Thumbnails 100% zoom, preview and WIC codec

[ChrisMatch]

Hi

For some time I thought I would do no pixel peeping except within my RAW converter.
But recently I found it annoying that I can't take a closer look at some facial expressions of pictures where people appear rather small.

So I remembered the discussion about
- setting "Minimal Size" to a value larger than smaller preview images
- and WIC codecs not returning a full sized preview image (even if it exists)

QUESTION 1:
Is it correct that if I use RAW images (NEF) that the embedded preview image
will look more like the 'in camera produced JPGs' with all the 'Nikon magic RAW conversion' applied?
So if I use the embedded image I will get a rather 'pretty' image
vs. setting the 'Minimal Size' to a big value will return a rather 'pure' image?

QUESTION 2:
How can I find out whether the RAW contains a full size JPG preview (vs. the codec not returning it at full size)?

QUESTION 3:
What does the output below mean? The codec failing and can't return any image?
Why do I see the thumbnails and the image in Quick View at all?
(Is there a build in decoding taking place?)

List of installed codecs:
   Codec 'BMP Decoder' for extensions .bmp,.dib,.rle
   Codec 'GIF Decoder' for extensions .gif
   Codec 'ICO Decoder' for extensions .ico,.icon
   Codec 'JPEG Decoder' for extensions .jpeg,.jpe,.jpg,.jfif,.exif
   Codec 'PNG Decoder' for extensions .png
   Codec 'TIFF Decoder' for extensions .tiff,.tif
   Codec 'WMPhoto Decoder' for extensions .wdp,.jxr
   Codec 'Microsoft Camera Raw Decoder' for extensions .ARW,.CR2,.CRW,.ERF,.KDC,.MEF,.MRW,.NEF,.NRW,.ORF,.PEF,.RAW,.RW2,.RWL,.SR2,.SRW


Testing file 'C:\DATEN\PIC-Archiv\tempIMPORT\20131012\20131012_184454.NEF'
   Thumbnail: Codec ''
      (CreateDecoderFromStream failed (0 Der Vorgang wurde erfolgreich beendet.).) 0x0 pixel in 0 ms.
   Preview: Codec ''
      (CreateDecoderFromStream failed (0 Der Vorgang wurde erfolgreich beendet.).) 0x0 pixel in 0 ms.
   Full resolution: Codec ''
      (CreateDecoderFromStream failed (0 Der Vorgang wurde erfolgreich beendet.).) 0x0 pixel in 0 ms.

Thanks
Chris

[cytochrome]

Hello Chris,

Bona fide NEF contain a thumb and a full size/low res jpg. They reflect the camera or Cnx/Viewnx settings (whichever was last applied).

You can extract the full size jpg in Imatch ECP with something like:
-b
-JpgFromRaw
{File.PathS}{File.NameS}.NEF
-w
_extracted.jpg

(the jpg will be stored to the NEF folder, but you can of course change this).

Francis

[joel23]

Hi

For some time I thought I would do no pixel peeping except within my RAW converter.
But recently I found it annoying that I can't take a closer look at some facial expressions of pictures where people appear rather small.

So I remembered the discussion about
- setting "Minimal Size" to a value larger than smaller preview images
- and WIC codecs not returning a full sized preview image (even if it exists)

QUESTION 1:
Is it correct that if I use RAW images (NEF) that the embedded preview image
will look more like the 'in camera produced JPGs' with all the 'Nikon magic RAW conversion' applied?
So if I use the embedded image I will get a rather 'pretty' image vs. setting the 'Minimal Size' to a big value will return a rather 'pure' image?

As Richard said, there are two embedded JPGs, a preview and a fullsize, those coming from a D700 are 4256x2832px and 570x375px. They have all camera settings applied, like for example sharpening, color spaces etc.pp. , but be aware they won't have any embedded metadata, not even orientation.

[Mario]

1. A NEF file may contain an embedded preview JPEG in addition to the RAW and the 160 pixel thumbnail. This depends on your camera model, the settings you have chosen in-camera etc. Or when you use Nikon software, which settings you have chosen there.

Usually the embedded JPEG shows the "developed" RAW, with the settings chosen in the camera or Nikon Capture applied. This is the reason for having an embedded JPEG (in addition to faster display times): To show the RAW image data with the changes and conversions applied by a specific software. For NEF files this is alway Nikon Capture. The embedded preview gives you the most accurate look of the image if you want to see your NEF files as they look in Nikon Capture or your camera.

When the embedded preview does not exist or is too small, what you see in IMatch is the output produced by the WIC codec. And the output will naturally differ between the codecs produced by Nikon, Microsoft, FastPictureViewr or others. The development instructions written to the NEF by the camera or Nikon Capture are only supported by Nikon. But it is not clear if, and how much, of that data is used by the Nikon WIC codec. This may even differ between versions of the NEF format, the camera firmware, the Nikon WIC codec release and Nikon Capture releases.

2. WIC diagnostics in IMatch.

3. Total fail. The WIC codec was unable to decode the file or extract even a thumbnail from I would update the codec to the latest version and retry.

Nikon updates the NEF format frequently. With each new camera model and sometimes even with new firmware releases. I think that this may cause a version conflict between the Nikon WIC codec and NEF files. Or you have used Nikon Capture on the file and the resulting NEF file is not compatible anymore.