Picture Project vs Capture NX

[MasonAR]

Hi everybody
This is my first email enquiry into the forum so please forgive me if I make a hiccup in the process as a beginner.
My question to the forum is that I am seeking info (in laymans terms) on Nikon software.
I have been using Pic Project quite satisfactorally for a couple of years after purchasing a D70 but recently just bought a D300 with Nikon Software Suite & Capture NX software supplied.

My problem is finding more about them before I madly go & install. I'm unsure what changes will occur (such as to the P/P 1.1.7 that I am currently using) in my computer if I install. If anyone can give some advice I would be very appreciative.
Regards
Andrew Mason

[ATJ]

Andrew,

Welcome to the forum.

I have not used Picture Project myself, but as it has been discontinued as a product, it won't be able to handle the NEF files produced by the D300. Shooting NEF is definitely advisable so you will need to use CaptureNX for your raw conversion.

I doubt that the installation of CaptureNX will have any impact on Picture Project.

[Glen]

Welcome to the forum Andrew. Picture Project was a fairly basic program that received panning reviews and wasn't used by many. It was often reviewed as better than nothing but I doubt you will still find too many regular users of it. Capture NX is Nikons (actually Nik Software, an unrelated company) latest attempt at a photo processing program and is quite good but it is not a Photoshop CS3. Photoshop costs real money and Nikon threw Capture in, so that will make the choice for many. I use Capture NX and am quite happy with it, but I don't do a lot of post processing, I would think a Photoshop user would find it under featured.

In terms of your PC, I would remove PP and install Capture NX so you have all the latest software, NEF converters, etc which would take advantage of the latest features in your D300. As you have the Picture Project disc you could reinstall if NX isn't to your liking. From memory I believe Nikon has discontinued support for PP. In summary, your D300 is light years in front of your D70, you need software to match it so I would install NX. Others may have other opinions. PS Can you put a suburb in your profile? Thanks

[gstark]

As Glen has said, PP is a pretty basic (under-featured) program, and it is no longer supported. It won't read raw images produced by your D300; just about any application will read jpgs produced by just about any camera.

Shooting in raw uses more space on your CF card, as well as on your HDD, but it provides you with options that shooting in jpg cannot match. Let's say you get paid $500/week clear, and you decide to immediately throw away $200 of it just because you can. That's the difference between shooting raw vs shooting jpg.

Capture NX will read your D300's raw files, and acts as an image browser too. It provides some exclusivity into some of your raw images' features, meaning that there are some aspects of your PP workflow that may only be performed using NX.

Be advised that all image processing applications are resource intensive when it comes to your computer, and so the higher performance your computer is, the less difficult and time consuming your processing will be.

Many people install NX + Photoshop or Lightroom, and their workflow moves the image from one app to the next in order to get to their finished product. I believe that this is a wise course of action too: not every tool is suitable for every one of your needs, and there are times when something can be done more readily using this or that.

[MasonAR]

To Gary, ATG & Glen
Just a note to say thank you for your responces to my query - much appreciated.
I can see now Gary what you mean about the advantages of belonging to DSLR Users.
Cheers
Andrew

[Pa]

i had Picture Project and Capture NX installed on my computer...neither impacted on the other

[W00DY]

belonging to DSLR Users.

Since Gary now owns me do I get some of the inheritance? the merc will do

[gstark]

belonging to DSLR Users.

Since Gary now owns me do I get some of the inheritance? the merc will do

Andrew,

Tell you what: you pay the lease; I'll have the car. Seems fair to me.

[dm_td5]

The comparison is a moot point. Nikon nolonger is issuing full versions of PictureProject since the end of February 2008

See here: http://tinyurl.com/35mcwl

Please be informed that as of February 29 2008, we will no longer be offering full version downloads (for new installation) of PictureProject or Nikon View 6 software. However, we continue to offer customer support and existing software updates for both applications from this website.

[Matt. K]

Nothing processes Nikon RAW files as well as Capture NX. Given that it is clunky and not intuitive to use it can't be beat for ultimate quality.