How do I import NEF files to Lightroom?

[timp13769064]

You have just upgraded my LR 3 to 6 ( without my permission) and I find I can no longer import my NEF files from my NiKON D300.

HOW COULD YOU DO THIS and why should I continue using Adobe products  when you adopt such a high handed attitude.. especially when there are other products on the market which will do the job. I now have to buy a card reader etc etc. in the meantime I can import them to iPhotos which converts them to JPEG... but  I WANT RAW files.

Yours sincerely

Tim Pearce

[JP Hess]

First of all, you are not talking to Adobe on this forum. We are all just users like yourself. Secondly there is no way that Adobe would automatically upgrade you from Lightroom 3 to Lightroom 6. That is a paid upgrade. What has happened to make you think you have been upgraded to Lightroom 6?

Incidentally, if your raw files would open in Lightroom 3 then they would most certainly open in Lightroom 6 because support is not taken away. It is only added.

[timp13769064]

Hello Jim Hess

Thanks for your response..

Apologies .. I run Lightroom CC 2015 and pay monthly . I recently had an

upgrade which was automatic (I assumed it was equivalent to LR 6)... the

fact remains that before this I could download NEF files from my Nikon..

now I can't and according to the spec on the Adobe site they no longer

support NEF files. I assume (again) that this is the reason I can't do this.

This seems prescriptive i.e. millions of Nikon users must be in the same

frustrating straits. This I suppose is a technological advance!

Also there doesn't seem to be any assistance available from Adobe to

explain anything ... not even a "contact us" link.

"Preview Not Available for this file" is not helpful and I didn't even get

that for some test images I ran today.

I note your reply but my note was sent in frustration.. so can you or some

one else post an answer to my question?

Thanks

Tim

Ps There is somewhere a legal question of providing a "paid for" service

or are software companies move such niceties?

[John Waller]

according to the spec on the Adobe site they no longer

support NEF files.

Your frustration seems to be clouding things here. Don't know where you got that information from on the Adobe website (got a link?) but it's not at all correct.

Adobe still provides vast support for just about every NEF file format made by Nikon.

Full list here: Cameras supported by Camera Raw

The D300 has long been supported since Lightroom 1.3.1 and continues to be supported.

Something else must be going on here.

[timp13769064]

Did I misunderstand the notes on the Spec:

firstly NEF file were not included in the list of supported file types

also ...

I quote

"File format exceptions

Lightroom does not support the following types of files:

Adobe Illustrator®; Nikon scanner NEF; files with dimensions greater than

65,000 pixels per side or larger than 512 megapixels."

Not sure now what SCANNER NEF files are... also there were a number of

similar stories to mine on one of the forums...

so can anyone help me to solve the download problem?

Tim

[John Waller]

firstly NEF file were not included in the list of supported file types

They are collectively grouped in the first point as Camera Raw formats.

Not sure now what SCANNER NEF files are...

Files from Nikon scanners. Nothing to do with Nikon cameras.

Supported NEF files from Nikon cameras are listed here. Minimum Lightroom version required for each model is shown in the RHS column.

Cameras supported by Camera Raw

[timp13769064]

Ps Why doesn't the "file supported" list include NEF files.

[D Fosse]

timp13769064 wrote:

Ps Why doesn't the "file supported" list include NEF files.

It does. It's included in the first bullet point here - it's just that there are so many proprietary camera file formats that they simply can't list them all: https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom/help/supported-file-formats.html

[JoeKostoss]

What is the exact Word for Word error message that you are getting?  A screen shot would be helpful.

[ManiacJoe]

What is the exact wording of the error message you are getting?

Are you directly connecting your camera or using a card reader?

(Using a card reader is best.)

[timp13769064]

The exact wording is for files that LR tries and fails to import the file

thumbnail is blank apart from the check box which is ticked and the file

name at the bottom and in faint letters in the centre the message is

"Preview unavailable for this file".. the files are the New ones.. the ones

already imported show up in the usual fainter images.

This happened following the "upgrade" implemented on Sunday 30th Oct.

[JP Hess]

Scanner NEF files are generated by a Nikon scanner. Not at all related to NEF files from your camera. Just to clarify, Lightroom 6 is not an upgrade to Lightroom CC. Lightroom 6 is the current standalone version. You might want to try signing out from your creative cloud manager and signing back in to see if that helps with the issue. There is something definitely not right with your computer set up right now, but you need to stick with us. Someone here will probably be able to help resolve the problem.

Incidentally, I shoot with a Nikon D7100. I am using Lightroom CC 2015.7. I have no trouble whatsoever importing and working on my NEF files.

[timp13769064 · Accepted solution]

Hi Jess John and others

Thank you so much for trying to help me ... I think I've solved it... very

strange ..there are 35 NEF files on the CF card which LR would not

recognise but iPhoto does. I have put a clean card in and checked the

camera settings. It works fine ... ergo card or camera malfunction.

I must apologise for the hard words ... conspiracy theories gave me a

brainstorm..

Thanks again

Tim

[cwar]

Help me please! I have a similar problem, When I imported RAW and Jpeg files to Lightroom only Jpegs crossed. The Raw files had the preview unavailable. I have a D7100. and D7000. The 7000 imports both Lightroom and Jpegs fine. I just made sure lightroom, photoshop, camera raw are up to date as of yesterday.

[JP Hess]

You'll have to provide more information. I have a D7100, using Lightroom Classic CC 7.4 on Windows 10, and have no problems with my NEF files. What version are you using? Have you ever been able to see your NEF files?

[cwar]

So what I do is plug card(s) into the computer. Then transfer pics from the

card to ViewNX 2 to import to a file. I was able to transfer pics from my

D7000 both jpeg and RAW which I could Import to light room when I needed

to. I am having issues using a D7100. I imported pics from the D7100 to

ViewNX2 and jpegs where fine, RAW not so- the file looks like its there but

no thumbnails and preview is unavailable. Tried editing in ViewNX2 cant had

to download Capture, still wouldn't allow for edits stated recorded

settings. I tried importing them to lightroom no photos went empty file. I

can seem to save those files and work on any of them in RAW. I have now

tried to copy a NEFF file from my card to a hard drive file-copy and paste

-I bypassed ViewNX2. I imported the pic from the harddrive file using

VIEWNX 2 - stated unsupported.... Tried Capture and it worked. Tried

importing on lightroom and it worked this time, Hope this is not the way I

have to continue to import RAW photos to lightroom. There has to be a

better way.

Thanks for your help Jim. Corie here.

I have been working on Windows 10, Updated all programs yesterday,

problems occured before and after update.

Lightroom Classic version: 7.4

License: Creative Cloud

Language setting: en

Operating system: Windows 10 - Home Premium Edition

Version: 10.0.16299

Application architecture: x64

System architecture: x64

Logical processor count: 4

Processor speed: 1.9 GHz

Built-in memory: 11199.4 MB

Real memory available to Lightroom: 11199.4 MB

Real memory used by Lightroom: 398.7 MB (3.5%)

Virtual memory used by Lightroom: 290.9 MB

GDI objects count: 572

USER objects count: 2763

Process handles count: 2421

Memory cache size: 0.0MB

Internal Camera Raw revision: 976

Maximum thread count used by Camera Raw: 3

Camera Raw SIMD optimization: SSE2,AVX

Camera Raw virtual memory: 0MB / 5599MB (0%)

Camera Raw real memory: 0MB / 11199MB (0%)

System DPI setting: 96 DPI

Desktop composition enabled: Yes

Displays: 1) 1366x768

Input types: Multitouch: No, Integrated touch: No, Integrated pen: No,

External touch: No, External pen: No, Keyboard: No

[JP Hess]

I think ViewNX and Nikon Transfer are the culprits. Why do you feel it's necessary to use this software to download your images? It's much simpler to simply use Lightroom to do your downloads. Really! That's what the import dialog is for. The Nikon software has been notorious for doing something to the NEF files that makes them unreadable by Lightroom. If, for some reason you feel compelled to use that software to download your images, then here is a link to a utility that you will have to run that is supposed to repair your NEF files so that they will then be usable in Lightroom. But really, you don't need that Nikon software, especially for downloading images from your camera. But you're the boss, it's your camera and your workflow.

Fix Corrupted Nikon NEF Images

[cwar]

Hi Jim

Thanks for your help, It was neat and tidy at the time. I just kept going

back to it. Never crossed my mind that I could import my card pics from

lightroom to a place on my harddrive. Always thought of lightroom being a

place to amend and create. Thanks again for your advise. Have a great day!

Corie

[JP Hess]

You might want to consider taking a few minutes to watch this tutorial.

Lightroom CC - Importing Images From a Camera - YouTube

It's titled for Lightroom CC, but it's really about Lightroom Classic CC.

[John Waller]

Have you tried purging your Camera Raw cache in LR?

Lightroom Preferences > File Handling > Purge Cache

Why And How To Clear Your Lightroom Cache | Lightroom Fanatic

[Gianna_Babb]

I purchased a Nikon3500 - lighter than my D700, wanted this camera for day to day use. I am in the same boat as you. The NEF's will not upload to LR or PS. The JPEGs work. I cannot load them into iPhoto. I am hoping someone has another solution or idea! Even the camera itself cannot send the file! Crazy as I can see the images through my camera.

[ManiacJoe]

Since the D3500 is a relatively new camera, you probably just need to update your software.

What version of Lightroom are you using?

According to this link

Cameras supported by Camera Raw

you need LR 8.1

(or the current DNG converter)

[Stephani L.]

I am having the same issue as the initial post here. I can't see the replies for some reason and would like some help. My desktop crashed which apparently had an older version of lightroom. I downloaded creative cloud and pay the monthly subscription now. This new version of lightroom is telling me the NEF files I'm trying to import aren't supported. How can I fix this?? 

[Stephani L.]

NEVERMIND!! I feel very stupid right now. My coffee hasn't kicked in. I was trying to import profiles and presets. . buhhh lol thanks anyways!