TechNote (Archived)

The Adobe Photoshop Camera Raw dialog box doesn't open when you open a Nikon NEF image (Photoshop CS2 and CS)

Issue

When you open a Nikon NEF file in Adobe Photoshop, the Nikon Camera Raw dialog box opens instead of the Adobe Photoshop Camera Raw dialog box.

Solutions

Do one or more of the following solutions:

Solution 1: Rename the Nikon NEF plug-in.

1. Quit Photoshop.

2. Do one of the following tasks:

-- In Windows, rename Nikon NEF Plugin.8bi in Program Files/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop CS2/Plug-ins/Adobe Photoshop Only/File Formats (Photoshop CS2) or in Program Files/Adobe/Photoshop CS/Plug-ins/Adobe Photoshop Only/File Formats (Photoshop CS) (for example, to Nikon NEF Plugin.old).

-- In Mac OS, rename Nikon NEF Plugin in Applications/Adobe Photoshop CS2/Plug-ins/Adobe Photoshop Only/File Formats (Photoshop CS2) or Applications/Adobe Photoshop CS/Plug-ins/Adobe Photoshop Only/File Formats (Photoshop CS) (for example, to ~Nikon NEF Plugin).

3. Install the latest version of Camera Raw from the Adobe website at www.adobe.com/support/downloads/ .

4. Import the NEF file.

Solution 2: Delete the Nikon NEF plug-in.

1. Quit Photoshop.

2. Do one of the following tasks:

-- In Windows, drag the Nikon NEF Plugin.8bi in Program Files/Adobe/Adobe Photoshop CS2/Plug-ins/Adobe Photoshop Only/File Formats (Photoshop CS2) or in Program Files/Adobe/Photoshop CS/Plug-ins/Adobe Photoshop Only/File Formats (Photoshop CS) to the Recycle Bin.

-- In Mac OS, drag the Nikon NEF Plugin in Applications/Adobe Photoshop CS2/Plug-ins/Adobe Photoshop Only/File Formats (Photoshop CS2) or Applications/Adobe Photoshop CS/Plug-ins/Adobe Photoshop Only/File Formats (Photoshop CS) to the Trash.

3. Install the latest version of Camera Raw from the Adobe website at www.adobe.com/support/downloads/ .

4. Import the NEF file.

Background information

The latest version of the Nikon camera software (Nikon View, Nikon Capture) installs the Nikon NEF plug-in. If this plug-in is in the Photoshop Plug-ins folder, it starts instead of Adobe Camera Raw when you import an NEF file. Photoshop will still recognize Nikon NEF files if you rename the Nikon NEF plug-in, and open the files in Camera Raw instead. However, if you rename the Nikon NEF plug-in and the Photoshop Camera Raw dialog box still doesn't appear, then delete the Nikon NEF plug-in, and make sure that the Camera Raw plug-in is installed to the correct location.