The Imaging Recipe feature for your Nikon Z6iii might be the most underrated feature of this camera.
When the Nikon Z6iii was released June 17, 2024, one of its highly touted features was its ability to download Imaging Recipes made by creators around the world. Adding these Imaging Recipes to the camera allows you to see how your photos and videos looks in real-time. To be able to see the style in real-time when shooting sounded like a fantastic feature.
As soon as I got my hands on the Nikon Z6iii, that was the first feature I was excited to try out. I’ve outlined the steps below in this post so you can follow along with your camera too. As of writing this blog post, the Nikon Z6iii and Z50ii are compatible with Nikon Imaging Cloud, with the Nikon Zf coming soon.
Nikon Imaging Cloud
The Nikon Imaging Cloud is a service offered by Nikon that allows you to do the following:
- Image Transfer: Upload photos taken with the camera automatically to a cloud service of your choice, like Dropbox, Lightroom, OneDrive, and more.
- Imaging Recipes: As described above, this allows you to download Image Recipes to your camera so you can use them for your own photos and videos.
- Firmware Updates: You can initiate a firmware update directly from your camera.
- Nikon Image Space: A separate photo sharing service that allows you to store your images and your own Imaging Recipes that you make.
Let’s start off with creating an account at Nikon Imaging Cloud since you’ll need this regardless of what you want to do. You can do these steps on your desktop or your mobile phone. But to browse the Imaging Recipes, it’s probably best done on the desktop.
Step 1: Create an account at Nikon Imaging Cloud/Nikon ID
If you already have a Nikon ID, go straight to Step 2.
To create Imaging Recipes, you will first need to make a Nikon Imaging Cloud account. Go here on your web browser: https://imagingcloud.nikon.com and click the Sign Up link on the top right of the page. You will be directed to create a new Nikon ID, which is what you need for the Imaging Cloud.
Step 2: Log in to Nikon Imaging Cloud
Go back to https://imagingcloud.nikon.com and log in using your newly created Nikon ID. You’ll be presented with the LEFT screen below.
Click images to enlarge.
Step 3: Connect your camera to your Nikon Imaging Cloud account.
This part is done on your camera, then on your computer, and back to your camera again. Follow the steps in the slideshow below.
Select Nikon Imaging Cloud in the Network Menu 
Turn ON Connect to Nikon Imaging Cloud 
Configure your Wi-Fi settings so your camera can connect to the internet. 
Press the OK button on your camera. 
Enter 02, or the access code that was on your desktop when you logged in to Nikon Imaging Space. 
Press the magnifying glass button on your camera. 
The camera will connect to the internet. 
Make note of the User Code. 
On the computer, scroll to the bottom and click the tiny link! 
Enter the User Code that you noted on the camera. 
Confirm information. 
Connection completed! 
This message will appear on your camera. 
Checking for firmware updates. 
Go back to desktop and scroll down to the Nikon Imaging services available. Click on Image Recipes.
Step 4: Imaging Recipes
After selecting the Imaging Recipes option, you’re shown the first page. The lengthy description is not very inviting but you can close this by clicking on the What are Imaging Recipes? link on the top right or the Close Description button on the bottom.
You can navigate Imaging Recipes by the tabs on the top of the page.
Tab 1: Saved Recipes
This first page will display all of your Imaging Recipes you have saved on your account. Note this list is not the same as the recipes you have on your camera. You can create a new recipe by clicking the Create Recipes button.
Tab 2: Recipes Registered on the Camera
This tab will show all the Imaging Recipes that you have registered with your camera. These are the ones that will be downloaded to your camera the next time your camera connects to the Nikon Imaging Cloud.
Tab 3: Nikon Recipes
This page introduces all of the creators and their Imaging Recipes that they have available. There are three sections to this page, which is not evident at first.
Section 1: This section organizes recipes by creators. Click on the creator of choice and see the recipes they have made. If you like the recipe you’re viewing, simply click the Add to Saved Recipes button under the sample image. This Imaging Recipe will then show up in Tab 1.
One thing you should pay attention to is the Recipe Details section of the Imaging Recipe page. The creator describes the inspiration behind the recipe, what situation it might be best used in, and what you can do with it. This might help you in getting the best out of each recipe.
My main issue with this section is having to navigate back and forth between the effects of the recipe and the page with the creators takes far too long, making the process inefficient and time consuming.
Sections 2 and 3: If you scroll down past the list of creators, you’ll see section two and three. Alternatively, you can click on Imaging Recipes Participating Creators on the top right and it will close section 1. You’ll now see the Creator’s color grading and color grading sections.
Section 2, Creator’s color grading, organizes all Imaging Recipes by the publication date or recipe name. You can change this filtering to suit your needs.
Section 3, Color Grading, are Imaging Recipes by Nikon.
With so many different images shown for sections 2 and 3 in a masonry format, it’s not easy to see what the Imaging Recipes are actually doing to the images. The different sized images also detracts the focus away from the recipe itself. Instead, if the same image or set of images were used to illustrate each Imaging Recipe, it would make it easier to see the difference of each recipe.
Step 5: Adding Imaging Recipes to your camera
Once you have a selection of Imaging Recipe in Tab 1, you’ll select some or all of these to transfer to your camera. Do the following:
- Click the Select button on the top right
- Select the Imaging Recipe(s) you want to transfer
- Click where it says Batch Operation and select Register to recipes for [camera model]
This will move the selected Imaging Recipe(s) to Tab 2.
The one thing to do on Tab 2 is to choose in which order you want to see the new Imaging Recipes on your camera in the Picture Control section.
Step 6: Adding Imaging Recipes on your camera
Go to Network Menu and follow the screen captures in the slideshow:
Nikon Imaging Cloud and turn ON Connect to Nikon Imaging Cloud 
Select Set Picture Control 
Scroll all the way down the list and Add Cloud Picture Control files to add the Imaging Recipes to your camera. The camera will connect and automatically sync with your account, transferring any new Imaging Recipes you had on Tab 2. 
Once added, they will show up in your list above. 
Now you have access to these Imaging Recipes in your photo and video modes.
Don’t forget to turn OFF Connect to Nikon Imaging Cloud once you’re finished this step.
Note
Note that the Picture Control setting in video mode will be greyed out if your video Tone Mode is set to HLG or N-Log. You will need to set it to SDR to enable Picture Control in video.
Final Thoughts
There are several steps involved with using Imaging Recipes with your select Nikon Z cameras. But if you follow the steps properly you’ll be rewarded with the fun and creative Picture Controls that can open up a whole new world of photo and video editing for you.
Personally I do find the process a little cumbersome—in particular the Imaging Recipe selection process. But if you make your own Imaging Recipe with Nikon’s NX Studio software, this could save you a lot of time in the post-processing stage of your workflow.
I look forward to making use of these Imaging Recipes and using my own on my photos and videos.
Do you have any questions on Imaging Recipes? Do you use them at all, or perhaps you have a favourite recipe of your own?
Let me know in the comments below.