Query on converting cr2 raw files?

BillieBob

Hi all,

I've got a Eos 450D and took photos in Raw (as they're meant to be better) for my gf's thesis. Now I'm trying to get them into Photoshop or into jpegs (at this stage jpegs almost preferable as getting tight to deadline and smaller file size). Following advice given on this forum, I downloaded Adobe's DNG program and using that converted the cr2 files into DNG files (to be compatible with Photoshop 4 and up - I think).

My gf has now put the photos onto photoshop and the DNG files don’t appear in it so what might be the problem? I converted the files for Photoshop 4 (she’s using Photoshop 6), is there a difference in what version the files are converted to and do you have to convert to the same version of Photoshop? Does the computer that the Photoshop is on have to have the Adobe DNG program downloaded onto it? i.e. the DNG files won’t work with Photoshop without the DNG downloand?

Any help or pointers appreciated thanks

jpb1974

Photoshop doesn't actually open RAW files.

You have to have something like Adobe Camera RAW (which integrates with Photoshop) to open the RAW files, tweak them and then open the results in Photoshop.

You then make your tweaks in Photoshop and save the file in the required format e.g. PSD, TIF, JPG.

Your Photoshop 4 is probably integrated with an older version of Adobe Camera RAW that cannot open the RAW files.

What you should be running is a version of Adobe Camera RAW that is both compatible with Canon 450D RAW files and the version of Photoshop you plan to use.

Paulw

Or download the 30 day trial version of Adobe Lightroom or Adobe Photoshop, especially if this is a once off job.

stunt_penguin

Without being too critical Photoshop 6 is exteremely old (at least 10 years) at this stage- we're on V12 with CS5 I think, it doesn;t have the facility to open RAW files at all.

That said, if you get a demo of Lightroom from the Adobe site you can work normally with that for 30 days, it'll certainly get you through what you're doing right now.

Please don't let this put you off shooting in RAW, by the way- if you don't want to deal with RAW right now you can shoot in RAW+JPEG for a while so you always have an easily-accessed version. I really wish I'd shot some of my early stuff in RAW so that I could work with it now.

PM'ing you my no. if you're in dire need/under time pressure.

paulydub

Google Picasa can open up raw files directly just not much editing is possible it lets you save and resize to jpg.
Irfanview can open up raw files once you download the extra plugins for it.
If you want more control download GIMP and a raw program ufraw its all free.
You can aslo download the lightroom 3 from adobe labs for free until beta testing is finished. not sure when its up.

(DNG is supported by Adobe® Photoshop® CS5, CS4, CS3, CS2, and CS, as well as Photoshop Elements 8, 7, 6, 4, and 3.)

Above is taken from the adobe site.

Buckz

The Adobe website will tell you which versions of Photoshop and Adobe Camera Raw are needed for the 450d- the requirements are different for each camera. I doubt there is an ACR for Photoshop 4 nevermind 4. Fast solution- easy to use software that will open and tweak your Raws and convert them into any size Jpeg you like- get the software that came with the canon, or any subsequent canon, digital photo professional and Zoombrowser- the former is better for editing Raws, the latter better for viewing and for editing jpegs.Both are user friendly.m