Can't open Nikon Z9 *.nef with Photo v2.0.4 on macOS v13.3.1

[BlkPingu]

Affinity Photo v2.0.4 on macOS v13.3.1 – can't open Nikon .nef RAW files made with a Z9.

Please advise.

File appended. 

DSC_6063.NEF

[walt.farrell]

Are you using the Serif Labs RAW Engine, or the Apple engine? That's an option in the Develop Assistant settings. 

If Serif, this FAQ says your camera is supported, but only for standard compression formats. So, what compression options are you using? 

 

[BlkPingu]

I mean, can you open the file? I'm using Serif Labs RAW Engine. As for compression: No idea. It doesn't tell me that in the exif. Is there a way to identify that in the file?

[walt.farrell]

1 minute ago, BlkPingu said:

It doesn't tell me that in the exif. Is there a way to identify that in the file?

Sorry; I don't know. You can look at your camera and see how it's set.

And no, I can't open it with Photo 2.

 

[stokerg]

Hi @BlkPingu,

Looks like the file is compressed.  I've got a non-compressed Z9 RAW file that does open and is 51.7MB in size, whereas your RAW file is 32.3MB.

So this isn't a bug and more the fact the Serif LABs RAW Engine doesn't support compressed RAW files and neither does the Apple Core Image RAW engine.

[David in Яuislip]

8 hours ago, BlkPingu said:

Is there a way to identify that in the file?

Yes,  with exiftool, Photo V1 doesn't expose the NEFCompression field

exiftool -NEFCompression *.NEF
shows this
======== DSC_6063.NEF
NEF Compression                 : High Efficiency*
======== Z-9_DSC_3111.NEF
NEF Compression                 : Lossless

and only Lossless works

[v_kyr]

Well, the Libraw site already told before that ...

• Z 9 (HE/HE* formats are not supported yet)

... and Apple's site here too for their latest MacOS Ventura ...

• Nikon Z 9^{5 --} 5. Lossless RAW format only

Let's add that those who can deal with Z9 compressed NEFs are ...

• Nikon NX Studio
• Nikon NEF Codec
• Capture One Pro
• LR & Adobe RAW

[Ldina]

18 hours ago, BlkPingu said:

Affinity Photo v2.0.4 on macOS v13.3.1 – can't open Nikon .nef RAW files made with a Z9.

Please advise.

Another option, if you don't happen to own or have a subscription to LightRoom, Adobe Camera Raw, Photoshop or Capture One...

Download the Free Adobe DNG Converter and use it to convert your NEF file format to DNG format. They're pretty good about adding new cameras to their database. I just converted your compressed NEF file to DNG format and it opened fine in AP 2.0.4. Here's a link to download the DNG Converter, if interested. I've also uploaded your converted DNG file. 

https://helpx.adobe.com/camera-raw/using/adobe-dng-converter.html

DSC_6063.dng

[Patrick77]

Hello everybody,

I just update Affinity Photo with 2.1.0 version expecting it will now works with "NEF (RAW) high efficiency * for Nikon Z9. It still doesn't work a year and half after the Z9 release. Now there is the Z8...

I would like to know from Sherif Staff if this type of Nikon compression "high efficiency *" is taken in account ?

I really appreciate to develop my picture using filters but know I am really frustrated. Do you have any information ?

Regards

[v_kyr]

1 hour ago, Patrick77 said:

Hello everybody,

I just update Affinity Photo with 2.1.0 version expecting it will now works with "NEF (RAW) high efficiency * for Nikon Z9. It still doesn't work a year and half after the Z9 release. Now there is the Z8...

I would like to know from Sherif Staff if this type of Nikon compression "high efficiency *" is taken in account ?

I really appreciate to develop my picture using filters but know I am really frustrated. Do you have any information ?

Read through the previous above thread postings, then you will realize that high efficiency compression support for Nikon Z9 NEFs is actually not supported by Libraw, which APh in turn relies on. - Also for APh MacOS users, AFAIK the latest Apple Ventura OS supplied RAW converter also yet doesn't support it.

And as you mentioned the pretty new Nikon Z8, here in turn it will also depend on how much different (internally) it's NEF file format will be setup by Nikon in contrast to it's bigger Z9 sister then.

[Patrick77]

Thanks V_KYR for your answer.

I totally agree, you are right and I know. 

About Z8 we can expect exactly the same according to what Nikon wrote about Z8 characteristics :" NEF (RAW): 14 bits; choose from lossless compression, high efficiency (high), and high efficiency options" this means comparing to Z9 the same thing. On the Z9 we have "lossless compression, high efficiency *(star) and high efficiency".

My question is due to the fact we can open this type of compression with software from some (not all) competitors, so I am just looking for information to know if Affinity took this in account ?

[v_kyr]

3 hours ago, Patrick77 said:

My question is due to the fact we can open this type of compression with software from some (not all) competitors, so I am just looking for information to know if Affinity took this in account ?

I doubt that Affinity yet took it into account, as they use Libraw as their main underlayed RAW lib and for the MacOS versions, alternatively also what the Apple OS RAW engine provides.

Of course a camera vendor like Nikon will be logical always the first one to support some of their newer cams NEFs (RAW formats), which is no surprise as they have to with NX Studio. They (Nikon) also have and offer their own dev libraries (SDKs) for third parties, in order for third parties to be able to deal with all their Nikon cam NEF raw formats and remote control functions etc. - But AFAI have once heard from some developer friends in this photo domain, they are not the easiest to handle and deal with.

Beside Nikon itself, the first third party RAW converters (competitors) who usually support a new Nikon cam's NEF raw format, are Adobe (LG, CR) and CaptureOne. Those are pretty fast here in adapting to new camera RAW formats, in contrast to other competitors.

Actually for Affinity and high efficiency NEFs, you can only try and go the way via NEF to DNG conversion, as far as Adobe's DNG converter supports and can handle "high efficiency NEFs". - See also related Adobe Camera Raw - supported cams.

[Calsun]

Considering that the Z9 camera has been in people's hands for more than 16 months and the HE Raw file format has been supported by Adobe for more than a year it seems clear that the people at Affiinity have no intention of supporting this file format.

Converting Nikon Raw files to DNG strips out important data that I want to have available. It also creates a second set of files and so for an image I would need to store the NEF, the DNG, and TIFF and JPG versions. It is also a proprietary Adobe file format unlike TIFF and JPEG which are open standard formats.

I have switched back to Photoshop and ACR for my Nikon Raw files and have stopped using Affinity entirely.

[R C-R]

3 hours ago, Calsun said:

Considering that the Z9 camera has been in people's hands for more than 16 months and the HE Raw file format has been supported by Adobe for more than a year it seems clear that the people at Affiinity have no intention of supporting this file format.

Serif uses LibRaw for this so isn't a matter of their intention but of when support for that model makes it into LibRaw.