Microsoft Updates RAW Image Thumbnailer and Viewer for Windows XP

December 19, 2005: Microsoft has released the latest version of its RAW Image Thumbnailer and Viewer for Windows XP adding support for the display of a range of Canon and Nikon digital SLR RAW files.

The free-of-charge application allows photographers who shoot RAW files to view, organise and print them in Windows XP in the same way as they can work with JPEG images. The latest version (v1.0 Build 50) includes support for the latest Canon cameras including the Canon EOS 5D and EOS-1D Mark II N, as well as the Nikon D50, D70s, D2Hs and D200. D200 support includes the display of thumbnails and previews only; viewing in the highest quality mode is not yet possible.
The latest version of RAW Image Thumbnailer and Viewer uses the camera vendors’ own processing libraries to provide the highest possible image fidelity for RAW images. Consequently, photographers can obtain optimal picture quality from RAW files. Windows Image Colour Management (ICM) is used to render images in the correct colour space as determined by the photographer when the image was captured, providing enhanced colour accuracy. The software also builds on the familiar Windows user experience and requires little or no learning curve. Background processing and other techniques ensure a good preview experience even for large images.
Other new features include:
– A new ‘Save As…’ button on the Toolbar that lets users save the current image as either a JPEG or TIFF file.
– Fixes for several known problems in earlier versions of the software, including one that could lock certain files and prevent them from being moved or deleted in Windows Explorer.
– Faster displays of previews from the Nikon D70, D70s, and D50 cameras plus reduced memory usage when generating NEF thumbnails for most Nikon digital SLRs.
Version 1.0 Build 50 of the RAW Image Thumbnailer and Viewer for Windows XP is a free download from Microsoft. Go to http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=d48e808e-b10d-4ce4-a141-5866fd4a3286&DisplayLang=en. Note: This application is designed only for computers running Windows XP. Service Pack 2 or later is required.