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[David Sydney]

I have some pictures given to me by a family friend of our family that I want to import into the media library. They are format NEF which I was unfamiliar with until I did the research on Google. I see that JRiver can convert audio or video but not image files. I don't really want to keep NEF files if I can help it - JRiver will display them but I don't think they display 100% of the time if I access the library via DLNA from eg. TV.

Does any one know a decent way to convert NEF files to JPG. If so I guess it would be a lossy conversion? Can I just rename NEF files? Sometimes OEM companies like to create their own formats to try to lock customers increase margins... Sony used to do that for virtually everything eg. memeory sticks!

[wer]

I would have thought if you researched NEF you would have answered your own questions.

It's a raw format from Nikon cameras. No, you can't just rename it. It must be processed, or "developed".

Download Nikon's ViewNX, or google convert nef to jpeg for other options.  IrfanView has a plugin for NEF, but the best development of raw formats is usually from the manufacturer's own software, or through Adobe's software.

The fact that you're wondering about converting from NEF being "lossy" indicates you need to do more research to learn about NEF.

[marko]

I see that JRiver can convert audio or video but not image files.

This is incorrect. MC can convert to jpg or png.

If you use the 'Replace original' option, MC will preserve any of its own associated library data, with the exception of the Date data, which will be overwritten.
If you use a different location to write the converted files to, zero metadata will be preserved and the converted files are not imported into the MC library.

These are probably not ideal outcomes, but, poor data preservation aside, MC can convert the nef files

The family friend who chooses to shoot in RAW format is surely the best place to go? If they're shooting in RAW, it seems fair to assume they're doing their own post processing and as such, should be able to provide you with exported jpgs that will have all associated EXIF and IPTC data embedded. Though, they may have no understanding of what the RAW format represents, else they surely would have done this in the first place?

Beyond that, wer's advice is sound. A favourite of mine outside of Lightroom is XnViewMP (https://www.xnview.com/en/xnviewmp/#downloads) which is free for personal use, and includes the very handy ExifTool. It can convert nefs to jpg, producing files with any included exif data.

-marko

[Manfred]

https://www.nikonimgsupport.com/eu/BV_article?articleNo=000004883&lang=en_GB

[rolf_eigenheer]

NEF or RAW files are something like the negatives. Develop the JPG from this and import it into Mediacenter.
The 'negative' offer a much greater scope for editing. Keep it!

Using NEF / RAW directly is not ideal, even if an import filter is available. Pro cameras that produce RAW try to avoid overexposure at all costs. The images often appear dark. Only after development is it really brightened. The editing steps are very diverse and are done differently by each program. Often these steps are only saved in a sidecar file. If these RAW images are imported into Mediacenter, the processing steps are not visible.
Therefore: Import the developed images into MC. It doesn't matter whether the files are TIFF, JPG or PNG. I prefer JPG.

[David Sydney]

Thank you all for your help, particularly Marco for that gem. I was not aware that was there another convert option in a context menu. I was following the error message from Tools, Advanced Tools, Convert Format that said audio and video files only can be converted. I have no desire to keep the NEF format file for happy snaps. I have successfully converted it and cut the file size down to ~25% in the process.