Capture NX
Much more than a RAW converter, Capture NX is a fully fledged image editor with tools for adjusting hue, saturation and lightness using individual editor dialogs. The user interface has four workspaces: Browser, Metadata, Multi-Purpose and Edit. You can switch quickly between them, viewing your currently selected image together with a row of thumbnails for alternative image selection. Capture NX uses Nik Software's U Point technology to identify and isolate parts of the image, so that the user can adjust black and white points, dynamic range, and all the dimensions of color across these defined areas, without the need for masks, selections, or layers.
Capture NX also offers the D-Lighting feature to brighten shadow areas and Tone Curve to adjust brightness and contrast. Both of these can be done selectively to parts of the image, such as to a single figure and its immediate surroundings. An Auto Retouch Brush lets you remove dust spots from an image by matching the surrounding colors and tones. You can use the same tool to remove facial blemishes, imperfections on flowers, or other unwanted objects within the frame.
Among its image manipulation tools are fisheye-to-rectilinear image transformation which converts pictures made with the AF DX Fisheye-Nikkor 10.5mm f/2.8G ED lens into either of two ultra-wide angle image modes; vignette control to obtain near perfect center-to-edge-to-corner brightness; and an "image dust off" dust mapping utility which, once invoked, removes the effect of dust from subsequent images.
Comment
Capture NX is a professional tool, but is offered at a reasonable price. Using Nik Software's wonderful U Point technology has made it easier to use than, say, the full version of Adobe Photoshop, but it still requires some training and practice to get the best from it.
Capture NX has extensive batch processing facilities (now running at higher speeds owing to improved operational efficiency), remote camera control and excellent metadata handling that includes nine kinds of labeling and five levels of ratings. It is geared mainly towards Nikon users, but if you can live without some of the features (like Image Dust Off which works on NEF files only) you can use it even if you do not have a Nikon camera.
Tech info
- OS: Windows XP onward; Mac OS X
- Price level: sub-$150
Nikon Corporation
Founded in 1917 with the merger of two leading optical company, Nikon Corporation now has sales of nearly 900 billion Japanese yen per annum. Nikon Inc. was established in the United States in 1981; and Guang Dong Nikon Camera Co., Ltd. in China in 1997.
Note: Amazon (see right) has this listed at a very competitive price.
From the same vendor:
- Cameras:
- D3X, D3S, D3
- D700, D300S, D90
- D5000, D60, D3000
- + lenses
- + accessories
- + COOLPIX range
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