Digital Photography
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.
Thumbnails inside Windows Explorer of my NEF files in Windows 7
Picture Details inside Windows Media Center/Windows 7
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
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