# NEED RAW (NEF) READER FOR MAC



## TurboRabbit

Hello Friends, 

Its been a while since Ive had the time to get on the forum. But, I need help. Im planning on taking my photography a little more serious this year. so I decided to upgrade. Got a MAC BOOK PRO along with some other goodies, as well as a 24'' monitor.  
I will be getting a Nikon D300s in a couple of months. 

Now,.. I just got a MAC BOOK PRO and ive been uploading some of my old unedited pictures. Once I transfer them over to the computer the computer automatically changes them from NEF (RAW) to JPEG... WTF? any help? 


thanks..


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## Hertz van Rental

How are you transferring them over?
A Mac can't convert RAW files to jpeg on it's own.
I use Olympus and my RAW files have the .ORF file tag and none of my Macs has ever converted them to anything without me telling it to.
If you want a good program for image handling then get Aperture.


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## TurboRabbit

im using iPhoto.. i think thats whats prob converted it to jpeg.. is there any place i can go and download mac software for free  lol


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## Hertz van Rental

The Apple web site has some free download, some shareware and some free trials of a variety of software and widgets.
Free downloads of commercial software is a breach of copyright which is frowned on enough on this site to get you a slap or even a ban just for asking.
You don't actually need much software for a Mac anyway.
Buy Aperture so you can get the upgrades and patches.
Lemke software do the amazing Graphic Converter which can be downloaded and used for free, but paying (and it's not much) will stop the annoying messages.
Otherwise check out Tucows which has a lot of good freeware and shareware.

PS Aperture works with RAW as native but iPhoto does not. It tends to convert the image to jpeg so it can work with it - but it should not have altered the master.
Photoshop does a similar thing unless you have the appropriate RAW plug-in.


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## Derrel

Inside of each and every .NEF file is a .JPEG file. That embedded JPEG can easily be extracted without even using software, merely by making a duplicate file of the .NEFG, and then re-naming the file with the file type .JPG at the end instead of .NEF. THis is a slow, file-by-file method not recommended as a normal workflow.

As for files being changed from .NEF to .JPG when transferred to the new Macintosh, that "used to be" a file sharing or file handling preference under OS 9...but under OS X I am not sure where that preference is changed under OS X.

There *is* a free Raw-to-JPEG software application that can batch convert NEFs to JPEGs rather rapidly. I tried it about a year ago, and found that it was fast, but I have other means of converting so I discarded it. it is named ijfr
"Instant JPEG from RAW",and I got it from the rawworkflow.com web site.


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## wtdeane

iPhoto does not automatically convert RAW to jpg.  Conversion is not part of the import process.  You can always call Apple support if you just bought your machine or you just purchased iLife '09.

Don't forget about Support (Apple - Support)

Versiontracker.com is my site of choice for finding software.  Very easy to navigate.

I hope that helps.

Cheers!


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## dizzyg44

neither OS X nor Iphoto convert the .nefs.  All of the current nikon amera's raw files are supported in OS X, even raw support for the 300s was just released.

What are your exact steps so we can see what you are doing?


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