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Question

Nikon D7500 RAW files not opening in Photoshop or Lightroom

Forum|Forum|8 years ago
June 17, 2017
12 replies
29013 views

I have the (new) D7500 and took a week's vacation photos saving as NEF now I can not open them. Do I get upset with Nikon or Adobe? Or both?

This topic has been closed for replies.

ak62166462

Participant

Just to add a little to what has already been mentioned above:

Solution for Photoshop CS6:

1. Select all images and go to properties of them and change model make to NIKON D500

2. Use Adobe DNG converter to convert 'edited properties raw photos' to .DNG format and then open .DNG using Adobe RAW.

Step 1 is important otherwise all photos will be washed out after conversion.

P.S. Nikon should really start listening to its customers if it wants to be in market ! It should really put a stop at this non sense of new .nef format with every new camera !

davescm

Community Expert

No need for the property change now ak62166462

The latest Camera raw and DNG now support the D7500 directly.

Cameras supported by Camera Raw

So for CS6 just use the current DNG convertor (v9.12) - Links for Windows and Mac versions are half way down the page below.

Digital Negative (DNG), Adobe DNG Converter | Adobe Photoshop CC

Dave

T

Terrell NeuageAuthor

Participating Frequently

yippee - this morning (21/07/17 Australia) a new update for Lightroom - and not only do the raw files open in it but now also Photoshop. Yesterday's update didn't work. So thank you Adobe my love/hate (hate because of the stock photo banners) continues. And at age 70 I really don't want to learn a new software - I have been with this since the late 1990s when it was Macromedia and have taught Adobe products in three countries at three universities and at international schools in middle and high schools.

T

Terrell NeuageAuthor

Participating Frequently

I downloaded the updates today (20/07/2017 Australia) both Lightroom and Camera Raw CC

It does not convert Nikon D7500 RAW files as I have been led to believe it would.
I tried the Camera Raw tutorial page and all there is - filling the whole page - is an add for Stock Photos - this appears everywhere as we all know. I would never ever use these or have my students ever use them. As a photographer this ad and the stock photo site is an insult. I have my students take their own images - not use someone else's

Adobe is an embarrassment. After twenty years it is time to stop them. There are many sites that are able to translate D7500 Raw files - which have been listed on this forum - thanks to those who have done so.

c.pfaffenbichler

Community Expert

It does not convert Nikon D7500 RAW files as I have been led to believe it would.

What is the exact ACR version you now use?

How did you transfer the RAW files to your computer?

And once again: If you prefer processing RAW images with ACR instead of the camera maker’s proprietary software you might want to petition them to allow shooting DNG so that Adobe does not have to play catch-up with each new camera model’s RAW format.

trs0722

Participating Frequently

I downloaded the new Adobe DNG converter and was able to convert my D7500 NEF's to DNG's. Thank you guys for letting me know it was available.

A new question though: I had been converting to Tiff's in Nikon Capture NXD and then importing them into LR to edit. I compared my new DNG files to the Tiff's and I swear the Tiff's actually look a tad bit better. The main differences I see is that with the DNG files, I get my white balance options back but the colors are not as vibrant as the Tiff's. And of course the Tiff files are significantly bigger. I fiddled around with develop settings and eventually got them to look really close. Not sure if I should continue converting to DNG or not. At least with this I can finally clear my memory card instead of keeping all my NEF's on the card until LR adds the D7500 camera profile.

R

rwharwood

Participant

I bought a Nikon D7500 a few weeks ago. Found that Adobe has just released the updated Camera RAW for this camera - BUT THAT THEY WILL NOT ALLOW IT TO BE USED WITH PHOTOSHOP CS6. To use their newest update of Camera RAW, you need to sign up for PS-on-the-cloud for $10 a month.

Thanks, Adobe. So glad I've been a loyal customer for so many years!!! (Being sarcastic, of course.)

Bob Harwood

John Waller

Community Expert

The last version of Camera Raw which was compatible with CS6 was 9.1.1 back in July 2015.

Two years later, we're now up to Camera Raw 9.12.

CS6 users can convert their D7500 Raw files to DNG format then edit the DNG files (not the Raw files) in CS6.

Digital Negative (DNG), Adobe DNG Converter | Adobe Photoshop CC

R

rwharwood

Participant

Thank you, John. I am aware of DNG. Each camera manufacturer has their own proprietary version of RAW, and Adobe has tried to address this with the more universal DNG.

However, I bought a new Nikon camera. I process my pictures in a workflow that extends from Nikon View software into Photoshop. Nikon View does not recognize DNG. You, Photoshop, are (were) the photograph processor of my choice. Your role, the one I bought you for, is to provide the tools for my photo processing. That means, you should be recognizing the Nikon image formats and ensuring smooth workflow.

Adobe recognizes the 7500 in Lightroom, and on your web programs, so you can't say that adding the D7500 to CS6 Camera RAW is a technical problem. I think you'd rather I stopped using my CS6 and instead subscribed to your Cloud versions of PS.

That's disheartening.
It certainly does not make me confident about how Adobe is going to treat me in future iterations. Why should I remain loyal to a company that cares so little?
Bob Harwood

S

Sak392

Participant

I used this workaround to edit the EXIF properties for my D7200 as well it worked for my new D7500 as well. It makes the D7500 NEF look like a D500 (same sensor) NEF in Lightroom. Hopefully you are not afraid to run programs from the Windows command (CMD) program.

1. Download the freeware exiftool.com into a directory where you are going to perform the NEF conversions. I created a root directory C:\Nikon_Convert

2. Transfer the D7500 NEFs of interest to the C:\Nikon_Convert directory

3. With cursor over the Windows Start (lower left icon), left mouse click and then type CMD into the "Search Programs and Files" bar

4. From the command line, change directory by "cd \Nikon_Convert"

5. From the command line, enter "exiftool -Model="Nikon D500" *.NEF" and this will convert all files with .NEF extension to the D500.

6. The tool will rename the original and create a copy with the updated EXIF model number (see above).

7. Import into Lightroom and edit/adjust/view your D7500 pics.

P

piotrb95966083

Participant

Looks great!

It is working fine on my computer. Is there any disadvantage of this solution? Any loss of quality or something? I suppose this is a temporary solution until Adobe will relase next version of Camera Raw and/or DNG Converter.

S

Sak392

Participant

You are only changing the EXIF Label so no impact on the image. The only disadvantage would be once Adobe updates Lightroom, you can import directly. Glad it worked for you!

c.pfaffenbichler

Community Expert

Do I get upset with Nikon or Adobe?

Which of the two do you think created the new/amended RAW file format?

If camera makers think their software provides superior results and accordingly try to discourage using ACR instead that is fine, but nobody should blame Adobe for that decision.

If you prefer processing RAW images with ACR instead of the camera maker’s proprietary software you might want to petition them to allow shooting DNG so that Adobe does not have to play catch-up with each new camera model’s RAW format.

WILDCAT54

Inspiring

Had this exact issue with our new Cannon 80D.

Download and use Adobe DNG Converter.

Convert Camera Raw to DNG (Digital Negative) - Digital Negative (DNG), Adobe DNG Converter | Adobe Photoshop CC

trs0722

Participating Frequently

Thanks. I tried that but it still didn't recognize the NEF files.

Kanikas

Community Manager

Moving to Photoshop General Discussion

R

rogeliol22941478

Participant

The D7500 and D500 use identical processor and sensor, I change in the NEF file Properties in DETAILS camera model from D7500 to D500, for me it works well in Lightroom and Elements 14.

trs0722

Participating Frequently

Thanks for the tip. Where do you change the NEF file properties? I looked in my camera and in Lightroom but don't see where to do it. If in LR, what module? I looked in library and develop...nothing. Thanks.

R

rogeliol22941478

Participant

The D7500 and D500 use identical processor and sensor, I change in the NEF file Properties in DETAILS camera model from D7500 to D500, for me it works well in Lightroom and Elements 14.

To change the properties of an image, perform these tasks:

Place your mouse cursor anywhere on the image.
Right-click, and select Image Properties from the menu. The image properties dialog is displayed.
Click on Details.
Go to camera model.
Change NIKON D7500 to NIKON D500.
Click OK to close the dialog.

To change the properties to many pictures is better to use a special software like "File property Edit".

To change properties of multiple photos at the same time.

1. Make sure the photos are all in the same file.

2. Select all of them by either clicking each once while pressing down Ctrl (Control button) or pressing the first and then the last file while pressing down Shift.

3. Place your mouse cursor anywhere on one image.

4. Right-click, and select Image Properties from the menu. The image properties dialog is displayed.

5. Click on Details.

6. Go to Camera Model.

7. Change NIKON D7500 to NIKON D500.

8. Click OK to close the dialog.

9. All photos that were selected will be changed