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Chapter 6 — Getting Started | File Format Differences 19
File Format Differences
Capture NX 2 supports three different file formats: NEF, TIFF, and JPEG.
NEF
The NEF, or Nikon Electronic Format, was designed as the archive file format for your images. The NEF file
format saves the complete contents of the Edit List palette along with the original image. All changes
made to the image are stored separately within the file, enabling a non-destructive image editing workflow.
NEF allows for relatively small file sizes with no loss in image quality. Within Capture NX 2, NEF images
remain nearly the same size as the original image file, regardless of the number of enhancements that are
applied within the image.
A Please note: The file size of NEF files may increase slightly after being saved in Capture NX 2 due to the inclusion
of a full resolution, high quality JPEG preview. This JPEG preview ensures that other applications can accurately
display the current state of the image. This file size increase will occur only after the first save within Capture NX 2,
while subsequent saves may cause small file size variations due to the inherent nature of the JPEG compression
used on the embedded JPEG preview or due to the size of the JPEG preview having been changed with the Crop
or Size / Resolution tools.
There are two different types of NEF files: NEF RAW files and converted NEF files. NEF RAW files are created by a
camera using the RAW file type option. Converted NEF files are files that started off as either TIFF or JPEG files, but
were saved as NEF using Capture NX 2 or a previous Nikon Capture application.
Both NEF RAW files and converted NEF files benefit from the ability to store enhancements separate from the
original image details.
A Please note: Only NEF RAW files support changes to settings made within the camera and other RAW specific
enhancements.
NEF RAW File Support
NEF RAW files are generated by all Nikon Digital SLR cameras as well as some COOLPIX cameras.
Capture NX 2 provides support for NEF RAW files from the entire line of Nikon digital cameras that produce
NEF RAW files.
TIFF
TIFF is commonly used as a standard for high-quality image reproduction. Saving your image in TIFF will
result in a file that contains the final state of your image as shown within Capture NX 2, with full image
quality. Once an image is saved in TIFF and closed, you will not be able to change the edits previously
applied to the image within the Edit List palette.