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How to open RAW photo images in Photoshop 8 (CS)?


adifrank

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I have Photoshop 8 (or Photoshop CS). How can I get it to open RAW images shot with a Canon digital camera?
Is there some sort of plugin? Which one works with Photoshop 8? And how do I use it?

Thank you
 

Steve

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Not enough info, what camera (model) and were you previously able to open raw files from this camera in CS and now you can't.

Adobe only supports updates to each version of ACR for a limited time.
If this camera was bought in 2006 or later chances are it's not supported in Photoshop CS.

Your option is to use Adobes' DNG converter.
Convert your raw files to DNG raw files and you're good to go.
 

adifrank

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I'm actually asking for a friend who doesn't know much English...
She's using a Canon camera, so the files are the Canon proprietary raw format - CR2.
This is the first time she has ever attempted to open any sort of raw image file with Photoshop.
So apart from upgrading to a more recent version of Photoshop, I understand that the only option is for her to use the DNG converter. Right?
Does it matter which version of DNG converter? I've seen there have been several updates to that software by Adobe over the years.
Thanks
 

adifrank

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Hi Steve. I relayed all the information over to my friend who is trying to open the RAW images she took with her new Canon dSLR. She downloaded the DNG converter and converted a few files just to test them out, but Photoshop will not open them. When she attempts to open them she gets an "unknown file" error message.
Strangely, she says that when in the Open File dialogue in Photoshop she can see the preview images of the CR2 files, but not the DNG files.
 

adifrank

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Hi Steve. I told my friend to do as you say, with the compatibility setting.
She just replied that that she set that to 2.4 and later - upon installing the converter.
So it seems to be something else...
 

Steve

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............. she set that to 2.4 and later - upon installing the converter.
So it seems to be something else...

So when she ran the DNG converter it was already set to 2.4?

You didn't even know where to set the preferences so how did she know to do this?
adifrank said:
Okay, do you mean the Preferences in the DNG converter?

If she set preferences to 2.4 and then converted a raw file it will produce a DNG compatible compatible with Photoshop CS.

Have her make sure her version of PS is up to date by running update.
Then open the converter, set preferences to 2.4 and convert a file and see if it opens.

If it doesn't work put an original CR2 Raw file in a zip or Rar file and post it here.
 

adifrank

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So when she ran the DNG converter it was already set to 2.4?
You didn't even know where to set the preferences so how did she know to do this?

Sorry if I wasn't clear... It's a bit of a broken telephone situation. I asked if you mean the preferences on the DNG converter on my own initiative, before relaying the information on to my friend. Once you answered "yes", I sent her an email telling her what to do. She replied that she had already set it to 2.4 upon installation.

Have her make sure her version of PS is up to date by running update.
Then open the converter, set preferences to 2.4 and convert a file and see if it opens.
If it doesn't work put an original CR2 Raw file in a zip or Rar file and post it here.

Will do. Thanks
 

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