Nikon have released a new “serious” compact camera, the Coolpix P6000. This camera – at least on paper – competes directly with the Canon G9. This seems like excellent news.<\/p>\n
But then I read this<\/a>:<\/p>\n 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) or with WIC based applications. Capture NX, Capture NX2 and NEF files are not compatible with NRW (RAW) images.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n WIC is Windows Imaging Component, a Microsoft API for Microsoft Windows. In other words: converting RAW files to something else can happen only in camera or on MS Windows.<\/p>\n So what does that mean? Not only does Nikon introduce yet another completely useless RAW format (how hard is it to realize that DNG<\/a> is the present wave and certainly the future?) they clearly think that Mac users are not to be customers of their fine camera.<\/p>\n It strikes me that Nikon seem to be unable to understand a fundamental fact: as a photographer I want full control over my image files. That is one reason I shoot RAW. I do not<\/strong> want encrypted data<\/a> in the file. I do not want<\/strong> strange and proprietary formats that reduce my software choices and leave me high and dry in a few years when the special software no longer runs on whatever computer I will have.<\/p>\n I do want an open, fully documented format – such as DNG. Simple as that.<\/p>\n So Nikon, you are quite welcome to spend lots of money on advertising this wonderful new camera, but I will not buy it. Too bad, it seems like a really nice camera that would be very tempting otherwise.<\/p>\n