Capture NX 2.2.2 Update

No doubt, just to give me a reason to post an update, Nikon has released an update to Capture NX.

Basically, the update adds D300s and D3000 support and fixes a crash.

From the press release:

USA Here

Euro-Land Here

New Capture NX v2.2

After a long, dry (several days at least!) spell of little news is finally broken but (wait for it)- UPDATED CaptureNX! We’re now at V2.2.

Windows Mac

What’s changed?

Enhanced processing capabilities with more advanced functions

Tokyo — Nikon Corporation is pleased to announce that from the beginning of April 2009, they will offer a free download of image-editing software Capture NX 2, Ver. 2.2 to current users of Versions 2.0 and 2.1.1. In addition to providing the features of earlier versions, which allow quick-and-easy on-image photo editing to optimize photographer workflow, this latest version includes more powerful and refined tools to greatly improve image-processing efficiency.

Newly added functions include:

• improved speed in batch processing
• Intel-approved logo permitted for Core 2 Duo/Core 2 Quad support
• NRW (COOLPIX P6000’s RAW data) support
• Vignette control function utilizing lens information
• Axial color aberration correction.

1. Improved operational efficiency with higher speeds for batch processing

With batch processing, pre-set editing information can be applied to all of the image data in a selected folder. By revising the memory control system, processing is accelerated.* Operational efficiency is greatly improved, even with large quantities of image data.

* By about 10 – 20% with Windows Vista, 50% with MacOS; varies according to operating environment and conditions.

2. Intel-approved logo permitted for Core 2 Duo/Core 2 Quad support

This software has been optimized for use with industry-leading Intel processors. As a software application based on Intel architecture, Capture NX 2 has received permission to use the Intel-approved logo.

3. NRW support

NRW, a form of RAW data taken with the COOLPIX P6000, is newly supported.

Note: NRW can be saved in NRW, JPEG or TIFF (not in NEF). Saving data in NRW is not possible from NEF/TIFF/JPEG, but only from NRW data. Also, with NRW data, functions peculiar to digital SLR cameras, such as Image Dust Off, are not supported.

4. Enhanced Distortion Control Functions

Superior-quality distortion-free images are ensured by reducing pincushion and barrel distortions. With the new version of Capture NX 2, more effective automatic control is made possible based on information of compatible lenses.

5. Axial Color Aberration Correction

This newly added function automatically detects axial color aberration and corrects it to provide pictures of higher quality. This can be applied to any image because shooting data that depends on lens information is not used in the process.

Ok- I’ll take any upgrade that makes Capture better or easier. It’s strange to me that they list the Intel logo as the number 2 bullet in all of these mentions (this announcement and others) but provide zero information on what practical application this has. NX appears to have been multi-core (on Windows anyway) aware since V2 (if I remember correctly).

What would -really- help is if they made a 64 bit version- I’m really tired of the 20 open pictures limit.

A while ago, I got tired of this limit and started to think- the NEF format is a modified TIFF, and Capture seems to use the uncompressed TIFF directly (it doesn’t operate natively on the NEF in memory). So its temporary in-memory version of your NEF is ~80 megs (as far as I’m able to discern), so 20*80 = ~1600 megabytes, throw in overhead and the memory required by NX’ code, you realize that it quickly would bump against the 2gig limit of address space for a 32bit process in Windows (I know there are exceptions, let’s not get pedantic).

So, make it into a 64bit process and soon, I can use all 12gigs on my machine and everyone’s happier. I’d even pay another $100 to upgrade.

Windows here. Mac here.

Changes? Some minor crash fixes, some minor bug fixes, D3x support added.

Full list:

Modifications enabled with 2.1.1:

• Support for RAW images captured with the D3X has been added.
• When images containing GPS information captured with another manufacturer’s digital camera were opened, GPS information was not displayed. This issue has been resolved.
• When RAW images captured with another manufacturer’s lens and the camera’s Vignette control item in the shooting menu set to any option other than Off were opened, Capture NX 2 sometimes froze. This issue has been resolved.
• When attempting to open 1-bit monochrome TIFF (LZW) images, Capture NX 2 quit unexpectedly. This issue has been resolved.
• When attempting to open some images saved in NEF format using Nikon Capture or Capture NX v1.x, Capture NX 2 quit unexpectedly. This issue has been resolved.
• When images were opened in Capture NX 2 v2.0.0 or v2.0.1 with which optional Picture Controls were not installed, and an image Picture Control setting was modified and then a settings file saved, Picture Control settings were not accurately reflected when the settings file was applied to images later opened in Capture NX 2 v2.1.0 with which optional Picture Controls were installed. This issue has been resolved.
• When attempting to save enhancements applied to images in some system environments, the enhancements were not saved. This issue has been resolved.
• When multiple images were opened and white balance adjusted for each image using the Set Gray Point option under White Balance in the Camera Settings palette, an error message was displayed when clicking on the image after clicking the Start button. This issue has been resolved.
• When Color Noise Reduction under Noise Reduction was adjusted and the image saved in NEF format, Color Noise Reduction effects were removed when the image was again opened and the Noise Reduction check box unchecked and then checked again when logged in to a Windows user account with a user name containing 2-byte characters. This issue has been resolved.