As Nikon’s official photo editing software, Capture NX 2 certainly has its strong points, allowing for precise editing.
It is rumored that Nikon Capture NX 2 is better than Lightroom 2 for editing Nikon’s RAW image format, NEF. From my experience, I’d say this is true. Yet the bonuses of Capture also come with a price, which may make Lightroom 2 a better choice for some users.
If you use Nikon’s Active D-Lighting the program is a must, since Adobe’s products largely ignore this feature. It also includes several editing functions that would otherwise require a user to export their pictures to Photoshop to make final touches. However, Capture does have a higher learning curve than most other programs specifically for photo editing.
Capture NX 2 is compatible with TIFF, JPEG, and NEF files, but cannot edit RAW images from Canon cameras. Yet, thankfully, the software can be used on either a Mac or a PC.
The Features of Nikon Capture NX 2
After using the software for a few weeks, I can say that I was mostly impressed, although I do have some complaints. Its toolset is very detailed and gives users near complete control over light and color, yet it did seem a bit slow at times.
The signature editing bars in Capture NX 2, which appear on your photo when certain tools are used, are very useful. With just a few quick clicks, I was usually able to get my photos perfectly exposed. I was also able to correct to the tee the color of each individual part of my photo. The tool can also individually edit specific colors within a range you select very accurately.
To test these features, I used both pictures that were unedited and ones that I had previously edited using Lightroom 2. To my surprise, I was able to make the photos look much better using Capture NX2.
After you select where the tool will apply—and there are tools specifically for color, white, black, and grey—you can employ the bars to adjust different elements, such as luminosity, saturation, hue, and so on. The options will change depending on which specific tool you are using.
There are several tools that allow you to edit your photos with precision. A lasso tool lets you outline an area that will be edited. Once you select the space the tool will affect, you can adjust options such as brightness and saturation.
The selection brush works similar to Lightroom’s adjustment brush. It allows you to paint over a selected area to choose a segment where any edits will take effect. In Capture, after you select an area, you can then edit the same options as with the lasso tool.
The straightening tool took some getting used to. While I’m still not too fond of it, I can see how it could be useful. It has you draw a line across your photo. The image will then rotate accordingly. The idea is for the user to trace the line (which stays straight) across a line in their image.
It does work, yet feels less accurate than the grid rotation used in Lightroom.
Some of the editing tools and their interaction with each other can also be confusing at times. I was thrown off more than once when I used a new tool as all my previous edits seemed to disappear. The same thing would happen when I used a tool within the parameters of another tool unintentionally.
Of course, this is a small price to pay for the broad range of features found in Capture NX 2.
The Interface
At first, the interface seems a bit unorganized and confusing, yet after a few hours of use it begins to feel more natural.
When you first open Capture NX 2, you are greeted by a small menu where you can choose to open recent images or search for a new photo set. There is also a small box where you can drag in a photo to edit.
Being a regular user of Lightroom 2, it took some time for me warm up to Capture NX 2’s interface. Folders located on the left of the workspace contain your image folders and metadata, a small bar along the top contains your tools, while a few boxes on the right contain other editing options and the histogram.
As you use the program’s tools, it saves the history of your edits in the editing box on the right of the screen. Each edit saves as a drop box, which can be opened for precise tuning.
Capture’s interface is much closer to Photoshop, where everything is done in a single area, as opposed to switching to different sections for a library, editing, and exporting.
Users who are more accustomed to Photoshop may feel at home in this workspace. However, I still prefer Lightroom 2’s interface because it seems to have more order.
There is also a bit of slowdown when using the software. I tested the program on a Macbook Pro with 2 GB of RAM and a 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo Processor. Despite this, I still experienced some slowdown while making certain edits—such as when I hit the Undo command or made changes to the levels.
Photo organization is also not a strong point of Capture, so if you work with large albums you’ll have to do most of your organizing outside the program. This is in contrast to Lightroom, which has a built-in and very useful photo album.
In a Nutshell
Although it took a while to win me over, I eventually did enjoy using Capture NX 2 quite a bit—a bold statement, as I am known among colleagues for my great enthusiasm of Lightroom 2. In the end, I think the choice of either Lightroom 2 or Capture NX 2 is something each user will have to weigh himself.
From my experience, Capture is very accurate for editing nearly all elements of a photo. The tools for selecting a true white, gray, and black can quickly fix just about any picture.
Both Lightroom and Capture have unique tools that other similar programs don’t. Although, by tweaking the features in both programs, the difference isn’t too great. Still, Capture does allow for more precise editing and is more compatible with Nikon cameras.
