Unable to open .CR2 RAW files in Photoshop Elements 6

[Doc63]

Hi all,

I've just started shooting in RAW, and when I upload the images to me computer, they are saved as .CR2 files.

When I try to open these files in Photoshop Elements 6, the following message is displayed: "Cannot open 'file name' because it is the wrong type of file."

Do I have to convert the .CR2 files to another format, and if so, which one?

Thanks

Neil.

[paulheath]

you have to update your ACR ( ACR=adobe camera raw )plug -in to one that supports your camera. i think you'll need camera raw 8.2
i think if you go "Help" updates it will fix the issue, having never used elements i cant confirm it,ok looking through some adobe forums you may have to skip the ACR
and use adobe DNG converter because your on old version of elements
http://blogs.adobe.com/crawlspace/2011/03/why-doesnt-my-version-of-photoshop-or-lightroom-support-my-camera.html#legacydng

[Doc63]

you have to update your ACR ( ACR=adobe camera raw )plug -in to one that supports your camera. i think you'll need camera raw 8.2
i think if you go "Help" updates it will fix the issue, having never used elements i cant confirm it,ok looking through some adobe forums you may have to skip the ACR
and use adobe DNG converter because your on old version of elements
http://blogs.adobe.com/crawlspace/2011/03/why-doesnt-my-version-of-photoshop-or-lightroom-support-my-camera.html#legacydng

Thanks for that, I'll give it a try. I imagine that if I upgrade to version 12, I'll be able to open the files.

[arthurking83]

Thanks for that, I'll give it a try. I imagine that if I upgrade to version 12, I'll be able to open the files.

it most likely will do.

But an alternative is to convert your cr2 files usin DPP(Canon software) into tiff files and then opening the tiff files in Photoshop.

Either or .. which way to eventually go is same thing in reality.

[Doc63]

it most likely will do.

But an alternative is to convert your cr2 files usin DPP(Canon software) into tiff files and then opening the tiff files in Photoshop.

Either or .. which way to eventually go is same thing in reality.

Thanks Arthur, converting them to tiff files might be the quickest, and cheapest, way to go.

[arthurking83]

definitely cheaper than any software upgrade that requires capital expenditure.

BTW, my comment on either workflow being the same thing is literally that.

Using ACR to do the conversion and then using PS to the the major editing: ACR you do raw file tweaking(exposure WB levels and so on) and then it probably needs to convert the image into a readable format for PS to work with. Obviously PS can't recognise the raw file format, so the ACR imported image must be something else, could be PSD/JPG or most likely TIFF. Whichever format type it actually is, is almost certainly inconsequential, as there won't be any advantage in real world usage.

So a workflow that involves DPP(edited tweaked, etc) converted to TIFF and then exported to PS for further editing, should theoretically produce an identical workflow(to the ACR method).

Of course there may be some benefits in using ACR over DPP .. I don't use ACR(nor DPP neither), so I don't know.

A kind of similar situation in the Nikon ecosphere exists too, where we have ViewNX2 as a basic tweak and touchup raw converter, which allows the setting up of exporting images into third party software sources too.
In VNX2 when done with your raw tweaking, you hit the 'open with <PS or other preferences>' shortcut and that's it.
It then converts the image to tiff and you edit from there in the other software.

One thing to note tho, and even tho I don't use ACR(I still have access to it tho) I've heard that it's easy to add keywording/metadata/tagging/ITPC/DAM information into the raw file.

If you're pretty keen on photography as a hobby, try to get into a routine of tagging images as you sort through them.
I wish I was here 8 or more years back when I first started with digital photography offering myself the same tips I give you now. The scale of trying to go back through a terabyte of images and tagging them all in some way .. and even trying to remembering what they were relevant too, so thinking of data to tag them with(eg. location, purpose, technical info, etc).

So, even if this sounds a bit off topic, it is actually related.

I'm pretty sure you can download a separate ACR/DNG adobe converter program to help you to get from raw to PS.

But as you develop your workflow system, just keep in mind the notion of DAM(Digital Asset Management) which basically is a super hip way of saying 'keywording and tagging'.
I don't know what DPP offers in terms of tagging options, but surely it must have something.

FWIW: I found it easy to use Nikon's software(both the basic free ViewNX2 and their higher end software's ability to add keywording and ITPC information into my raw files.

I once tried tagging some files in LR4(or 3 .. I can't remember but they're basically the same and use ACR behind the scenes anyhow ... but in having added tags, I tried to read this info using various other software and it couldn't read the added tag info set.
I've never found this issue using Nikon's implementation of tagging files tho. Any keywording I've added is read by almost any other image viewer, and any description in the file is (almost always)also read correctly too(but possibly in strange locations, or under weird descriptor areas .. but almost always available.

Tagging has become one of my most important tools when working on image files.

A more basic summary of what I've just written: Don't just take the easy road. Work out what it is you want. If you don't yet know what you may want/need .. ask questions on the forum.
That's why forums like this exist .. for the uninitiated to seek guidance from us, the stumbling, bumbling fools ... who hate this idea of benefit in hindsight! :D

[JM Tran]

Just use or download Adobe DNG Converter which is free, to convert your CR2 format into Adobe's DNG RAW format so you can open them up and process them as RAW files without much farting around.

[Doc63]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

I converted a RAW file to a TIFF file, and was able to open it in PE6. The options were Exif-TIFF 8bit or TIFF 16bit.

I used Exif-TIFF 8bit. Not sure what the difference is. Am I right in assuming that TIFF 16bit does not contain the EXIF data?

[ricktas]

Thanks for the advice everyone.

I converted a RAW file to a TIFF file, and was able to open it in PE6. The options were Exif-TIFF 8bit or TIFF 16bit.

I used Exif-TIFF 8bit. Not sure what the difference is. Am I right in assuming that TIFF 16bit does not contain the EXIF data?

8-bit vs 16-bit is basically about the 'depth' of the file. An 8-bit file can have 256 'shades' of a pixel. So it has 256 graduations from full black to full white. So simply the colour red for example can have 256 different shades of red in an 8-bit file. The same file in 16-bit can have 65536 graduations for each colour.

So whilst 8-bit can be fine for most photos, you are losing a lot of subtle shade graduations in the image at 8-bit compared to 16-bit (note that most RAW files are actually 12/14 bit natively).

Have a look at this for more understanding : http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/bit-depth.htm

[arthurking83]

Both 8 and 16 bits data can contain exif data .. how PS treats those particular files, I think, is really up to you ... or how your preferences are set up in either of the software you use.
Sounds like these are some type of canned default settings for the purpose of quickly and easily saving files or exporting them (ie. less mouse clicks).

The two options probably are:
16 bit tiff (should) contain all necessary exif data too. As it's already going to be a massive file, I think the lack of any indication of exif data is an expectation that (becasue the file is so large already) the added exif data won't break any bandwith/size contraints.
8 bit tiff, tho .. because you have specified a lower quality, and hence size, setting in the 8 bits format, it may simply be an indication that it's probably also keeping the exif data intact .. so in effect more like a warning.
Exif data can consume quite a few kb of space in an image .. I've seen some savings of 30kb or so in a single 200kb image.
At 200kb, it makes quite a difference in size(and hence acceptability).
But the fact that it's a tiff format, should be a clear indicator that quality is foremost in the file.


In general(as Rick said) 8 bits files are fine, if your primary reason for saving those files is for web display.
The internet system, is really only set up to view 8bit files anyhow .. so any more than this is redundant.

BUT!! when you're editing the files .. it's always better to work with higher bit rates than lower ones.
As you edit lower bit rate files, the problem of destroying tonal range(as Rick describes .. the number of possible colours per pixel) creeps in earlier in your editing flow.
In general if you notice any image degradation on any 16 bit files during editing, the chances are that you could be pushing your processing way over the top during your editing steps!
Note this is not always the case, until you actually see a printed version of it .. but for display, this is true.


Note that I don't think any monitor actually allows you to see all 16 bits of colour info in any 16 bit file.
(some have inteprolation magic to mimic this environment, but nothing exists in true 16bit hardware)
Screens are mainly 8 bits(even many high end pro devices) .. and some modern high end screens can display 10 bit colour info.

So even with that bit of trivial info, its still best to save any tiff file to 16bits .. if you think you will continue editing it further(now or later).

If you have finalised the editing(with 100% positivity!!) then saving at 8bits will be fine if the purpose is to display (a variant of the tiff file) on the web.

All in all, tiff files are pretty useless in many ways.
The only time I use them is for saving a file for printing purposes, or if I'm keeping a rendered panorama file(PTGui only saves in tiff at it's highest quality .. doesn't save raw files).

[Doc63]

Just use or download Adobe DNG Converter which is free, to convert your CR2 format into Adobe's DNG RAW format so you can open them up and process them as RAW files without much farting around.

I downloaded the Adobe DNG Converter. This works fine.

The only thing I find annoying is when I have made my changes & saved it as a JPEG, The Shooting Mode is lost from the EXIF data. Am I doing something wrong, or is this the default behavior?

[Wandapics]

With my Pentax K-5 I have the choice to shoot my raw images in DNG format or PEF format which is the Pentax equivelent to your CR2 for Cannon. I am not familiar with Cannon Cameras but check if you can change your raw setting to DNG.

[Doc63]

With my Pentax K-5 I have the choice to shoot my raw images in DNG format or PEF format which is the Pentax equivelent to your CR2 for Cannon. I am not familiar with Cannon Cameras but check if you can change your raw setting to DNG.
Thanks Barbara, I'll check the manual to see if the 70D has that option.

[arthurking83]

It won't.

Very few camera makers have this option.

Kudos to Pentax for at least allowing the option too tho.

I think Leica may be the only other maker I know of with in camera DNG .. and strangely Nokia also recently added it to their 40Mp phones recently too.
(could be others but I can't think of them).

[Doc63]

It won't.

Very few camera makers have this option.

Kudos to Pentax for at least allowing the option too tho.

I think Leica may be the only other maker I know of with in camera DNG .. and strangely Nokia also recently added it to their 40Mp phones recently too.
(could be others but I can't think of them).
Your right, it doesnt.

Adobe DNG Converter seems to work OK, so I'll keep using that.

[Ventureoverland]

My PS6 will open my 5D MkIII CR2 files no problem... I did need to update Adobe Camera RAW, but this was a free update.

Im pretty sure Elements will open the 70D raw files too if ACR is updated. That would save an extra conversion process and make you more likely to use the facilities embedded within the RAW files.

[Doc63]

My PS6 will open my 5D MkIII CR2 files no problem... I did need to update Adobe Camera RAW, but this was a free update.

Im pretty sure Elements will open the 70D raw files too if ACR is updated. That would save an extra conversion process and make you more likely to use the facilities embedded within the RAW files.

OK,I've discovered that I actually have Elements 7. I downloaded the relevant Adobe Camera Raw plug in & copied the file to the Plug-Ins/File Formats directory. But it still wont open CR2 files.

I've read through the steps outlined in the instillation instructions a few times & I'm pretty sure I havent missed a step. But I must be doing something wrong.

[Ventureoverland]

There are two parts to Adobe Camera Raw / Elements and I suspect that's where the issue lies.

Firstly the Elements ACR plugin that you have installed is simply a pointer (for the want of a better description) - so, when Elements wants to open ACR the 'pointer' simply opens or refers to the actual ACR program.

The second and most important bit is the ACR program itself. I'm 99.9% sure this is what's missing for you. You need to download this from the adobe website (remember this has nothing to do with elements) and install on your machine.

Remember that the plugin is there only to make your workflow life easier, otherwise without it you would need to open ACR, edit your RAW files and then open them in Elements and do some more editing. The plugin allows for a one stop editing shop.

HTH,
Jon

[Ventureoverland]

Try this for the latest ACR version:

http://www.adobe.com/support/downloads/detail.jsp?ftpID=5391

[Poppyrob]

Hi folks. I haven't been on the boards lately but thought I'd peer through the door to have a stickybeak. My priorities change like the weather and although I haven't put the camera down, I just haven't been visiting photography web sites or forums at all. My account here was placed in mothballs, as I wasn't a "regular" contributor, and fair enough, but I wanted to peruse a forum where like minded users may have had a similar experience to an issue I am currently negotiating. Without spending hours reading through the forum, I found this thread and it seems to touch on my "problem".

I recently purchased a new Canon 7D Mark II to accompany my ageing 7D. The crop sensor camera is ideal for my requirements as the vast majority of my photography is sport or bird orientated, and with the little 400 5.6 I achieve my desired returns. However I was slightly taken aback when my Photoshop CS5, or rather ACR, refused to open the CR2 files of the MkII. What to do? Select and convert the required files from each shoot and convert to DNG? A bit of a pain really as one needs to create a new folder to copy those files, as the DNG converter only works with a folder rather than an individual file. After the conversion, one has 2 copies of the CR2 file PLUS a DNG version, plus the saved photoshop file .....

OK, that works, albeit time consuming and drive cluttering. What else could I do? Canon DPP opens the file, but the software just doesn't have the power of CS5, and besides, I already know what to do in CS5 to maintain my workflow to achieve the results I desire. What other options were there? A photography publication I was reading suggested a piece of software named *removed - read site rules 3-7* , so I went hunting.

Long story short, I downloaded a trial version of the software, and it works very nicely as a plugin when opening a file in CS5. If ACR recognises the format, *removed - read site rules 3-7* simply opens the door and you proceed right in. If ACR dislikes the RAW file, *removed - read site rules 3-7* redirects through DNG and opens the file in ACR as a DNG extension. Once the file is opened by ACR, the DNG file is cleared from the cache and is never seen again, unless you specify otherwise. Quick, clean and tidy. At 39.95US I'm certainly in for a copy.

This post is by no means a plug for *removed - read site rules 3-7*, because before yesterday, I had never heard of the outfit, let alone required anything like it. This post is simply to open the door so I can again peruse the archives of the Australian Photography site. And if you've read this far, have you or anyone you know, used this piece of software, and what are your opinions or recommendations. Thanks. See you on the boards.

[farmmax]

You can open into Photoshop directly from DPP with the command Alt + P from memory, or it is in the menus somewhere. This will open the photo in Photoshop as a tiff, which I then save as a psd file. You can do the basic adjustments in DPP which you would do in ACR, and then open in Photoshop to continue on. I found to bring the Canon Picture style in, (I have a custom picture file set in my camera), this is what I had to do. Opening via ACR wipes out the picture styles in my version. Maybe it doesn't in later versions.

[Poppyrob]

You can open into Photoshop directly from DPP with the command Alt + P from memory, or it is in the menus somewhere. This will open the photo in Photoshop as a tiff, which I then save as a psd file. You can do the basic adjustments in DPP which you would do in ACR, and then open in Photoshop to continue on. I found to bring the Canon Picture style in, (I have a custom picture file set in my camera), this is what I had to do. Opening via ACR wipes out the picture styles in my version. Maybe it doesn't in later versions.
Thank you farmmax for that piece of info. I shall give it a try a little later today.

And sorry admin for stepping over the line. I hadn't read the rules, and as such request that you remove the post immediately. Thank you.