Adobe stops supporting Camera Raw for CS6

[Bjørn J]

When Adobe releases the next update of ACR for CS6, it is over. They will no longer update it with support for new cameras.
A sad day. I better start looking for alternatives. PhotoNinja is one, Raw2NEF another (so I can use the good old CaptureNX2). I still don't feel comfortable with Capture NX-D, hopefully it will improve. Capture One is good, but they will also probably implement subscription only.

[Ilkka Nissilä]

While I am a CC subscriber, I feel Adobe's quality control for the installation of updates is poor and there are often problems. I think this kind of a hostage situation with customers is not good.

However, once successfully installed, PS CC has worked quite well for me. I think its design philosophy is outdated and today non-reversible changes without having to store all the layers would be preferable. With today's 36MP files, a simple crop (without deleting pixels) leads to a 400MB file. Add some other layer operations and the size increases further. 

Lightroom by contrast doesn't have the sophistication I would like to see in terms of sharpening operations and local adjustments etc. I miss NX2. It was sometimes a bit buggy but it was quite elegant in its implementation of local adjustments and didn't lead to enormous files. Whatever the problems with an agreement with Google, I wish Nikon reconsidered their decision to abandon NX2.

[Bjørn J]

I miss NX2. It was sometimes a bit buggy but it was quite elegant in its implementation of local adjustments and didn't lead to enormous files. Whatever the problems with an agreement with Google, I wish Nikon reconsidered their decision to abandon NX2.

I don't think Nikon took the decision to abandon NX2, I think they had no choice.
But it is possible to use NX2 with a workaround. Miguel Banon has released "Raw2NEF" that can trick files from newer Nikon cameras to be read by Capture NX2 2.46 (not 2.47). http://www.bagnon.com/raw2nef/
I agree with you on Lightroom, I never liked it.

[bobfriedman]

i purchased PS CS6.... so i feel ripped off here if this is true.

[Ilkka Nissilä]

I don't think Nikon took the decision to abandon NX2, I think they had no choice.

I think it may be more complex than that. I have read that Nikon owned a large part of Nik. If this is the case, why did they sell their shares to Google if it meant NX2 would be terminated? To make quick money is my guess, even if it meant customers who used it were left to hang dry. 

I've tried to use Nik Google collection with PS, but it is clumsy and not as well implemented (or integrated) in my opinion; I prefer the way control points work in NX2. With PS+Nik, using control points leads to additional layers and huge files when stored. The editing steps including control points mix smoothly with other editing operations in NX2 and are fully reversable and editable, whatever order the edits are applied. Files stay small after the edits have been stored and further changes can be made later on to the full chain of editing operations.  This is how a modern image editor should work, in my opinion.

[Bjørn J]

I use Google Nik on CS6, and it works flawlessly - but I use mostly only Color Efex, for me that is an indispensable tool. I have not used Viveza much (the control points), but it works as expected.

[Andrea B.]

I'm using the Raw2Nef trick to continue with NX2 for my D810. But this workaround is probably not going to hold up for too many more Nikon DSLR releases.

However, I'll be darned if I'll go to the Cloud because I just do not like Adobe's forced subscriptions and customer support, for one thing. And I've begun to think that PS is too klunky (all those layers!!) after using some of the newer, slicker, much simpler tools in other editors.
Unfortunately the slicker, simpler tools are not all in just ONE other editor. 

I'm giving the new Affinity app a whirl currently to see if it is useable in conjunction with converters like Photo Ninja or Iridient.

[Anthony]

Andrea, Affinity is promising, but at the moment cannot use plug ins, so for Photo Ninja it would be necessary to create a tiff before using Affinity.  Serif state that they are working on enabling plug ins, but it is not clear if this will allow the use of other raw convertors as can be done with PN and CC.

Affinity's own raw convertor is not great.

I hope they sort out the plug ins issue before I have to renew my CC subscription, because for my level of usage CC is overkill.

[elsa hoffmann]

And I am still holding off going onto CC
I am a photoshop slut so no changing editing software for me.
but not upgrading just yet

[John Geerts]

Same feeling here  (still have an old CS3 which could not be updated), but I entered the trial-version with CC  and Photo Ninja.  As far as I can see now is at least Photo Ninja more promising than Adobe's Raw.

[Andrea B.]

Anthony, Photo Ninja only outputs TIFFs or JPGs. But I'm comfortable converting and making global edits in a converter, then performing local edits on the TIFF in another. That method actually works well for my D810. Convert and adjust in View or PN, then do local edits on the TIFF in NX2 or PSE or Affinity (testing now).

For some that would be a choppy workflow. For me, it is OK because I do not have to do volume edits when pursuing artistic photography or when editing UV documentary photos (my other passion).

It has actually surprised me that for some photos quite often I do not need anything beyond Photo Ninja. And when I do, it is usually a need for cloning out dust bunnies and performing more localized sharpening. 

Unfortunately I am beginning to lose my in-depth Photoshop skills now. I suppose if I needed to, I could brush up. I reserve the right to change my mind and plunge back into PS some day !!!! "-) "-) "-)

[Anthony]

Andrea, you can set up PN as a CC filter.  So there is no need to create an intermediate tiff - just select PS Done and the image opens in CC without any intermediate stage.  It is the same as converting with ACR and opening in CC (but better quality).  It is a great time saver.

Affinity cannot yet do this, so the workflow would require the creation of an intermediate tiff.

[John Geerts]

Yes, that works great. And if you work in Bridge you can decide which converter will open. Double Click PN will start, and right mouse click you can choose Camera Raw.

[ColinM]

Although I took out a subscription to CC, I don't enjoy using it.

This however is maybe a good use of the toolset
http://youtu.be/TiCLMePjK-Y