Apple Photos raw processing Nikon poor highlights

Question

Level 1

11 points

Apple Photos raw processing Nikon poor highlights

When loading RAW files from Nikon Z9 (uncompressed RAW), Apple Photos imports normally. Comparing the images to NX Studio, On1 2025, Luminar Neo, Dx0 2025, Capture1 2023, and Photomater, there are problems around the highlights.

As you lift the exposure, highlights blow out way faster than any of the others tested. As you bring down highlights, less detail is recovered. This is not even close. I would think that Photomater and Photos use the same Apple profile for the camera at the very least, but how they handle this is very different.

Compare these to regions from the same photo both with significant exposure lift (photo was underexposed). +1.5 in Apple Photos, +200% in Photomator. NX Studio says about 1.5 stops. You can clearly see the highlights already starting to clip in Apple Photos. macOS Tahoe, 26.0.1 Calibrated LG Monitor.

Posted on Oct 8, 2025 8:55 AM

Reply

Answer 1

Yer_Man

Level 10

165,648 points

Oct 8, 2025 3:40 PM in response to v3rlon

I think the truth is that since Apple ditched Aperture their interest in Raw processing is limited. They don't support all cameras, they don't support all the formats of the cameras they do support, they're not exactly first to release raw support for anything. It's just not a priority. I imagine that they think that if you're spending $5k on a camera and more on glass then you're not going to using a freebie app to process the raws.

The Apple ecosystem does not call for them to make the best software, but rather to make a range of inexpensive or free software that is "good-enough-for-most-things", and to leave space in the market for more capable apps. Photos is not the best photo manager out there, it's not even the best photo manager that Apple ever made. But it suits a lot of folks and the price is right. Pages is good if you're doing a letter to Grandma or maybe a parish newsletter. But if you're doing a Ph D you're going to be using Word, or NisusWriter or Mellel. And so on. These apps help sell hardware and Apple is, at heart, a hardware company. They do have some pro-level apps, but none in the photography space anymore.

I would report what you're seeing to the feedback channel and maybe it will garner a reaction.

Feedback - Photos - Apple

Reply

Answer 2

Oct 8, 2025 9:05 AM in response to v3rlon

Was there a question? Or are you just pointing out that the free app doesn't do all that the expensive apps do?

I process NEF files in Lightroom when I need it. I use Photos for jpgs, including the jpgs that Lightroom exports.

Reply

Answer 3

v3rlon Author

Level 1

11 points

Oct 8, 2025 12:22 PM in response to Richard.Taylor

Is anyone else seeing this behavior?

Do I have some weird setting somewhere wrong?

Is my Apple Nikon Core RAW file somehow corrupt?

Did something change because I didn't have this problem when I did a demonstration for my photo club comparing Apple Photos to early versions of most of those same apps some years back, and praised Photos for its speed? I literally put it on a screen in front of a room full of enthusiast to full on pro photographers and showed them.

And, given that Apple has more money than all of those other companies combined, I really would expect them to have a decent RAW develop even if their editing was weaker. If they were just going to 'phone in' their Nikon NEF processor, why bother? Just don't support it, be up front about it, and send everyone to something else. The could even collaborate and have Nikon provide something.

Finally, Photomator and really On1/Luminar aren't really 'expensive' apps. Capture 1 and DxO I will give you as expensive, but something you can frequently land for $59-79 is not expensive as far as photography gear goes.

Reply