Consider this: One of the primary features that attracts users to NX1 is the power of Color Control Points. Imagine the power of Color Control Points, which adjust only color, put into Selection Control points, which affect everything because they are used in combination with all adjustments. Selection Control Points are included in NX2. They are not included in NX1. That alone makes NX2 worth the upgrade cost.
I think there's something in NX2 for everyone. For me, these things stand out: the new QuickFix (global adj) section is great way to get started with an image new Shadow adjustment slider is great new Highlight protection slider is great too using selection control point is very impressive way to apply edits to control point "areas" of the image the way you can see the "mask" (partial selection) and toggle the view on/off is extremely useful if you do any kind of paintbrush edits or "regional" edits seems more "solid" (fewer crashes) seems faster for most things though batch processing is still slothlike Linked edits (this may have been in NX but I'm not sure. If it was I missed it). This allows you to create an edit step with a mask (say you are just applying noise reduction to one region of the photo) and then you can hold the shift key and add another "linked" edit step which will inherit the mask of the first one and you can apply a second adjustment to the same region of the photo without having to recreate the mask from scratch ... anyway, I found the money spent for the upgrade to be worth every penny! Regards, Peter G.
Why pay again? My question is why should I have to pay for changes in a program that essentially fixed things that didn't work right in Ver. 1? I'm a big fan of NX but IMO there aren't enough new features in Ver 2 for me to cough up an additional $100. I've always used NX for initial sharpening and processing and did the really serious edition in PS anyway.
Wayne, you might consider thanking the people who took the time and effort to answer your question in your initial post. Presumably our answers helped you arrive at your conclusion.
To me, NX2 is worth the cost for one new feature: Shadow Protection. I use this more than any other new feature in NX2. It really helps on high dynamic range landscape shots, which happens to me a lot.
When used as a pure RAW converter, I find NX every bit as good as NX2. On the contrary: The edit list in NX2 is way too cumbersome IMO. NX 1.3.4 also runs fast & smooth on my new Vista 64bit PC with 8GB RAM.
