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You shot photos with a Nikon camera and the files are .nef. This is Nikon's proprietary RAW format (Nikon Electronic Format) — unprocessed sensor data at 12-bit or 14-bit depth, preserving the full dynamic range and colour information for professional post-production.
NEF files store the raw sensor readings before any in-camera processing (white balance, sharpening, noise reduction). This gives you complete control in editing software — recover blown highlights, pull detail from deep shadows, and adjust colour temperature with precision that's impossible with JPG. Nikon includes embedded JPG previews for quick viewing. File sizes range from 15-60 MB depending on the camera sensor and compression settings.
Adobe Lightroom (subscription) handles NEF from all Nikon cameras. Nikon NX Studio (free, Nikon's own editor) supports all NEF files with Nikon-specific adjustments. Darktable and RawTherapee are both free, open-source alternatives with excellent NEF support. For sharing photos, export to JPG from your editing software.