Open NEF file - with this program it works

NEF files are files in a special RAW image format, which is only used by Nikon brand cameras. To open and process images in NEF format, you need a special program. How to install and use it to open them, you will learn here.

How to open files in NEF format

NEF stands for "Nikon Electronic Format" and, as the name suggests, is used exclusively for image files by the Nikon company. NEF files are so-called RAW image files, also known as digital negatives. These NEF files contain all recorded image files as well as their metadata and are also stored on the memory card. To open a NEF file, please proceed as follows:

1. First connect your Nikon camera to your PC and transfer the images to it.
2. For the opening of NEF images to work, you need the program "Nikon Capture NX-D". Download it free of charge from the Internet and install it on your PC.
3. After successful installation, then open the program and select an image in NEF format that you want to view and edit.

You have these options for editing NEF files

Unlike images in other common image formats, such as TIFF or JPG, you have more options for editing images in NEF format. Besides the option to adjust colors, you can also make corrections to exposure and sharpness or apply noise filters. However, in order to subsequently process the Nikon images further or edit them with other programs, it is necessary to convert them to another image format.