XMP Sidecars with NEF files

[aramb]

I shoot in RAW (NEF). Is there an advantage to using the XMP sidecars rather than just imbedding IPTC data into the NEF file itself?  It seems that it would be cumbersome to have an additional file for each photo. Please excuse my ignorance, I am new to this.

[Kirk Baker]

I shoot in RAW (NEF). Is there an advantage to using the XMP sidecars rather than just imbedding IPTC data into the NEF file itself?  It seems that it would be cumbersome to have an additional file for each photo. Please excuse my ignorance, I am new to this.

If you are using Adobe products, you definitely want XMP sidecar files for your NEFs.  Embedding XMP confuses Bridge and ACR.  I don't know the effect of embedding XMP in NEFs for Lightroom, but I would still recommend XMP sidecars when using Lightroom.

-Kirk

[aramb]

Thanks Kirk... are you saying that if I set up my IPTC preferences as notated on page 115 of the manual (Settings for Nikon Capture NX), that the sidecars that are created will work allow the NEF files to be cross-compatible with Bridge and ACR?

Thanks,

Aram

[Kirk Baker]

Aram,

Thanks Kirk... are you saying that if I set up my IPTC preferences as notated on page 115 of the manual (Settings for Nikon Capture NX), that the sidecars that are created will work allow the NEF files to be cross-compatible with Bridge and ACR?

Yes, that's correct.

-Kirk

[mnphotoguy2005]

In looking at page 115 (suggested settings for working with Nikon Capture NX), I see that in the section "For Tiff-based RAW photos" the "Add embedded IPTC4XMP" isn't selected.  I've been running with both "Add embedded IPTC" and "Added embedded IPTC4XMP" - is that an issue?  I do all my metadata editing in PM and then go to Nikon Capture NX to go from NEF to jpg.

[Kirk Baker]

In looking at page 115 (suggested settings for working with Nikon Capture NX), I see that in the section "For Tiff-based RAW photos" the "Add embedded IPTC4XMP" isn't selected.  I've been running with both "Add embedded IPTC" and "Added embedded IPTC4XMP" - is that an issue?  I do all my metadata editing in PM and then go to Nikon Capture NX to go from NEF to jpg.

It's fine with the exception that Capture NX will only maintain the IPTC data and will lose the XMP metadata.  That's why we suggest using XMP sidecar files for Capture NX.

-Kirk

[mnphotoguy2005]

At what point will Capture NX lose the XMP data?  If I only update the metadata in PM and then use Capture NX to create jpgs from the NEF, will I lose anything?

[Kirk Baker]

At what point will Capture NX lose the XMP data?  If I only update the metadata in PM and then use Capture NX to create jpgs from the NEF, will I lose anything?

The XMP metadata won't make it into your JPEGs, and when you re-save the NEF file, the XMP metadata will be lost.

-Kirk

[mnphotoguy2005]

Kirk,

Could Nikon have changed the way it handles XMP in the latest version of Capture NX?  You had me worried so I ran a test - as follows.  In PM I updated all metadata including XMP and wrote the XMP to the NEF.  I opened the NEF in Capture NX and did a save-as from NEF to jpg.  I opened the JPG in PM and all the metadata including XMP was still there.  I opened the NEF and all the data was still there.  Thoughts?

Thanks!

[Kirk Baker]

Could Nikon have changed the way it handles XMP in the latest version of Capture NX?  You had me worried so I ran a test - as follows.  In PM I updated all metadata including XMP and wrote the XMP to the NEF.  I opened the NEF in Capture NX and did a save-as from NEF to jpg.  I opened the JPG in PM and all the metadata including XMP was still there.  I opened the NEF and all the data was still there.  Thoughts?

That's great!  It sounds like the most recent version of Capture NX now preserves XMP metadata embedded in NEF files all the way through to files it outputs.

-Kirk