OpenRAW

I have been a Nikon user and fan for over 15 years. Yes, i say was...because after turning fully digital i noticed a sligth turn of the customer-service and care of Nikon, turning bad and unmotivated more and more over the years.

With their proprietary RAW file format NEF of their digital SLRs (DSLR) Nikon D-Series, they have finally lost me as a continuous customer.
Why? - Simply because i have had to buy the Nikon picture-software for about 180 Euro for being able to fully process my RAW photo-files.
Nikon has included an 'encryption' of white balance data in its NEF (RAW) files from the D2X and D2Hs digital SLRs.
Who are you, Nikon? You let me pay a lot of money for my D2X and then you want to restrict my "freedom" to do what i want with my photos - Nikon, there are Alternatives! Either switching towards Fujifilm body to hold my expensive lenses or get rid of the whole Nikon stuff to switch to another brand, "open" towards customer needs.

At dpreview i've read an article, that your RAW format is free via Nikon Software Developer Kit (SDK). That words proof that your company has lost the last respect towards us, the customers. Nikon does obviously regard us, longterm customers as "Golden Pigs" feeding their walletswith money - and what we are frequently getting: Lies

The SDK isn't open to everyone, or better every programmer. That's a pitty, because improvements could arise also from other sources than the "Accredited Software-Companies" for the SDK.

Renowned companies have big concerns in developing plugins for my Nikon camera - who's the looser?

I am - one longterm customer. But not any longer! I am changing system or you make the NEF file format public!

Regards Robert, Germany