Safyre thx I do shot raw to be able to edit especially the WB etc.my pic were uploaded first to view NX straight from camera then I emailed them using the NX email but the extension was .jpg that's why I thought he'll be able to view them thx again

Thx adams when emailing the pic (from NX2) the extension was .jpg so I thought he will be able to open them !

Agree with Johnny; if you plan on editing any of your photos now (or in the future), you definitely want to shoot in raw.

Telling someone to not shoot raw is like telling someone to get their film developed into prints at Walgreen's and then to throw out the negatives. I can understand telling a beginner not to shoot raw, but as you progress in photography and your work becomes more meaningful, you're going to come to it at some point so you might as well start early.

Now I know, why people around the world have difficulties with getting mail. E-mail protocol was created to share messages not enormous in size files. Use dropbox or any other file sharing service for this.
Apart from that, Your friend need to download plugin to view raw files on his Windows. Simply google for it. Or as Gabb suggested download PIcasa.

Spraynspray I use element10 thx

Thank you guts for all your reply it helps a lot. Thank you friedmid for the technical explanation .

For quick viewing raw files Google's Picasa viewer is not bad and it downloads under a minute. Also it has a unique raw conversion engine which is useful at times when all else fails :-)

Sary - what software do you use? Photoshop? Lightroom? Elements? Whichever one it is will allow you to export or 'save as' a file that your friend will be able to see (TIFF or JPEG). If it is Photoshop, don't send a PSD as he will not be able to view that one either.

Easy as that.

I would still shoot raw + JPEG even if you don't use the raw. Someday you might want the extra info in the raw files and memory is cheap.

One more RAW file analogy (probably the one I should have used in the first place!):

It's like giving your friend an undeveloped roll of film instead of a developed photograph...

Emailing RAW files is odd... especially when you don't seem to really understand what they are or how to work with them (not trying to be harsh... just real). So, a couple of things:

1. RAW files are _not_ pictures. They contain all of the information necessary to create a picture... but by themselves they are not pictures. You don't "view" RAW files... you "develop" them into photographs using software. That software interprets the information in a RAW file to create an image.

Sending someone a RAW file doesn't make any sense because it's like giving someone a model airplane kit when you meant to give them the completed plane.

Create the photograph you want and send your friend a jpeg of it.

2. You shouldn't be shooting RAW. Shooting JPEG is almost definitely what you want. Photographs (all developed and everything) will come straight out of your camera and you can send them to your friends. They are going to look great, be a lot smaller and be a lot less work.

3. At the point where you feel artistically limited by what's in a JPEG.... then do a lot of research and possibly switch to RAW. That time might be years from now.

Or get photoshop Cs6

You either need to convert them, or your friend needs to download the Nikon RAW plug-in for windows.

hi guys,
i've just emailed a friend some .NEF RAW picture taken with my D800 but he is not able to view (open) them -he's using microsoft os on his laptop-
do i have to convert them before sending, or does he need to use a special software ?
tank you