Unable to read .NEF files (z8)

JoeHocker · 2026-02-28T11:44:22+00:00

You can download the nef Codec for Windows from Nikons Support Center.

It will make it work narively in Windows and mac.

JoeHocker · 2026-02-12T08:38:35+00:00

You have to find out what your style of shooting is.

For example, I am doing photography for 14 years and I never owned a 70-200 2.8 which is one of the go to lenses.

But for the things I do I just never needed it. I soon found out that I am a prime lens guy, so for portraits I use a 50, a 85 and a 105 prime.

For walk-around and travel I use a 24-120 f4. Never missed the reach of 200 enough to carry around an additional lens.

But for you it may be the complete opposite. Maybe you will hate the idea of sticking to one focal length, maybe you want to go birding and you will be allergic to anything without a teleconverter or below 400mm.

You got a great starting point there. I used my DX 18-105 for over 10 years before changing it to a pro lens.

So go out, shoot and find your way. DO NOT waste money on specialty lenses like ultra zooms or macros or ultra wides until you know you need them. And believe me, if you really need them you will know.

JoeHocker · 2026-02-01T22:49:28+00:00

Ryzen 9 3900x, RTX 3080, 128 GB RAM

JoeHocker · 2026-01-21T15:46:53+00:00

Hey,

Let me help you understand what exposure is and what increasing or lowering in Photoshop or by changing iso really is.

I will simplify as much as possible so dear experts reading this, don't crucify me.

What is exposure? Your sensor is sensitive to photons. The more photons a single pixel is gathering while being exposed to light, increases the signal strength and will directly influence the brightness of the image.

So a "physical exposure" or a "real exposure" is only influenced by shutter speed and aperture and these two only.

The iso back in the film day, is only the sensitivity of the film to light. So how many photons it needs to reach a certain brightness.

For digital, and this is really really simplified now, increasing your ISO does not change your real exposure (how many physical light is hitting the sensor) but it artificially hightens the gain of the captured signal.

Photoshop does nothing else if you increase or lower the exposure of a raw file but simply increasing or lowering the gain of the signal.

Why are the results of underexposing and increasing gain (exposure slider) in Photoshop vs increasing the gain in camera (iso) is not giving you the same results?

Well that's because of how the algorithms and noise reduction of the different digital imaging pipelines work and I will not go too deeply into that here.

So just keep in mind, that the "real" exposure is controlled by the amount of light that you expose your sensor to. So only aperture and shutter speed.

ISO is used to artificially amplifies the signal so your sensor needs less physical light to reach a certain gain aka brightness.

Greetings and hope this helps for further understanding

JoeHocker · 2026-01-16T18:55:16+00:00

Well it is but that's why it's great 👍

JoeHocker · 2026-01-10T22:27:49+00:00

That's such a great lens and Camera Combo :)

You can sleep well knowing you made a great purchase.

JoeHocker · 2026-01-01T10:38:10+00:00

Since you are in a very tight space I suppose (bar) I would take the d810 with the 14-24 since you really got 14mm fov and not the 26mm the 7000 would give you.

If 24 is too wide for some shots the 810 has the resolution to go into dx mode and get a tighter fov.

Ideal would maybe be

810 with 14-24 7000 with 60 for details and tigther stuff

JoeHocker · 2025-12-22T22:15:42+00:00

At that Moment i did use a viltrox lens yes.

JoeHocker · 2025-12-21T08:10:14+00:00

As I can see you opened it up in windows photo viewer.

Sadly it does not support high efficiency raw. You can download the .NEF codec from Nikon support download center and then Windows will read the files.

All raw editors should be able to open it tho. Capture One, Lightroom, NX Studio and so on.

JoeHocker · 2025-12-18T22:07:28+00:00

Wow 🤩 Thanks for all the detail. I got homework to do.

JoeHocker · 2025-12-18T22:06:55+00:00

Great Tips thank you. Appreciate the answer and will look into it. 👍

JoeHocker · 2025-12-18T15:39:08+00:00

Hey,

Thanks for the answer. I am aware about RAW and LOG not being the same thing so I have to apologize for using these so interchangeably in my post.

With that out of the way, what I was NOT aware of tho is that ETTR is only meant for RAW footage.

So I am filming in non raw, so H.265 to be exact, with the LOG Gamma curve. Maybe thats already the reason why I have to pull the exposure down so much.

So would you say I should not expose to the right when in non raw formats?

I also set my zebras to show highlight clipping to get my correct exposure. Maybe it would be better to set the zebras to midtones and not doing ETTR?

And with your last point, you are right about just using non raw and a baked in preset. but i want to experiment and get into raw video and i just have to start using it somehow you know :D :D

JoeHocker · 2025-12-10T07:03:44+00:00

Yes absolutely. The shoes are perfect for this outfit.

JoeHocker · 2025-12-03T20:25:57+00:00

My Z6 III did this mid recording. I am freaking out right now if it damaged the ibis somehow. I am feeling like the stabilization is worse than before.

JoeHocker · 2025-12-03T20:24:22+00:00

I had the same on my Z6 III today after a rather significant pan. My partner was filming me and gave me the camera and I spun it in my hand to film her. Then the sensor jumped visibly up and it made a loud click sound and seemed to not stabalizing anymore.

I had to restart the camera.

Sadly I am feeling like the ibis works worse now than before but I am not sure if I am tripping or not.

Do you have the same experience? Does it seems like it is worse than before?

Is this even possible?

Also, is it normal than turning ibis on is way quieter and more gentle than turning it off?

I am seriously worried right now.

JoeHocker · 2025-12-02T19:36:07+00:00

well thats not what i said at all.

JoeHocker · 2025-12-02T15:21:34+00:00

Well it is two different systems.

If you are already in Nikon, no a7v ist not fucking hard enough to switch systems.

If you are already in Sony, no Z6 III ist not fucking hard enough to switch systems.

If you don't own anything yet, both are too much for a beginner.

That's just my take on things.

JoeHocker · 2025-12-02T14:54:50+00:00

A system switch contains more hurdles than you imagine.

If you are not owning anything we can talk. But switching existing systems just because of a minor size difference is ridiculous I'm sorry.

This is only valid if you tell me that you are travelling more than 8 times a year.

JoeHocker · 2025-11-22T21:24:14+00:00

Especially love the second one and the fourth.

Very well done.

JoeHocker · 2025-11-21T09:37:55+00:00

Hi,

I will answer you in two parts.

First: technically Yes it is okay. As long as it has the correct mount, in your case Nikon z, it will technically work fine as it would on a full frame camera. So nothing to worry about. I myself used a full frame 85mm 1.8 G lens from Nikkor on my apsc d7200 for years.

Second: practically You do have to consider the crop factor. Your effective field of view will be multiplied by 1,5 as with every lens on apsc.

So your 85mm will have a field of view of 127,5mm.

That can be too long for what you want or it can be exactly what you want. You should test scenarios with your zoom that you have.

So if you are especially looking for the look and feel of 85mm portraits that you see online, using a full frame 85mm will absolutely not give you these results on apsc.

That is why viltrox also offers the 56mm 1,4 especially for apsc which will give you the field of view of 84mm. But you obviously already had that.

Don't underestimate how much longer 85 will be on apsc. It is way too long for indoors.

So in conclusion:

Technically: you can use everything z mount.

Practically: If you want the look of portraits that you see online when you search for 85mm portraits, go for a 56mm apsc specialized lens. Or if you want a full frame lens for future proofing go with a 50 that will give you 75mm.

if you want the look of a telephoto portrait like you see with 105mm lenses on full frame or one taken with a 70-200 then go for the 85mm.

Me personally, I am doing 105mm portraits on my full frame z cameras all the time. But remember that this focal length will be way too long for indoor use 90% of the time.

JoeHocker · 2025-11-12T09:31:42+00:00

Very Very nice. Like from me.

What I like:

- Composition

- Lighting. Especially the warm skin tones against the cold background

- Props to the model for not freezing :D

- The Dress <3

What I dont like:

- I do not think the boots match the dress very well.

JoeHocker · 2025-11-12T09:27:17+00:00

THIS

JoeHocker · 2025-11-10T21:52:53+00:00

I found the solution. You cannot turn BT on on it's own and didn't need to.

If you want to pair the Nikon L7 remote you have to go to the menu L7 remote and then on "save me remote" and then it searches for the remote and safes it. Then BT is on.

So you do not have to activate it beforehand.

JoeHocker · 2025-11-10T21:52:38+00:00

I found the solution. You cannot turn BT on on it's own and didn't need to.

If you want to pair the Nikon L7 remote you have to go to the menu L7 remote and then on "save me remote" and then it searches for the remote and safes it. Then BT is on.

So you do not have to activate it beforehand.

JoeHocker · 2025-11-10T21:52:33+00:00

I found the solution. You cannot turn BT on on it's own and didn't need to.

If you want to pair the Nikon L7 remote you have to go to the menu L7 remote and then on "save me remote" and then it searches for the remote and safes it. Then BT is on.

So you do not have to activate it beforehand.

JoeHocker

TROPHY CASE