes».
Now the actual process of converting NEF to JPG will begin.
In the photo below you can see that the original image weighed 34 MB, and the converted one weighed 2 MB. By the way, earlier a very interesting article was published on satay, which describes detailed instructions About, .
Download PhotoScape for free
(downloads: 1405)
XnView
Now let's move on to the second program - XnView. This program is a universal “viewer” of video, audio and photos. It supports several hundred various formats, including the one we need - NEF.
XnView should also be considered as a converter. The program can handle converting NEF photo format to JPG without any problems. By the way, in the previous article we described the process of converting image formats and other formats using XnView program.
So, to proceed to the conversion you need to run the program itself. Then upload the image itself (or several) using the button " add file"or simply drag and drop.
Have you loaded it? Then go to the “ Output».
In this tab you need to: select the folder in which the converted file will be saved; specify the name of the future file; the format you want to receive (in our case JPG).
After which you need to click on the “ Convert", which will launch the process we need.
Converting one photo will take no more than a minute. In my case, at the end of the conversion, the new image weighs 600 KB, and the outgoing one weighs 32 MB.
Based on this data, XnView is still better than PhotoScape. Converted images practically do not differ in quality, but in terms of weight - XnView compresses the image into a little more than three times.
Download XnView for free
(downloads: 500)
Raw Therapee
This program is designed directly for editing images obtained from digital cameras (RAW images). At first I thought it was like this multifunctional program will be paid, but it turned out that it is freely available on the Internet.
When you first launch Raw Therapee, you should not be intimidated by the English interface. The language can be changed in the settings by clicking on the " Settings", and then in the section " Select language» choose Russian. Then simply click "OK" to accept the changes.
Unfortunately, for reasons unknown to me, I was unable to change the interface language settings on my laptop. But on the work computer everything worked out fine.
Let's get back to converting our NEF image to JPG. First you need to select the photo itself. This can be done using a small window " Folders».
Now you need to click on the photo right click mouse and in the appeared context menu select the command " Put to queue».
After which the image will appear in the “ Queue" Let's go into it.
Then, after setting all the settings, click the “ Start processing».
Upon completion of conversion from NEF to JPEG image weighs 3 MB. But at the same time, the Raw Therapee program also automatically changed the brightness and contrast in the photo.
Download Raw program Therapee free
(downloads: 287)
Now you should draw your own conclusions and choose for yourself exactly the program that you like best.
Finally, I would also like to list a list of free online services, with which you can also convert NEF format photos:
- Online-converting;
- RAW Pics.io;
- Office-converter.
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