Thursday, August 07, 2008

Nikon rant (new RAW format)

I just read the announcement of the new Nikon Coolpix P6000 with GPS. It supports RAW format, but for some reason they have decided to implement it in a way that makes me never want to buy it:

COOLPIX Picture Control NRW (RAW) files can only be processed in-camera. NRW (RAW) files are compatible for use in-camera, with ViewNX (Windows version only available early October 2008) or with WIC-based applications. Capture NX, Capture NX2 and NEF files are not compatible with NRW (RAW) images.

A new RAW format. Seriously, what are you thinking Nikon? In what fantasy world does it seem like a good idea to create yet another proprietary RAW format? What exactly do you win by doing that? The only thing you do is creating more problems for your customers. Why do you insist on making it more difficult for your customers? Aren't you supposed to do the opposite?

  • I pay for the camera (well, no I will not buy it because of this issue).
  • It's me that'll be taking pictures with it.
  • It's me that'll be editing the pictures - let me edit the pictures in whatever program I prefer! Stop forcing me to use your products!

Nikon: Please join the real world (instead of the fantasy world you're apparently living in) and start studying open standards and the very real values it brings to your customers.

I generally really like Nikon cameras. Nikon makes great DSLR's but this bothers me greatly because it makes no sense.

Labels: , , ,