What is an NEF file?
NEF stands for Nikon Electronic Format. It was created by Nikon and first released in 1999. NEF is the raw format of Nikon cameras since the D1 in 1999. It is built on TIFF and can be uncompressed, lossless compressed or lossy compressed, a choice made in the camera menu, with a JPEG preview stored beside the sensor data.
| Type | image |
|---|---|
| Compression | Lossy or lossless |
| Colour | raw sensor data, usually 12 or 14 bits per pixel |
| Transparency | No |
| Animation | No |
| In a browser | does not open in browsers; Windows Photos (with the Raw Image Extension), macOS Photos and Preview, Lightroom and Nikon NX Studio open it |
| Common uses | Nikon DSLR and Z mirrorless cameras |
| MIME type | image/x-nikon-nef |
Which format should you convert NEF to?
- NEF to JPG for photos that must open everywhere and stay small.
- NEF to PNG for screenshots, logos and anything with transparency.
- NEF to PDF to print, or to attach as a document.
NEF is lossy or lossless depending on how it was saved, so check what a program needs before converting.
How to open an NEF file
An NEF file does not open in a web browser, but most photo apps read it. Here is what works on each device.
| Windows | The Photos app opens it with Microsoft's free Raw Image Extension; Nikon NX Studio (free), Lightroom and darktable edit it. |
|---|---|
| Mac | Photos and Preview open it; Nikon NX Studio (free), Lightroom and darktable edit it. |
| iPhone and iPad | The Files app previews it and Photos opens it once imported; Lightroom Mobile edits it. |
| Android | Few Android apps read NEF. Convert it to JPG here to view it anywhere. |
Want the technical details? See what a .nef file is, with its MIME type, file signature and a viewer.
NEF compared with other image formats
How NEF stacks up against the formats people most often convert it to or from:
| Format | Compression | Transparency | Released | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NEF | Either | No | 1999 | Nikon DSLR and Z mirrorless cameras |
| JPG | Lossy | No | 1992 | camera photos, web images and email attachments |
| PNG | Lossless | Yes | 1996 | screenshots, logos, diagrams and anything with transparency |
| WebP | Either | Yes | 2010 | images served by websites to save bandwidth |
| HEIC | Lossy | Yes | 2017 | photos taken on iPhones and iPads since iOS 11 |
How to use the NEF converter
- Choose the format you want in the Convert to menu.
- Drop your NEF files on the box, or press Choose NEF files. Several files can go in at once.
- Adjust the settings if you need to; the defaults suit most people.
- Press Convert and save each file with its Download button. The file is converted on our server and deleted as soon as the result is sent back.
Tips for converting NEF files without losing quality
NEF can be lossy or lossless depending on how the file was saved. Either way, converting to a lossless format keeps exactly what is there, and converting to a lossy one trades a little detail for a much smaller file.
- Keep the raw file. It holds the full sensor data, with far more room for adjusting exposure and colour than any JPG or PNG made from it.
- Choose JPG to share or upload a photo, and PNG or TIFF when the picture will be edited further, since they add no compression loss.
- The conversion is a neutral development with the white balance the camera recorded. For an edited look, develop the file in Lightroom, darktable or RawTherapee instead.
- The server accepts files up to 25 MB, which fits the raw files of most cameras; very high-resolution cameras can go past it.
Convert NEF files from the command line
LibRaw and ImageMagick do the same on your own computer:
dcraw_emu -w -o 1 -q 3 -T input.nef
magick input.nef.tiff -quality 92 output.jpgConverting on your own computer keeps the file entirely local, which is worth it for very large or very sensitive documents. For everything else, the converter on this page does it without installing anything.
NEF converter FAQ
What is an NEF file?
NEF stands for Nikon Electronic Format, an image format created by Nikon in 1999. NEF is the raw format of Nikon cameras since the D1 in 1999. It is built on TIFF and can be uncompressed, lossless compressed or lossy compressed, a choice made in the camera menu, with a JPEG preview stored beside the sensor data.
How do I open an NEF file?
NEF does not open in browsers; Windows Photos (with the Raw Image Extension), macOS Photos and Preview, Lightroom and Nikon NX Studio open it. If the program you need will not open it, convert it to a more widely supported format above.
What is the most common NEF conversion?
NEF to JPG is the conversion people search for most. The NEF is developed by LibRaw, the open-source camera RAW decoder, on our conversion server: the sensor data is turned into a full-colour picture with the white balance the camera recorded, AHD demosaicing and standard sRGB colour.
Does converting NEF files here upload them?
Yes. NEF conversions need LibRaw and ImageMagick, open-source programs that cannot run in a browser, so they run on our conversion server. The file is uploaded, converted, and deleted together with the result as soon as the result has been sent back to you. Nothing is kept.
Is the NEF converter free?
Yes. There is no sign-up and no watermark. Conversions that use our server accept files up to 25 MB, with a fair-use limit per hour. The site is supported by advertising.
Can I convert NEF files on iPhone or Android?
Yes. Open this page in Safari on iPhone and iPad, or in Chrome on Android, choose your NEF files and download the results to your Downloads folder.
Can I convert several NEF files at once?
Yes. Drop as many as you like; they are converted one after another, each with its own download button.