SECTION / 01

NEF, NRW and JPEG are different assets

A JPEG beside a similarly named RAW file is usually a derivative or companion, not an exact duplicate. Retain both until their role is understood. Exact duplicate detection must compare complete file content.

SECTION / 02

Keep embedded camera metadata

RAW files may contain capture information, previews and Nikon-specific fields. Avoid workflows that replace the RAW with an exported JPEG or rewrite manufacturer metadata during rescue.

SECTION / 03

Preserve sidecars and companions

XMP sidecars, editing records and camera-generated companion files may be meaningful even when the rescue application cannot display every field. Inventory them and keep their relative association.

SECTION / 04

Recognition is not repair

Recognising a NEF or NRW extension does not establish that every internal structure is healthy and does not imply automatic repair. Unreadable, incomplete or unusual files should remain visible for review.

SECTION / 05

Verify the rescued copy

Confirm destination presence and size, then compare SHA-256 fingerprints. A matching fingerprint proves byte equality between the source and destination copy; it does not prove that an upstream cloud export was complete.

EVIDENCE / SOURCES

Sources and boundaries

  • NX Studio supported formatsNikon CorporationNikon reference for current imaging formats; this is not a Photo Archive Rescue support guarantee.
    Open source ↗
  • Nikon metadata tag referenceExifTool
    Open source ↗