RAW to JPG - Batch Conversion

[Paul G]

Is there a simple way to convert a large number of RAW/NEF files to high-quality JPG using Adobe Bridge or Photoshop CS4 (or by using another 3rd party, free program)?

[Paul G]

No rush anymore. I've done what I needed to do one by one.

[peterking]

No Bridge doesn't do it.
As you've asked about Bridge then I'll guess you have a Mac.
Adobe Camera Raw does it. I have it on my machine and just tried it on 1.6GB of images and as far as I went it worked.

[Paul G]

PC here Peter. I tried to do it through ACR but whatever I did I could still only do one pic at a time and the converted image was only around 500kb instead of about 5 - 7mb (high quality JPG). I'm keen to know the steps you followed if you have the time to list them? (Doesn't need to be tonight - just whenever you have some spare time.)

[Analog6]

FastStone Image Viewer (if you are running a PC) does an absolutely A1 job and it is free.

[ricktas]

You can do it in Photoshop, easily!

File - Automate - Batch

[I @ M]

(or by using another 3rd party, free program)?

Nikon View NX2 does a good job.

[arthurking83]

Paul, you already have the jpg files.. you just haven't realise it yet, even though you may be about to receive one of those "DOH!" moments, in a sec.

First of all, have you processed the NEFs and are you looking to batch convert raw files processed in a particular image editor?
If that's the case then you're best off using that image editor, as the processed raw files may not in fact be processed if you use another program(if you edited with your main program that is)

NEF images edited in PS/LR, and then opened with any Nikon program, or FastStones FSViewer will not be processed according to the other programs. It may look processed in LR/CS but it wont if you use either of these other programs.

if you do mild touch ups to the images once off the camera, VNX2 is good, and will batch process 100 NEF's into jpgs or TIFF files in a minute or two(on a fast-ish system).
In the thumbnail view workspace, select the files you want converted, and hit the convert button at the top of the toolbar.. easy as and no need to navigate into menus and submenus to look for batch file processing tools. Select the folder to save the files into, set any preferred files sizes and quality parameters and hit convert.

IF the raw files are perfectly captured in camera and all you want is a simple set of jpgs from them, than THIS program called Instant JPG From Raw(IJFR) can be a handy piece of software to have on your PC)
Someone mentioned Mac, and I dunno if it works on Mac, but it works well on Windows.

A raw file will have an embedded jpg file inside it, and while it may not be as flexible to edit and process as the NEF file itself, I'm pretty sure(from what I've seen) is that it'll be rendered as the camera intended it to be.
So if you add a set of in camera Picture Control parameters to the camera to render that file in a specific manner, the jpg should be rendered that way too.. even though various thirdparty programs will not render the raw file exactly as the camera intended it to be.

Also FSViewer is good(FAST) for viewing lots of raw images, as it does this by displaying the jpg file and not the raw file itself, I found it was not good to convert the raw file(Nikon at least!) and the resultant jpg looked very ordinary. I haven't yet discovered if FSViewer can create a jpg file based on the embedded jpg file in the raw image tho!

Once again, from experience... I once tried to batch convert a stack of NEFs to jpgs using LR3(beta2) and it froze.. and froze again.. and so forth.. I then uninstalled LR3B2. The same batch of files done using ViewNX took about 2 minutes. My biggest complaint with nikon's software is the inability to preset a file size limit(such as AP's 250kb restriction) for the resultant converted files. you only get the very old style '% quality' output setting(bad form from a modern piece of software!)

anyhow!.. hope this helps.... either in the future, or anyone else.

[ving]

i use irfanview... its really really fast and flawless for what you are after
you just have to use the raw plugin.... all free of course!

[Paul G]

Paul, you already have the jpg files.. you just haven't realise it yet, even though you may be about to receive one of those "DOH!" moments, in a sec.

DOH!

Thanks all! My brain switched off and I couldn't think at all last night. I think I even have irfanview on the computer. Time to have a look at CS4 more closely too, now that I have a little breathing space. I'm still half asleep so if any of that made sense please raise my arm .