Day: April 3, 2022

Nikon Z9 @ ISO 25600 & DXO PureRAW 2

by Stanley LearyPhotography

[NIKON Z 9, VR 24-105mm f/4G, Mode = Aperture Priority, ISO 25600, 1/40, ƒ/5, (35mm = 38) Flash Fire = no flash]

Editor Note: [This Blog Post was written on April 2022] Adobe Lightroom added support for Nikon Z9 High-Efficiency RAW (HE) files* in Lightroom Classic 11.4 and Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) 14.4, released in June 2022. Before this update, Lightroom could read standard Z9 NEF files but not the High-Efficiency compression formats (HE & HE*). Users had to convert them to DNG or use Nikon’s software (NX Studio) as a workaround. If you’re using an older version of Lightroom, you’ll need to update to at least version 11.4 (or equivalent ACR 14.4) to work with Z9 HE* RAW files natively.

Adobe Lightroom Classic 12.3 (released on April 18, 2023) introduced the Denoise feature for RAW files. This AI-powered Denoise tool initially supported Bayer and X-Trans RAW files, significantly improving noise reduction while preserving details. Since then, Adobe has continued improving the feature in later updates, expanding compatibility and enhancing performance. If you’re using an older version, you’ll need to update to at least Lightroom Classic 12.3 (or Adobe Camera Raw 15.3) to access this functionality.

I think, for now, my solution for shooting with my Nikon Z9 when I need the high ISO is to use the DXO PureRAW 2.

My Nikon Z9 setting is worth noting for this ball taking place on top of a roof in downtown Atlanta after sunset.

  • Aperture Priority
  • Auto ISO with 64 – 25600
  • Auto ISO with Shutter at 1/250
  • Godox V860IIN with Magmod Sphere on TTL
  • Sigma 24-105mm ƒ/4 Art
  • Sigma 35mm ƒ/1.4 Art

Click on photos Below to see larger photo

[NIKON Z 9, VR 24-105mm f/4G, Mode = Aperture Priority, ISO 25600, 1/250, ƒ/6.3, (35mm = 24) Flash Fire = on, return detected]

I would shoot with a different lens, but most of the time, I was shooting with the 24-105mm with the flash.

[NIKON Z 9, 35mm f/1.4G, Mode = Aperture Priority, ISO 14400, 1/250, ƒ/1.4, (35mm = 35) Flash Fire = no flash]

Due to my decision to use the DXO PureRAW 2 after the shoot, I would have done one thing differently. I shot everything in the Lossy Compressed ( HE* / HE ). I should have shot in the Lossless Compressed. Here is a chart from Walter Rowe that shows what software is presently supported with the Nikon Z9 files.

Image Editing Software:

Package​Lossless Compressed​Lossy Compressed ( HE* / HE )​
Nikon NX Studio​optimized support​optimized support​
Adobe Camera Raw 14.2 (PS/LR)
Adobe Photoshop Elements 2022​		preliminary (not optimized)
preliminary (not optimized)​		preliminary (not optimized)
preliminary (not optimized)​
Capture One 22 (15.1)​optimized support​no support​
DxO PhotoLab
DxO PureRaw​		coming in DxO 5.2
available in PureRaw 2​		no support
no support​
ON1 Photo RAW​no support​no support​
DarkTable​no support​no support​
RawTherapee​no support​no support​
ACDSee Update 2022.1​supported (no details)​supported (no details)​

Image Viewing Software:

Package​Lossless Compressed​Lossy Compressed ( HE* / HE )​
Photo Mechanic 6​reads embedded previews​reads embedded previews​
FastRawViewer​supported​not supported​
Windows Explorer​no support​no support​
macOS Finder​no support​no support​
[NIKON Z 9, VR 24-105mm f/4G, Mode = Aperture Priority, ISO 25600, 1/250, ƒ/5.6, (35mm = 24) Flash Fire = on, return detected]

So here are the steps that I took to process some 800+ images.

  • Ingest all images using Photo Mechanic Plus – All the NEF images put into a RAW folder and renamed images {year4}-{month0}-{day0}_{hour24}-{minute}-{second}
  • Culling of the images – Tagged the ones to keep and then selected all the untagged images in Photo Mechanic and deleted them
  • Ingest into Lightroom – Copied as DNG from the RAW folder to a DNG folder [took a while to convert 800 to DNG]
  • Process with DxO PureRAW 2 – Put them inside the DNG in a DXO folder [Took about 6 hours to process with Macbook Pro 16″ Apple M1 Max & 32 gig RAM]
    • DxO DeepPRIME – Demosaicing and denoising
    • DxO Optics Modules – Improvements to sharpness & Corrections to distortions, vignetting, and aberrations
  • Imported back into Lightroom from the DXO folder and processed. No sharpening or denoising using light room. Just some exposure and color corrections
[NIKON Z 9, VR 24-105mm f/4G, Mode = Aperture Priority, ISO 25600, 1/250, ƒ/6.3, (35mm = 24) Flash Fire = on, return detected]
[NIKON Z 9, VR 24-105mm f/4G, Mode = Aperture Priority, ISO 25600, 1/250, ƒ/4, (35mm = 28) Flash Fire = on, return detected]
[NIKON Z 9, VR 24-105mm f/4G, Mode = Aperture Priority, ISO 25600, 1/250, ƒ/4, (35mm = 32) Flash Fire = on, return detected]

Why ISO 25600?

I didn’t want a black background. I wanted to show the context of their event at the Ponce City Market Roof Top.

[NIKON Z 9, 35mm f/1.4G, Mode = Aperture Priority, ISO 22800, 1/100, ƒ/1.4, (35mm = 35) Flash Fire = no flash]
[NIKON Z 9, VR 24-105mm f/4G, Mode = Aperture Priority, ISO 25600, 1/250, ƒ/5.6, (35mm = 24) Flash Fire = on, return detected]

Summary

I can’t wait till DxO PureRAW 2 will support the High-Efficiency RAW files. However, I am looking forward to when Adobe Lightroom optimizes the Nikon Z9 files.

Until then, if I am shooting over 10000 ISO, I will try to remember to shoot Lossless Compressed, and then I don’t have to convert to DNG, saving a great deal of time.

I now love the Z9 even more that my files have little noise at ISO 25600.