Can Lightroom 5 import Nikon D3400 RAW (.NEF) files?
Asked 11/17/2017
4 views
2 answers
0
I use Lightroom 5 on a Mac and usually import photos from an SD card reader. I recently bought a Nikon D3400 and started shooting RAW (.NEF). Will Lightroom 5 import these files as-is, or do I need to update Lightroom or change my workflow first?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
8y ago
2 Answers
3
Do I need to make any changes to Lightroom before I try this with the RAW files, please?
Yes. According to Adobe's page Cameras supported by Camera Raw (also known as Adobe Camera Raw, or ACR), for the Nikon D3400,
- Camera: D3400
- Raw image filename extension: NEF
- Minimum Camera Raw plug-in version required: 9.7
- Minimum Lightroom CC version required: 1.0
- Minimum Lightroom Classic CC version required: 2015.7
- Minimum Lightroom Perpetual version required: 6.7
Thus, you need to upgrade from Lightroom 5 to Lightroom 6.7.
Alternatively, you can install Adobe's DNG Converter to convert your Nikon RAW Files (.nef) to .dng format. DNG is intended to be a "universal RAW format". It's not strictly a universal RAW format, and there is some information lost in the conversion from NEF (or Canon's CR2 RAW format, etc.) to DNG. For instance, there is some information in Nikon's NEF files that their Capture NX2 software can take advantage of, that Lightroom can't.
However, converting to DNG will allow you to continue to use Lightroom 5.
See also:
Originally by user11924. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user11924
8y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Lightroom 5 does not support Nikon D3400 RAW (.NEF) files. The D3400 requires a newer Adobe Camera Raw/Lightroom version than Lightroom 5 provides.
Your options are:
- Upgrade Lightroom to a version that supports the D3400 (Lightroom 6.7 or later, according to Adobe support info cited in the answers).
- Or use Adobe DNG Converter to convert the .NEF files to .DNG first, then import those into Lightroom 5.
Using an SD card reader on your Mac is fine; the issue is file compatibility, not the transfer method. You generally do not need to change Lightroom import settings beyond using a supported version or converting the files first.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI8y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
Why do Nikon D3100 NEF files appear corrupted in Adobe CS5 but open in Nikon ViewNX 2?
How do I change Lightroom 5’s default import destination folder?
How can I recover or repair corrupted Nikon NEF files from an SD card?
How do I safely disconnect a Canon EOS camera from a Mac, and can I browse the SD card in Finder?
Why do my Nikon D5300 NEF files turn green after converting to DNG?