Nikon Capture 4 Software for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras and Coolpix 8800, 8700, and 8400

by Nikon

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 8.5 x 6.8 x 2 inches ; 1.6 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000144HZE
• Item model number: 25291
• Average Customer Review: 3.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (17 customer reviews)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: October 2, 2001

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

The Nikon Capture 4 editor component contains a variety of tools for enhancing images, including brightness, contrast, color balance, unsharp mask adjustment, Digital DEE, and fisheye lens settings. With RAW (NEF) images, it can be used to adjust white balance and tone compensation, to reduce the effects of dust on the camera image sensor (Image Dust Off), and to correct for the slight darkening at the margins of an image (vignetting) particular to the field of view of a given lens. When RAW images are saved in NEF format, image enhancement settings are saved separately from the original image data, allowing you to modify settings repeatedly without degrading the quality of the original image. Nikon Capture 4 Editor is also equipped with a batch option for automated processing of multiple images. Using the Camera Control component of Nikon Capture 4, you can control almost all aspects of camera operation remotely from your computer. If Camera Control is running when a D2H or D100 camera is connected, or a D1-series camera is connected and set to PC mode, pictures taken with the camera will be stored on your computer hard disk, not the camera memory card. The camera can be operated either directly or using the controls in the Camera Control window. Camera settings are displayed in Camera Control.

Product Description

Current Version 4.4 Features: Capture Control for hard-wired remote operation Capture Editor for image processing of NEF, JPEG, TIFF formats New dust-delete technology New image-enhancement technology New Fish-eye 2 rectilinear technology Extensive legacy compatibility

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

80 of 81 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Essential for the Nikon photographer who shoots in RAW format, April 6, 2006

By 

Roger J. Buffington (Huntington Beach, CA United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Nikon Capture 4 Software for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras and Coolpix 8800, 8700, and 8400 (Electronics)

Capture 4.4 is the ultimate post-processing program for processing NEF (Nikon Electronic Format) photos, also known as "RAW" format photos. For those not familiar with RAW format, essentially a RAW format photo file enables the photographer to make post-shot changes to a photo to a much greater extent than is possible when shooting conventional JPEG file shots. So, for example, if one wishes to adjust the exposure on a RAW photo, you can do so and the effect is essentially the same, within the range of a couple of F/stops, as though you had shot the picture that way in the first place (there are exceptions to this beyond the scope of this review). The same is true for many other settings, such as Color Mode (SRGB versus Adobe, for example), White Balance, Sharpening, etc. You can modify some of these to some extent on JPEGs, but when you do there is always a loss of data--while there is no such loss when modifying RAW files. The bottom line is that if you botch a setting shooting RAW files you are much more likely to be able to salvage the photo if you shot RAW, as compared to if you shot JPEG. If you are shooting a wedding or some other critical event where failure is not an option, only a VERY competent expert would not opt to shoot RAW, in my opinion at least.

I am explaining this, because it helps to explain what you are getting with Capture 4.4. Capture 4.4 is the ultimate program for modifying the settings that RAW files are designed to allow the modification of. It is Nikon's own program for modifying Nikon Electronic Format (RAW) files, and it is unsurpassed by third parties for this purpose. This is NOT a substitute for Photoshop or its competitors. Capture 4.4 does not give you the cloning tool and the other huge host of artistic modification tools that one finds in Photoshop. (It does have a cropping tool and a few other basic tools along this line, but nothing like Photoshop). The real purpose of Capture 4.4 is to control the "levers" i.e. exposure, sharpening, etc. that the RAW mode was designed to provide when post-processing RAW (and to a limited extent JPEG) photos. Some photographers, myself included, use Capture 4.4 for this purpose, and then may use Photoshop if there are any detailed changes to the photo that need to be done. Capture 4.4 really complements, rather than competes with, programs like Photoshop.

The main gripe most users have with Capture 4.4 is that it is a clunky memory hog, and it is somewhat slow. This is a program that will use every bit of your computer's processing power. The user interface is on the clunky side too, although it is not all that bad. I personally found that I could get up to speed pretty fast with this program without using the manual much.

I give this one 5 stars for utility and 3 stars for being a memory hog with a clunky interface, rounding out to 4 stars. Future upgrades will doubtless cure the technical issues with this program. But for the Nikon photographer shooting RAW files, this program is a "must have" in my opinion. Highly recommended.

55 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great functionality but buggy, November 24, 2004

By 

Omega Book "Omega Book" (San Diego, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Nikon Capture 4 Software for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras and Coolpix 8800, 8700, and 8400 (Electronics)

If you've spent the money on a Nikon camera that takes NEF (RAW) format, and you are a serious photographer, you should spend the money on this product.

The power of Capture is awesome and the user interface is very intuitive--unlike Adobe Photoshop/Elements. Best of all, any changes that you make to a NEF file can be undone, so your original image is always available.

The bad news is that the program has a nasty habit of crashing, so save your changes frequently and be prepared to reload as needed. Another problem that I have had is that Nikon technical support is not at all knowledgeable about the software. If your question is not one of the basic ones for which Nikon can email back a "canned response" you are on your own. The manual is pretty good, and as noted above, the program generally does what you expect it to do. Never the less, Nikon should support it better and improve the reliablity of the software.

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Best product for Nikon RAW conversion, once you get it installed, July 24, 2006

By 

Kathleen M. Yorston (Denver, Colorado) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Nikon Capture 4 Software for Nikon Digital SLR Cameras and Coolpix 8800, 8700, and 8400 (Electronics)

There can be difficulties getting this software installed on your computer, and it needs to be installed in SAFE MODE in some instances. However, Nikon USA have a superb support facility, and I strongly recommend you contact them if you experiene any difficulties. Photoshop CS2 has a RAW converter function, but Nikon Capture 4.4 is far superior. The settings available in this product allow you to correct almost any error made in-camera - a photographer's dream. The "capture" element of the software however, would be a whole lot better if it allowed you to see on your computer screen the composition you would normally see through the viewfinder. There is now a new version available, Nikon Capture NX - it will sell as an upgrade if you already have Nikon Capture 4.4