Can see NEF pics on camera but cannot transfer images

You can use the Nikon View program that should have been included with the camera. or you download the current versions of Nikon ViewNX or Nikon Capture available free at Nikon Imaging Products Software

If your computer is running Windows, download the NEF codec from http://nikonimglib.com/nefcodec/

Tou need software that allows you to view RAW files: Nikon Capture, the software that may have come with the camera, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Lightroom, Others. Just google "view NEF file software

Nikon uses the .nef files as a RAW file. These, like the Canon RAW, are like a digital negative. They contain all the image information captured by the camera, along with the image's metadata (the camera's identification and its settings, the lens used and other information). My suggestion is: I assume you are going to use the JPG files, so simply delete the others.

.Nef is Nikon's RAW image identifier. See if there's an update for iPhoto at Mac website. Perhaps your camera (if it's new) is not yet set up to upload to iPhoto. You didn't indicate what camera you're using.

Try Nikon Transfer at http://support.nikontech.com/app/answers/detail/a_id/61.

You can also download a codec from Microsoft that makes Windows recognize NEF files.

I took the pic off the camera and onto a photo editor software package.

RAW NEF images from Nikon cameras are proprietary formatted raw data directly from the cameras's sensor. If the images are improperly transferred to the computer they will not be able to be opened and will give an "Unsupported File Format" warning. Macintosh OS X has an "Image Capture" application (found in: Hard Drive/Applications/)that can be used to transfer images. If "Image Capture" is used NEF files will be corrupted and will not be able to be read. Only Nikon View, or manually dragging images from the mounted card, should be used to transfer NEF's. To disable "Image Capture": Double-click to open the hard drive and then the "Applications" folder Double-click "Image Capture" From the "Image Capture" menu choose "Preferences..." In the "When a camera is connected" pop-up choose "No Application" Close the Preferences window and Quit Image Capture After disabling Image Capture, it will not launch when the camera is connected and you can use Nikon View to properly transfer NEF images.

RAW NEF images from Nikon cameras are proprietary formatted raw data directly from the cameras's sensor. If the images are improperly transferred to the computer they will not be able to be opened and will give an "Unsupported File Format" warning. Macintosh OS X has an "Image Capture" application (found in: Hard Drive/Applications/)that can be used to transfer images. If "Image Capture" is used NEF files will be corrupted and will not be able to be read. Only Nikon View, or manually dragging images from the mounted card, should be used to transfer NEF's. To disable "Image Capture": Double-click to open the hard drive and then the "Applications" folder Double-click "Image Capture" From the "Image Capture" menu choose "Preferences..." In the "When a camera is connected" pop-up choose "No Application" Close the Preferences window and Quit Image Capture After disabling Image Capture, it will not launch when the camera is connected and you can use Nikon View to properly transfer NEF images.

RAW NEF images from Nikon cameras are proprietary formatted raw data directly from the cameras's sensor. If the images are improperly transferred to the computer they will not be able to be opened and will give an "Unsupported File Format" warning. Macintosh OS X has an "Image Capture" application (found in: Hard Drive/Applications/)that can be used to transfer images. If "Image Capture" is used NEF files will be corrupted and will not be able to be read. Only Nikon View, or manually dragging images from the mounted card, should be used to transfer NEF's. To disable "Image Capture": Double-click to open the hard drive and then the "Applications" folder Double-click "Image Capture" From the "Image Capture" menu choose "Preferences..." In the "When a camera is connected" pop-up choose "No Application" Close the Preferences window and Quit Image Capture After disabling Image Capture, it will not launch when the camera is connected and you can use Nikon View to properly transfer NEF images.