Am I missing something? I have 5.2.3 build 66 and still cannot open NEF Z9 files? I had seen in previous posts it had been done, or am I missing something?
Are you using Lossless Compressed (LC) NEF or High Efficiency (HE – either HE choice) NEF? HE NEF is not supported by DxO. When I did a firmware update, the update reset the NEF to HE – I had to manually override to LC.
Thanks for that was using HE. Sorted!
Any timeline as to when the great He* format will be supported ?
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I can’t believe that DxO still doesn’t have full support for the Nikon Z9 - specifically no support of RAW compression High Efficiency formats. They’ve been telling us for many months - since December 2021 that “it will come later” and “coming soon” over and over again. DxO marketing needs to learn about a customer satisfaction metric called CPO - and they are pinning the CPO meter at 100% now. Contratulations!
The HE formats are the IP of IntoPix and are called picoRAW. In order to support those compression formats, DXO either has to purchase the SDK from IntoPIx, or reverse engineer it. Given the fact that Nikon has just been sued by RED for patent infringement over NRAW, the basis of which is IntoPix’ picoRAW, I don’t think support for those formats is coming anytime soon. In addition, I’ve talked to sources who know some details about the SDK, and describe it most charitably as “inadequate”. From what little else I know, Adobe’s implementation is less than optimal, while Nikon’s software doesn’t give you much fine control.
I think HE and HE* won’t be playing at a theatre near you anytime soon.
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Note that I believe I posted something similar to your response due to an earlier request for DxO support for the HE formats – and my sources agree indicate that IntoPix and/or Nikon is NOT being fully cooperative in supplying specifications and “sample code” for the format. However, as the HE engine actually is part of an ASIC (Expeed processor) that Nikon uses (NOT simply firmware that can be updated), it appears the Nikon is going to be incorporating HE into additional future bodies. Upon doing the Z9 v 2.0 firmware update, the Z9 changed from my choice of Lossless Compression to HE – I had to manually restore LC. This might just have been a glitch on my Z9. The other point is that HE is NOT lossless in terms of data (the full data is what DxO uses for some of the detail recovery in an image), only “visually” lossless (presumably when viewed with a Nikon application – not necessarily visually lossless when rendered with a different application such as PL).
Just did the firmware update and my preference was not changed from Lossless to HE or HE*. I would also recommend that RAW shooters stay away from formats without wide support. I suspect many very high frame rate photographers are mostly shooting jpeg for faster turnaround. Still I would be happy to see HE/HE* support in PhotoLab if it comes.
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