RAW Image Support – W7/Media Center 32/64 bit

I feel like I just hit the jackpot.

I’ve been bemoaning the lack of support for Nikon NEF 64 bit support for as long as I can remember inside Windows Explorer. And I’ve been wishing for RAW support for NEF inside Media Center forever.

I’m happy to say that there is a really nice solution.

The free image codec pack at http://www.fastpictureviewer.com/codecs/ had all the answers and gave me the brass ring.

Here’s a snippet from their web site on what is supported:

Raw Image Formats

Extension(s) Name Autorotate Metadata Remarks
*.dng Adobe Digital Negative Y Y  
*.cr2, *.crw Canon Raw Image Y Y  
*.raf Fuji Raw Image Y Y  
*.3pr, *.fff Hasselblad Raw Image Y Y  
*.dcr, *.kdc Kodak Raw Image Y Y  
*.raw, *.rwl Leica Raw Image Y Y  
*.mrw Minolta Raw Image Y Y  
*.nef, *.nrw Nikon Raw Image Y Y Can be configured to skip raw conversion and always use embedded previews.
*.orf Olympus Raw Image Y Y  
*.rw2 Panasonic Raw Image Y Y  
*.pef Pentax Raw Image Y Y  
*.arw, *.sr2, *.srf Sony Raw Image Y Y  

Additional Features

Extension(s) Name Remarks
All formats WIC Thumbnail provider for XP Provides support for thumbnail views in Windows XP Explorer (SP3), for all the above formats and all existing WIC-enabled codecs.
All formats WIC Import Plug-In for Photoshop Enables Adobe Photoshop to directly import images from any installed WIC codec. The plug-in is available as a separate download in 32-bit only at this time (so it won’t work on Photoshop CS4 64-bit edition for the time being).

I shoot Nikon RAW NEF.  And I have full support now inside Windows 7 RTM. Explorer thumbnails, even inside Windows Media Center. Here’s the proof. Worth 3,000 words and a whole lot more.

 

nef1

Thumbnails inside Windows Explorer of my NEF files in Windows 7

nef2

Picture Details inside Windows Media Center/Windows 7

nef3

A folder filled with NEFs is now viewable inside Windows Media Center

Yes, XP, Windows Vista, Windows 7 all can play with this. I’m excited, are you?

http://www.fastpictureviewer.com/codecs/ 

Clubhouse Tags: clubhouse, media center, Media Center Windows 7, windows media center, how-to, Tip