The following notes are intended to serve new Qimage users with the fastest, most efficient means for using Qimage to decode Nikon D1 NEF images.
BEFORE USING QIMAGE PRO
First of all, realize that Qimage is not an image editor. It is a batch processor that allows you to correct for some common overall image problems such as noise, cropping, redeye, blemishes, etc. It was designed to allow you the fastest route from your camera to print. Keep this in mind and remember that when you need to edit images, you're probably outside of the Qimage domain. Many concerns from professionals regarding Qimage come from use of the batch filter. With the D1, the only thing we would suggest using the batch filter for is the D1 ISO filter when needed, and some cropping. If you are used to PhotoShop, you will be better off doing your sharpening, levels, etc. outside of Qimage. Again, remember that the batch filter is meant mostly for consumers who want a "quick fix" to make improvements to a batch of images, which pros may not find particularly helpful/useful.
MAKING SURE THAT QIMAGE PRO IS SET UP PROPERLY
First, make sure that the global filter is turned off. Click "Options" and make sure that "Global Filter" is "Off". Next, make sure that your NEF defaults "make sense" for the version you are using. Do this by clicking "Options", "NEF Format Options" and finally "Restore Defaults".
RECIPE FOR USING QIMAGE PRO WITH NEF'S
(1) Using Qimage to convert NEF's to JPG (or TIF)
The pros that I'm working with use Qimage to simply batch convert
their NEF's using Qimage default settings. With Qimage's "intelligent"
use of dynamic range, near perfect color correction, etc. you SHOULD find
that doing this simple conversion leaves you with a printable image with
NO further adjustments to the image. Most people that I've talked to find
this to be the case about 80-90% of the time. This simple conversion will
produce a better result than in camera JPG every time. For the few images
that might need a minor tweak to overall levels or any other corrections,
the Qimage converted images should have plenty of dynamic range available
to do this in PhotoShop after the images are converted. With these notes
in mind, the recipe is:
(a) Open Qimage and multi-select all the NEF's you want to convert
using the thumbnails.
(b) Right click over the thumbnails and select "Add to queue".
(c) Right click over the filenames in the queue.
(d) Select "Convert Images".
(e) Select file type and JPG compression (if applicable) and click
Ok.
(f) Unless you select an output folder, the resulting converted images
will be located
in the same folder(s) as the original(s) and
will have the same name with a {Q} prefix.
(2) Converting NEF's and cropping at the same time
The procedure is similar to that above, except you will enter the batch
filter and identify crops for each image "as you go".
(a) Open Qimage and multi-select all the NEF's you want to convert
using the thumbnails.
(b) Right click over the thumbnails and select "Add to queue".
(c) Click the "Queue Actions" tab and click "Batch Filter".
(d) Simply click/drag on the image to identify the crop.
(e) Click "Next" to go to the next image.
(f) You'll be asked if you want to apply the crop before proceeding.
(g) Click "Yes" and you will be presented with the file type dialog.
(h) Select the file type and click "Ok" to proceed to next image.
(i) Repeat (d) through (h) until you are done.
(3) How well does it work?
If you want to see how well the recipe in (1) works, Ron Reznick is
someone who has used this recipe extensively. He simply converts his NEF's
to JPG's in Qimage and posts the results. He has a lot of images that
were converted using (1), and he tells me that very few (a handful) needed
ANY further manipulation in PhotoShop. The only ones he said needed a bit
of an overall level adjustment was when there was a lot of sky in the shot
and he wanted to adjust more for foreground. Check out the images at these
sites to see for yourself. As you may notice, people are finally
getting "correct" color from the D1 and it looks simply INCREDIBLE. Keep
in mind when you are viewing these that the vast majority had absolutely
nothing done to them but a Qimage conversion to JPG (and some cropping).
http://members1.clubphoto.com/ron14439/Photoclub_D1_NEFs_Burbank/
http://members1.clubphoto.com/ron14439/Photoclub_D1_HuntingtonFlowers/
http://members1.clubphoto.com/ron14439/Photoclub_D1_HuntingtonGardens/
http://members1.clubphoto.com/ron14439/Photoclub_D1_Pharaohs_etc/