Nikon D850 NEF files: tested result
Result for this file
Full decode
The sensor data of this file decoded and developed. You get the picture the camera captured, not only its thumbnail.
The numbers
| Camera | Nikon D850 |
|---|---|
| File format | NEF |
| Sample tested | Nikon-D850-12bit-compressed.NEF (12-bit compressed) |
| Sensor data | 8,288 × 5,520 pixels (45.7 MP) |
| Embedded camera preview | 8,256 × 5,504 pixels JPEG (45.4 MP, 5,333 KB) |
| Result | Full decode |
| Developed picture | 8,288 × 5,520 pixels (45.7 MP) |
| Decode + develop time | 722 ms to decode, 1048 ms to develop |
| White balance in the file | Yes, the camera's own white balance was read |
| Colour calibration for this model | Not included: colours are treated as standard sRGB primaries |
What this means for you
You can inspect focus at 100 % on the developed picture, and the colour follows the white balance the camera recorded. Developing takes about 1.8 s per photo on the test PC, so thumbnails of a whole shoot come from the embedded preview instead.
Limits of this test: one sample file per camera, one compression mode (12-bit compressed). Another mode or firmware can behave differently. Times come from one run on a Linux desktop PC and will differ on your computer. Whether Windows itself shows these files depends on Microsoft's RAW Image Extension and your camera model; we did not test that. Tested 2026-10-31. Rawlook engine (photocraft-raw 1.0.1).
Open it now in your browser
The free viewer on this site opens these formats in your browser. Your photo is not uploaded.
Browse a whole folder
Rawlook is our Windows app for browsing a whole folder of RAW photos, rating the keepers and exporting JPEGs. It works offline and does not edit your RAW files. Files that only decode to a preview are shown with a “Camera preview” badge.
Rawlook is in preparation for the Microsoft Store.
FAQ
Why does my NEF file open as a preview only?
It does not: this sample decoded fully. If yours shows only a preview, it was probably saved in another compression mode (see the limits above).
Will the preview be the same size as my photo?
For this sample the preview is 45.4 MP and the sensor 45.7 MP, so it is 99 % of the sensor size.