Canon Digital Rebel XT, RAW files, and Photoshop

On 21 May 2005 05:15:29 -0700, "Barry Pearson"
wrote:

Has Adobe itself made a statement on this subject? I have seen a
straightforward factual explanation from Thomas Knoll. But I thought he
was not an Adobe employee. (I wonder if an urban legend is developing
about Adobe's part in the debate?)

I thought the SDK didn't give access to the sensor data? If so, it is
not suitable for alternative Raw processors. I don't think Adobe's
competitors take it any more seriously than Adobe do. (Actually, I
think Nikon won't supply it to individuals writing Raw-processing
software).

http://photoshopnews.com/?p=226



Nikon Advisory - For Immediate Release
The Nikon D2X professional Digital Single Lens Reflex camera has
received widely positive acclaim for its overall performance and image
processing quality. Recently, speculative statements which appear to
be based on misunderstandings and misinformation about the D2X
camera’s “encryption” of certain white balance data have propagated on
the internet.

The purpose of this advisory is to clarify this matter with facts and
explanations.

The Nikon D2X is capable of producing high quality images that can be
saved in a variety of file formats, including the proprietary Nikon
Electronic Format (NEF), standard TIFF and several levels of standard
JPEG compressed files.

The NEF, a Nikon proprietary raw file design, was introduced with the
Nikon D1 Camera and Nikon’s original Capture software. The combination
of Nikon camera, in-camera image processing, NEF file format and
in-computer image processing with original Nikon Capture software was
developed as a system that faithfully saved image files that represent
the camera settings made manually or automatically by the photographer
at the time a picture was taken.

Nikon’s preservation of its unique technology in the NEF file is
employed as an action that protects the uniqueness of the file. At the
same time, Nikon makes available a software developer kit (SDK) that,
when implemented appropriately, enables a wide range of NEF
performance, including white balance, for Nikon photographers and
their productive use of the NEF file.

Since the inception of the system, Nikon has always provided
photographers with choices about how they might use the system’s
performance and enjoy high quality images. Nikon’s choices for opening
and processing NEF files have been and continue to include:

Nikon Capture software
Plug-in for Adobe’s Photoshop
Nikon PictureProject software
Nikon View software
Availability of Nikon Software Developer Kit (SDK) and the software
that has been developed using the SDK
Through use of the Nikon Software Developer Kit, authorized developers
can produce software by applying creative concepts to their
implementation and adding capabilities to open Nikon’s NEF file and
use NEF’s embedded Instructions and Nikon’s Libraries. Nikon
photographers reap benefits from independent developers’ approaches,
because it allows the photographer to open and process their NEF
images.

After a developer’s software is created using the Nikon SDK, a NEF
file can be opened, edited in either TIFF or JPEG format, and then
saved in formats available in the developers’ software. This process
has been available since the first Nikon SDK for NEF.

With each introduction of a new Nikon digital Single Lens Reflex
model, Nikon updates the available SDK selection to provide new
information; this is the situation with the D2X, D2Hs and D50 models.
As stated above, application for the Nikon SDK is possible for bona
fide software companies that send Nikon a written application for the
SDK. Once approved, the SDK is provided to the developer at no charge
and they are authorized to use it.

Nikon has provided its confidential SDK software to many software
developers. With the Nikon SDK, developers may design excellent and
creative compatibility between the NEF and their software, all without
compromising the integrity of the NEF’s original concept, and ensuring
that work done by the photographer during the picture taking process
can be incorporated into the rendering of the image.

The trilogy of performance, from Camera-to-NEF-to-Capture, has evolved
though several generations of Nikon Digital SLR models, improving
along the way. As a proprietary format, Nikon secures NEF’s structure
and processing through various technologies. Securing this structure
is intended for the photographer’s benefit, and dedicated to ensuring
faithful reproduction of the photographer’s creative intentions
through consistent performance and rendition of the images.
Discussions propagated on the internet suggesting otherwise are
misinformed about the unique structure of NEF.

Nikon’s Camera System, NEF and Capture software are a tightly knit
system, and they are all developed through the cooperative efforts of
Nikon’s design teams, and this collaboration results in achieving the
highest image quality.

Nikon strives to provide photographers with excellent picture taking
performance, compatible Nikon in-system image processing performance
and by extension, compatibility with additional software developers’
products, with the ultimate goal of delivering a high level of
integrity for a photographer’s creative vision.

Nikon continues to welcome dialogue with bona fide software
developers.

On Sat, 21 May 2005 11:04:39 -0400, Alan Browne
wrote:

Nikon are not doing anyone a service in this regard. Don't be fooled.
Unless you'll be implementing that dev kit yourself, you will pay someone.


Hmm. Seems like you want it both ways. First you say it's encrypted
and then you say it's not good enough they provide the tools for 3rd
party software developers. Nikon has no control over Adobe and
whether they decide to charge a premium for it, or DCRaw, Capture One,
or anyone else.

When people buy a Nikon digital Camera, they should get, FREE OF CHARGE,
the software that gets the FULL potential out of that camera. Period.
Not the promisse that a software developer kit is 'available'. Same for
the other OEM's.

You do, or at least I did with the D1x 3 years ago. I don't know what
software ships with the D2x but I have been able to upgrade all of my
Nikon software for free whenever they update it, just by providing my
camera's serial number.

On 21 May 2005 05:15:29 -0700, "Barry Pearson"
wrote:


Has Adobe itself made a statement on this subject? I have seen a
straightforward factual explanation from Thomas Knoll. But I thought he
was not an Adobe employee. (I wonder if an urban legend is developing
about Adobe's part in the debate?)

Thomas Knoll is the considered the chief author of Photoshop, is a
full time employee, and the press release was released on the adobe
website.

On Sat, 21 May 2005 11:08:45 -0400, Alan Browne
wrote:

In effect, regardless of the Adobe version, NIKON should be supplying
FREE OF CHARGE, the plugins that will allow myriad photoshop versions to
read the camera data in full.

So Nikon should build the software for a 3rd party software developer?

When you're done at your work why don't you just swing by my house
and wash my car?

McLeod wrote:
On 21 May 2005 05:15:29 -0700, "Barry Pearson"
wrote:

Has Adobe itself made a statement on this subject? I have seen a
straightforward factual explanation from Thomas Knoll. But I thought
he
was not an Adobe employee. (I wonder if an urban legend is
developing
about Adobe's part in the debate?)

Thomas Knoll is the considered the chief author of Photoshop, is a
full time employee, and the press release was released on the adobe
website.

I believe Adobe has never issued a press release on this topic. I
believe a myth is growing up about Adobe's involvement in this debate.
Here are their press releases for April and Photoshop:

http://www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/pres...in.html#200504

http://www.adobe.com/aboutadobe/pres...tegory.html#28

Thomas Knoll posted a factual statement about the matter to the
User-to-User forums. Here is what he said:

http://tinyurl.com/az7pc

Thomas Knoll does indeed have that sort of role with Photoshop, but as
far as I know he is not an employee of Adobe. However, that is not
relevant here. His statement is a simple explanation, and the debate
since then has been driven by Nikon's users, and industry commentators,
with little or probably no Adobe involvement.

I understand that what Nikon do really is encryption, involving the
camera serial number and the image number. The only reason to encrypt
any of the Raw file is to COERCE photographers into using the
decryption software, which means Nikon Capture. That is an attack on
their customers, instead of giving them a free choice.

What we have here is Nikon, apparently trying to coerce their D2X
customers to buy software they may not want; and Adobe, who give away a
free DNG Converter that users of CS can use instead of having to
upgrade to CS2 to handle the D2X.

How interesting that Nikon, primarily a hardware company, is trying to
force people to buy their software, and Adobe, a software company, is
giving away free software that may reduce the number of upgrades they
sell!

Here is a website dedicated to causing camera manufacturers to open up
their Raw formats, for various reasons, including long term
readability:

http://www.openraw.org/

--
Barry Pearson
http://www.barry.pearson.name/photography/
http://www.birdsandanimals.info/

Alan Browne wrote:
[snip]
In effect, regardless of the Adobe version, NIKON should be supplying

FREE OF CHARGE, the plugins that will allow myriad photoshop versions
to
read the camera data in full. Or, Nikon should be supplying FREE OF
CHARGE, the full capability to read the data from the camera. But
no,
they want to pad on some more revenue for giving you what you already

bought!
[snip]

The problem with Nikon's plug-ins is that they don't provide the same
capability as Camera Raw. The question of how to remove the Nikon
plug-ins so that Photoshop / Camera Raw can work properly is a frequent
question in Adobe forums.

Even if Nikon provided their software free, some photographers wouldn't
want it in their workflow. (I don't want the software for my Pentax in
my workflow).

In the short term, photographers should be putting pressure on the
camera manufacturers to stop playing games with Raw formats, and ensure
that they can be decoded by other companies. For the future, the answer
is for camera manufacturers to use a common specification. For that, at
the moment, DNG is the only game in town.

--
Barry Pearson
http://www.barry.pearson.name/photography/
http://www.birdsandanimals.info/

Alan Browne wrote:
[snip]
For their part, Adobe are not doing anyone a service wrt plugins that

aren't released for the very expensive CS.

This is an argument that Adobe can't win!

I want Adobe to put their development effort into either the Photoshop
release I have, or future releases. That means CS2 and CS3, etc. That
way, I will benefit from that effort.

I do NOT want Adobe putting development effort into releases that I
will never use because I have upgraded from them! (Because of the
considerable enhancements in ACR 3.x compared with ACR 2.x, including
the plug-in interface, it would take extra effort to back-fit support
for the new cameras).

In other words, this isn't a dispute between Adobe and its customers.
It is between different customers. Between you and me, in fact!

Pistols at dawn?

--
Barry Pearson
http://www.barry.pearson.name/photography/
http://www.birdsandanimals.info/

McLeod wrote:
On 21 May 2005 05:15:29 -0700, "Barry Pearson"
wrote:
[snip]
I thought the SDK didn't give access to the sensor data? If so, it
is
not suitable for alternative Raw processors. I don't think Adobe's
competitors take it any more seriously than Adobe do. (Actually, I
think Nikon won't supply it to individuals writing Raw-processing
software).
[snip]
Nikon Advisory - For Immediate Release
[snip]

Nikon's statements on this topic have obscured things, not clarified
them. I think their PR people are trying to work out how to salvage
Nikon's position, but even here they dig themselves in a bit deeper:

http://avondale.typepad.com/rawforma..._pr_reps_.html

http://www.engadget.com/entry/1234000960042753/

You can see what Dave Coffin said he

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0504/05...ninterview.asp

--
Barry Pearson
http://www.barry.pearson.name/photography/
http://www.birdsandanimals.info/

On 22 May 2005 00:22:49 -0700, "Barry Pearson"
wrote:

I understand that what Nikon do really is encryption, involving the
camera serial number and the image number. The only reason to encrypt
any of the Raw file is to COERCE photographers into using the
decryption software, which means Nikon Capture. That is an attack on
their customers, instead of giving them a free choice.



http://www.dpreview.com/news/0504/05...ninterview.asp

McLeod wrote:
On 22 May 2005 00:22:49 -0700, "Barry Pearson"
wrote:

I understand that what Nikon do really is encryption, involving the
camera serial number and the image number. The only reason to
encrypt
any of the Raw file is to COERCE photographers into using the
decryption software, which means Nikon Capture. That is an attack on
their customers, instead of giving them a free choice.

http://www.dpreview.com/news/0504/05...ninterview.asp

Are you agreeing with me or disagreeing? (I have already posted that
URL in reply to one of your posts).

Note, from that interview with Dave Coffin:

8. It's clear that many photographers are concerned over the current
situation between Adobe and Nikon because they feel it may be an
indicator of worse to come (harder encryption, more 'locking down' of
file data). So is this a storm in a teacup or a sign of more to come?

Photographers have reason to feel scared. Not being computer hackers,
they feel powerless to stop Nikon from asserting property rights over
their images.

I'm not so worried. Whatever scheme Nikon tries next, I'll just
reverse-engineer it.

9. Is there a place for a standard 'Open' RAW format or does that raise
too many issues to do with the sharing of proprietary image processing
between competitive manufacturers?

Adobe Digital Negative (DNG) is a great format -- I totally redesigned
dcraw for maximum DNG compatibility.

--
Barry Pearson
http://www.barry.pearson.name/photography/
http://www.birdsandanimals.info/