nikon capture NX

[TC]

Why is the nikon capture NX software after processing the photos reduces the pixels? its reduces by more than 50%. I would have thought the pixel count would be higher after processing.

[ATJ]

Sorry? I don't think I follow. When I use CaptureNX I end up with exactly the same number of pixel unless I crop or resize (which I rarely do in CaptureNX).

What exactly are you doing and what leads you to believe you are reducing the number of pixels?

[TC]

that's what I don't understand, I only change the contrast and brightness. The original picture size is eg 4000KB and after processing its becomes 1200 KB.

[ATJ]

File size does not necessarily coincide with number of pixels.

What type of file did you start with and what type of file did you save? If the output file was JPEG, what level of compression did you use?

My guess is you are saving as JPEG. JPEG allows for the files to be compressed and the compression is lossy, which means you lose information. You will still have the same number of pixels but the amount of information will be less.

[TC]

thanks ATJ, I just tested another one. newbie getting confuse here, you are right, the dimension remains the same ie 4288 x 2848 but the file size is reduce from 5509KB to 1567KB. I am taking/setting camera as L/fine/ JPEG. How do you set the NX so that I don't lose information? BTW NX came with the day old D300.

[ATJ]

I am taking/setting camera as L/fine/ JPEG.

You would be better off using NEF for the D300. That way you won't lose anything at all.

How do you set the NX so that I don't lose information?

Choose File->Save As. Choose "JPEG (*jpg; *.jpeg)" as the Save as type. After you click save you will be presented with a Save Options Dialog. The higher the quality you choose, e.g. Excellent Quality, the less you will lose. The best is 100. You will still lose some information, as that is the nature of JPEG, but you will lose less with a higher quality.

Please note there is nothing really bad about losing the information with JPEG, unless you choose very high compression.

[gstark]

Please note there is nothing really bad about losing the information with JPEG, unless you choose very high compression.

Or unless you save, reload, save, reload, etc.

Every time that you save, you lose data. Loading from that saved file means that you're starting from an already compromised baseline.

Again, it may not be critical .... or it may.

[TC]

thanks all, I think I understand now.

[TC]

Again, it may not be critical .... or it may.

I really can't see the lost in picture quality on my 22in screen.

[gstark]

Again, it may not be critical .... or it may.

I really can't see the lost in picture quality on my 22in screen.

Load, do something to the image, save, close.

Repeat 5 times.

Then tell me if you can see a loss in picture quality.

[Pehpsi]

There's an update for this on Mac:

http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/22 ... capture-nx