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Answered

Nosey NEF files after import

Forum|Forum|8 months ago
July 13, 2025
4 replies
778 views

I user Lightroom classis downloaded from the Adobe cloud app portal. I have a monthly subscription and have a new clean installation. When l import Nikon .NEF images l noticed that the files can be grainy/nosey. If l open the same .NEF files on my windows laptop using Microsoft Photo l can not see the same level of image poor quality.

Has anyone had this problem before?

Correct answer Per Berntsen

The Windows Photos app cannot render raw files, so it displays the embedded jpg preview.

The jpg preview will typically have received noise reduction in the camera, and you have to apply noise reduction to the raw file yourself in Lightroom Classic.

The above is true for Nikon DSLR cameras, however, Nikon Z mirrorless cameras write camera settings to the raw files in XMP, which LrC understands and honors.

So exactly what Nikon camera are you using?

Also make sure to compare the raw file and the embedded jpg at 100% view. This is especially important when examining sharpness and noise. (if you have a 4k or higher resolution monitor, use 200%)

At 100%, one image pixel is represented by one screen pixel, showing you a true representation of the image.

Any other magnification will be inaccurate and misleading because the image has been scaled.

KR Seals

Community Expert

What profile are you using in Lightroom Classic with your Z6III files? You can find that by looking in the Develop module -> right hand side at the top of the Basic panel.

Many users are having better luck (especially on noise) using the Camera Standard profile. In Nikon Z cameras, you can set that to your liking in the Photo Shooting Menu -> Set Picture Control. I always pick STD (standard) because I like to start processing with a neutral image.

If you like what you see using the Camera Standard profile, in Lightroom Classic preferences, you can make that the default. Here is how:

Preferences -> Presets -> Global, choose Camera Settings. Do not check "Override global settings for specific cameras" unless you specify a specific camera in the following section. Even though that setting is in the "Presets" tab, it only specifies a Profile. No preset will be applied. (Presets are totally different than Profiles)

Ken Seals - Nikon Z 9, Z 8, 14mm-800mm. Computer Win 11 Pro, I7-14700K, 64GB, RTX3070TI. Travel machine: 2021 MacBook Pro M1 MAX 64GB. All Adobe apps.

Rikk Flohr_Photography

Microsoft is likely showing you the results of in-camera processing (including noise mitigation) in the form of a preview JPEG.
Lightroom is showing you a raw file, which may or may not have noise mitigation.

Rikk Flohr: Adobe Photography Org

Per Berntsen

Correct answer

Community Expert

The Windows Photos app cannot render raw files, so it displays the embedded jpg preview.

The jpg preview will typically have received noise reduction in the camera, and you have to apply noise reduction to the raw file yourself in Lightroom Classic.

The above is true for Nikon DSLR cameras, however, Nikon Z mirrorless cameras write camera settings to the raw files in XMP, which LrC understands and honors.

So exactly what Nikon camera are you using?

Also make sure to compare the raw file and the embedded jpg at 100% view. This is especially important when examining sharpness and noise. (if you have a 4k or higher resolution monitor, use 200%)

At 100%, one image pixel is represented by one screen pixel, showing you a true representation of the image.

Any other magnification will be inaccurate and misleading because the image has been scaled.

T

Trevgreen24Author

Participant

Hi, l am using a Nikon Z6iii with a nikon 180-600mm lens, understand most of what you are saying, l am not able to get an image from LR that is as good as the image created from the camera, that may well be my issue but l would have expected the NEF file seen in LR to not have any noise if the NEF file does not have any when seen in Camera RAW.

It was always my understanding or belief that the NEF file being around 25mg in size should be no worse than the JPG at about 5mg. I do not have a 4k monitor.

Per Berntsen

Community Expert

If you don't mind sharing an original, pick one NEF file that you consider noisy, export it as DNG (which will include all your edits), then attach it in a new reply. We can then take a look at it.

The screenshots you posted are from two different images, for a valid comparison you'd need to use the same image.

And the screenshots should be taken at 100% view.

In the future, please don't attach screenshots, use the Insert Photos button in the toolbar to embed them in your post.

A

Aleke

Community Manager

Hi @Trevgreen24! Thanks for reaching out.

Could you share a few more details about the issue? For example, which version of Lightroom Classic are you using? And if possible, could you include a screenshot showing how your images look before and after importing? That would really help us understand what’s going on.

Thanks so much!
Alek

*(If you mention me with an @, like @Aleke, I’ll get a notification and can respond faster.)*

T

Trevgreen24Author

Participant

Hi Alek

Thank you for your response, l am using release 14.4 which has been downloaded and installed from the Adobe cloud app as part of my subscription package.

I have attached screen prints which l hope show the problem.

I am using a Nikon Z6iii camera and a Nikon 180-600mm lens, l am not able to improve the image/exported from LR compared with the image created from the camera

Regards

Trev Green

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