File Transfers / Editing

[sully]

Hi all. Just got a Nikon D50 (great camera) and am trying to figure out what the best program to transfer files from the camera to my computer.

Some background. I am currently shooting in JPEG but plan to move to NEF. I currently use Microsoft Camera Wizard to transfer (directly from the camera via USB), Picasa to store/catalog and Photoshop 7 to edit (I'm new to Photoshop so sometimes I use Picasa for the occasional redeye in my 14 mo old daughter). I don't see how I can view the Exif data in Photoshop and am trying to use it so I can learn how to shoot better (I use primarily aperature priority with occasional shutter priority for motion). Is what I'm using somehow removing that info? Or won't I find it on JPEG type files?

I tried Nikon View but find that a bit unwieldly as you have to import and then export - and for some reason the file size changes dramatically on export and that worries me. Same with Picasa import function. I like the Microsoft wizard as it's easy to rename the photos and - to be honest - I'm used to it from my point & shoot days.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. I hope this doesn't come off as too stupid a question here or that I'm missing something basic...

[toriaj]

Not a stupid question! I'm no expert, but maybe one will answer later ...
I have the D50 too, and I've used 4 PP programs so far. I still use Nikon PictureProject (the one that came with the camera) to upload the pictures. The only thing PicProj does that the other programs don't is that I can view the pictures in Slideshow size and mark them individually. So after the pics are imported, I view them all in a slideshow, mark the ones I like, and then open the other program to do the editing.

On the downside, though, PicProj freezes all the time in slideshow mode. I only look at 6 pics at a time or so, and it still freezes sometimes.

[T06]

So I got a desktop with big muscles & whooah, it just slides with ease.:) I also do the downloading with PP & then Photoshop 7 things.

[RebelRat]

The fastest and possibly best way to download is with a card reader. I do most of my PP with Photoshop Elements 5.

[Norm in Fujino]

I don't like using a dedicated program for transferring photos, I guess since the only ones I've seen had the bad habit of wanting to arrange them in folders and orders of their own choosing. I use a high-speed card reader and Windows Explorer to copy everything to the folder where I want them.

[toriaj]

So I got a desktop with big muscles & whooah, it just slides with ease.:) I also do the downloading with PP & then Photoshop 7 things.

Mmm, sounds nice :o I wish ...

[wh0128]

Best way like already stated by Norm is to use a card reader to get the fastest upload time with your cards. It depends if you are using a SanDisk, or Lexar cards, as I would try using the card reader that is made by the same manufacturer as your memory cards. Try not to upload your pictures from your camera to your computer directly. It is just way to slow compared to card readers. It also depends on if you have a highspeed USB 2.0 port. If you don't the card reader will not function at its fastests and it will become quite slow.

I shoot in all RAW/NEF on my D50 and can upload one and a half cards (because thats how much I usually shoot) in less than a minute. With the card reader you can make your own folder and select all your photos and say "Move Selected" or drag them to a folder that you have named. Its really simple and you'll notice the difference if you get a card reader.

For post processing, you can either open up in adobe bridge and view/select the pictures you want, then open up in whatever PS you have and edit. Or if you are shooting RAW/NEF format you can open up all of them in PS, depending on what version you have, and edit them and select the ones you edited and click "Open [# of selected images] Images".

[Clyde]

I don't see how I can view the Exif data in Photoshop
Any suggestions would be appreciated.


Ok, maybe this is a stupid answer: The exif data is located in the file info menu. File>file info>exif.

This is probably more basic than you wanted, but there it is...

Clyde

[sully]

Thanks for your answers! I'll try your suggestion on the EXIF data. Do I have to get a special converter to use NEF in PS 7?