C1 ignores pictures from Z8
Hi,
I shot a number of pictures at a Nikon workshop yesterday with a Z8 (not my own yet... :-) ). Unfortunately
* They do not show up in import
* There is not even a meaningful error message that the pictures are not compatible etc.
Hence
1) Is this really a compatibility issue, or is there anything else I need to do?
2) If yes, could C1 do anything more meaningful than ignoring the pictures without any warning?
3) When will typically C1 support a new camera from a major brand?
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The Z8 isn't even available to buy yet, so it is premature to expect Capture One to support it. Obviously it is a major new camera and it is likely that they will want to support it as soon as possible. (I do NOT have any inside knowledge.) They don't provide support just based on data provided by the manufacturer - they do their own testing of the camera to profile it.
We get this every time a new camera comes along - people complain that Capture One doesn't yet support a camera you can't yet buy!
Just because the camera will have files with the .NEF file name extension, that doesn't mean that they are the same as other .NEF files from other Nikon cameras.
It's not that there is anything you haven't done to make the files compatible - but when there is an update released that supports the Z8 you will need to obtain that update. When that will be I don't know.
Ian
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1) It's still not a sensible approach to completely ignore the file without any meaningful warning or error message
2) It's even less a sensible approach to ignore the file just because it comes from a new camera. The Microsoft Photos app can display it, so it is unlikely it it uses any new features
3) I assume Nikon has a programme of sharing information with vendors under NDA, and I would expect a vendor like C1 to be part of it
4) I am not sure whether you are working for Capture One - but I hope you do not. I think it is a bit arrogant to tell me my expectations were "premature" - amongst others, for the reasons above. Thank you.
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Hi Tom
I don't work for Capture One - I'm just a user of the software since version 4.1 (and only an amateur photographer). I don't mean to be at all arrogant, but we do have this kind of discussion every time a new camera is on the horizon! The comment about it being premature is a response to my experience of the history of this kind of thing, and how and when support for new cameras comes along, not a value judgement on your understandable eagerness to get the camera and to be able to use Capture One with its files. (I'd love to get the camera too - though wondering whether I can justify it!)
Ian
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As this is mostly a user-to-user forum, I'll respond as another user. I think there's several different things at play here.
- Capture One has not yet released support for the Z8. There's nothing unusual about this. It requires a new release of their software. If Capture One does not include support for the Z8 in their next maintenance release, then you can gripe about this. This is the nature of RAW editors. You don't automatically get support for new RAW files and it sometimes take a bit of time (months) before a maintenance release comes after a new camera body is released. This is not unusual in this industry at all. They can't go around making new software releases every time a new camera body is released by some major player.
- Not showing Z8 files to import. This is just a user interface choice. They don't show Microsoft Word files in the import dialog and nobody is surprised about that. If they did show Z8 files and let you select them, they would then have to give you an error about not recognizing the camera that generated that RAW file when you tried to import. It's a user interface choice to not let you select things that they don't know how to import (or generate thumbnails for). There are some pros and some cons to that interface choice, but it's not an unusual design philosophy and that general concept is used in lots of other products.
- Your assumption about C1 getting advance stuff under NDA. Maybe, maybe not. We don't really know how much advance access they have. Regardless, it's not realistic to expect support for a new camera to be available the same week it's launched. RAW editor software and QA teams would spend their entire time making releases to line up with every new camera release. If support for the Z8 doesn't arrive in the next C1 maintenance release and if that release isn't sooner than a couple months from now, then you have a legit complaint.
- Microsoft Photos can display it. All the different cameras that produce NEFs from Nikon have a lot in common among their RAW files. It is possible to make a viewer that is happy to just use what it understands and display the file the best it can. Premium RAW editors do not do that because they know that things could be off if they did that. The color profile may need adjusting. There may be new and relevant metadata telling them how to adjust for distortion or light fall-off etc... So, they wait to "officially" support the new camera until they know they're doing everything properly. You can agree or disagree with that policy, but it's not uncommon in the industry among the premium editors. Now, in this case, we happen to know that the Z8 is basically just a Z9 without a grip (same sensor). So, assuming a Z8 NEF should be treated the same as a Z9 NEF would probably work just fine. In fact, it's probably even possible to edit a tag in the Z8 NEF file to make C1 think it's a Z9 NEF. But, C1 likely didn't know that in advance when the last version of C1 was produced. Hopefully this means that releasing official support for the Z8 comes soon in the next maintenance release because it will be easy.
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If you need to work on Z 8 RAW files: Convert them to DNG. Then you can work on them. It's a workaround that work for years now.
If you just want to get rid of your frustration: I cannot help.
Kind regards
Ernst (just another user)0 -
ernst.w - the newest update of Capture One released earlier this week includes Z8 support.
Ian
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Thanks for information. I did not update yet because of so many bugs regarding my workflow. I will have to wait on next buffix.
I am astonished and delighted, that Capture One supports the Z 8 so quickly.
Kind regards
Ernst0 -
Yes, it was commendably quick. Now I just need the funds, and adequate justification, for getting a Z8!
Ian
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Amazing - that's great! Thanks a lot.
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Consider yourself lucky, I'm still waiting for the Lumix S5II support. Guess it's more complex or just not a priority.
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