Importing .NEF files to Photos on Iphone

[Joker73]

I'm trying to import raw photos (.NEF) to Photos on my iPhone, but after "saving as image", I get a blurry image. On Mac it doesn't happen and I get the full image. How can I import those files without using my computer or Lightroom?

 

[chrfr]

I'm trying to import raw photos (.NEF) to Photos on my iPhone, but after "saving as image", I get a blurry image. On Mac it doesn't happen and I get the full image. How can I import those files without using my computer or Lightroom?

You’ll need a 3rd party app to edit raw files on iPhone and iPad but you’ll also need to make sure that your version of iOS and your camera are compatible, as shown in this document: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212821

 

[Joker73]

You’ll need a 3rd party app to edit raw files on iPhone and iPad but you’ll also need to make sure that your version of iOS and your camera are compatible, as shown in this document: https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT212821

Thanks for answering. My iPhone 11 and my Nikon D7200 are both compatibles, but I don't know why I cannot import a .NEF file from the files app to the Photos app on iPhone when I can do it seamlessly on Mac.

 

[chrfr]

Thanks for answering. My iPhone 11 and my Nikon D7200 are both compatibles, but I don't know why I cannot import a .NEF file from the files app to the Photos app on iPhone when I can do it seamlessly on Mac.

The Photos app on iPad and iPhone simply doesn’t support raw editing.

 

[NoBoMac]

^^This.

The disclaimer on the linked page:

RAW processing on iOS or iPadOS with third-party apps is available on iPhone 6 or later, iPad Pro (all models), iPad mini 4 or later, iPad Air 2 or later, and iPod touch (6th generation) or later.

 

[Slartibart]

The Photos app on iPad and iPhone simply doesn’t support raw editing.

Of course it does. I regularly transfer and develop or edit RAWs from my mirrorless and DLSRs into Apple Photos on iPadOS.

EDIT: the problem seems related to Nikon’s RAW format. I did a quick check downloading some RAW samples from here - and the preview in any app incl. Apple’s Photos on iPadOS 15.6.1 is pixelated:

All other images you see in the first screenshot are RAWs in the DNG format.
The D7200 seems not to allow to shoot directly DNG- you can use Adobe’s free Digital Negative Converter to convert your NEF files to DNG.

 

[Slartibart]

It seems that lossless compressed/compressed NEFs cause the issue. The OP might want to check wether shooting in uncompressed NEF solves the issue.

 

[capamac]

What I would recommend is editing the RAW images on a laptop or desktop computer and exporting them as jpegs. Then send the jpegs to your phone.

RAW really doesn't belong on a phone or table in my opinion. The file sizes for RAW are just too large.

You can also set the D7200 to shoot jpeg-only, or jpeg+RAW, or just RAW, for future photographs.

 

[cosywozy]

I'm trying to import raw photos (.NEF) to Photos on my iPhone, but after "saving as image", I get a blurry image. On Mac it doesn't happen and I get the full image. How can I import those files without using my computer or Lightroom?

after almost a year of brainstorming I finally found a workaround to importing large batch of Nikon files to the Photos app without losing any quality. The workaround is very simple you install the "Documents" file manager (app icon is the letter D, should he the first thing that pops up) from the App Store and then within the iOS files app you select all photos and **drag and drop**them to the documents app, would be smart to make a folder there beforehand.

After the files are transferred to the documents app you simply select all of them and hit share and click save photos.
after confirming the photos are all good, delete them from both files and documents app.

for some reason ios stock files app share doesn't work well with the format but when you share it through the documents app it works perfectly fine...

I hope this helps someone who's been struggling to import files just like me.

 ❤️