Help!!! Opening Canon photos in Camera Raw?

jenseib

Mommy to Claire
Joined
Oct 28, 2006
I tried using RAW today for our Easter photos. I have a Canon 50D. I usally edit in photoshop. Lately I open bridge, and edit my jpegs in camera raw then move them to CS3 to finish the eidt (not that I am all that great at editing)
So I open bridge and go to open it in camera raw, but it doesn't give me that option. Each image is a CR2 file. Do I need to do something to convert them. If so what or how?
Everyone tells me I will have more freedom with editing in RAW, but so far I can't even get the darn things opened! :laughing:
 
Camera RAW (ACR) is what you use to convert them. This sounds to me like you need to patch your ACR to a newer version. It can always open any JPG, but RAW files are specific to each camera (not brand). ACR has to be updated in order for it to be able to open the files from a new camera model. I would speculate that you installed ACR somewhat earlier than the 50D was even made and you have not updated it.
 
Camera RAW (ACR) is what you use to convert them. This sounds to me like you need to patch your ACR to a newer version. It can always open any JPG, but RAW files are specific to each camera (not brand). ACR has to be updated in order for it to be able to open the files from a new camera model. I would speculate that you installed ACR somewhat earlier than the 50D was even made and you have not updated it.

OK. I am reading just that online. I tried to download the newest version ,but it won't change anything. It still says I have the olde version, even though I tried downloading it 3 times. What am I doing wrong?
 
I agree.. you probably just need to update your ACR. I's free and easy from Adobe's site. You also might consider not opening your jpegs in ACR to edit. It tends to cause some wonky artifacting at times because it was designed for RAW files and not jpegs. I know it's a crutch a lot of people use, but all the same tools are available outside ACR in CS3, and the're actually more effective there.
 


OK. I am reading just that online. I tried to download the newest version ,but it won't change anything. It still says I have the olde version, even though I tried downloading it 3 times. What am I doing wrong?

I cannot help you there other than to make sure you are downloading the correct version. :confused3

EDIT: Just thought of something. You could uninstall it completely and then re-install with the new file.
 
OK. I am reading just that online. I tried to download the newest version ,but it won't change anything. It still says I have the olde version, even though I tried downloading it 3 times. What am I doing wrong?

Ok, this might sound like a very stupid thought, but after you downloaded the newest version, did you install it, too? Sorry. Just trying to think of easy solutions, especially since you only mentioned downloading it, but didn't mention installing it. I'll stop here.

Also, what version of Photoshop do you have? And is it "Photoshop" or "Photoshop Elements"?

The "latest" version of Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) is version 6.3. However, it's only compatible with Photoshop CS5 or Photoshop Elements 9.0. If you have earlier versions of either of these, then you can't use the latest ACR.

It looks like the Canon 50D was first supported by ACR 5.1 (link to Adobe), which means that it's only compatible with Photoshop CS4 (or newer) and Photoshop Elements 6.0 (or newer).

That's why I asked what version of Photoshop you have. It actually makes a difference.


There is one other way to use your .CR2 files, especially if you've got super-old versions of Photoshop or Photoshop Elements. You can use Adobe's free DNG Converter (link to Adobe).

What is DNG? It's an open-source RAW image format created by Adobe. You know how .CR2 files are RAW files that are specific to Canon? (and .NEF files are RAW files that are specific to Nikon). You can convert your camera's proprietary RAW files into a standard DNG file, and open that DNG file in any Adobe program (or any other program that supports DNG files).

DNG is still a RAW file, so you still get ALL the benefits of shooting in RAW. Plus, DNG files are a little smaller than your camera's proprietary RAW files (10-25% smaller?), so you can save some hard drive space, too.

"RAW vs. DNG" (ie. "Canon's CR2 vs DNG", or "Nikon's NEF vs DNG", etc) is a HUGE topic of discussion itself, so I won't get into it here. If nothing else, converting your CR2 RAW files to DNG is an alternative, especially if you've got older versions of Photoshop or Photoshop Elements.

Hope that wasn't too confusing.
 
I have CS3. It doesn't give me an option to install it. What do I do to actually install it? I did download the correct one for CS3.
 


From reading the above posts, it looks like your PS is one version too old to work, as he stated you needed CS4. I opened one yesterday in my PSP X3 and it opened fine. I would suspect you would need to upgrade your PS to be able to work with the files like you want.

Will
 
From reading the above posts, it looks like your PS is one version too old to work, as he stated you needed CS4. I opened one yesterday in my PSP X3 and it opened fine. I would suspect you would need to upgrade your PS to be able to work with the files like you want.

Will

No, everything I read says I can install an update (4.6) and it should work. But I can't get the update to overtake the old version. I also downliaded the dng converter, but I have no clue what to do with those files now? I still can't open them in camera raw.
 
I have CS3. It doesn't give me an option to install it. What do I do to actually install it? I did download the correct one for CS3.

So, the Canon 50D was released after Photoshop CS3.

As I mentioned earlier, the "oldest" version of Adobe Camera Raw you could use for the Canon 50D is version 5.1. According to Adobe's Web site (which I provided a link earlier), to take advantage of ACR 5.1, the earliest version of Photoshop you can use is CS4.

If you convert your RAW files to DNG, then you can use any version of ACR and any version of Photoshop. Again, you'd need to use Adobe's DNG Converter to do this.

Your other options would be (1) buy a newer version of Photoshop (CS4 or CS5), or (2) use Canon's Digital Photo Professional (DPP).

DPP is a free software program from Canon that should have been included on a CD with your Canon 50D. It's a program that is specific for Canon's proprietary RAW files. DPP will allow you to do post-processing for your RAW photos, similar to what you're already doing now with ACR.

Hope that helps.
 
Did your camera come with some software on a couple of discs? I have a 550d/T2i and mine did. One is the programs is called Digital Photo Professional. It allows you to manipulate wb and a lot of things on your RAW images and convert them to jpegs. I use it a good bit and then use photoshop for other edits.

Maybe try this until you can figure out how to use your other program for processing your RAW files.
 
Oops! I just read the Adobe Web site for Adobe Camera Raw 4.6 (link). Looks like ACR 4.6 supports your Canon 50D. And if that's the case, you should be ok with Photoshop CS3.

So don't worry about the option of buying a newer version of Photoshop...unless you want to.
 
Wanted to add, if you can't find the CD with DPP on it, I believe you can also download it off of the internet. Good luck!
 
Did your camera come with some software on a couple of discs? I have a 550d/T2i and mine did. One is the programs is called Digital Photo Professional. It allows you to manipulate wb and a lot of things on your RAW images and convert them to jpegs. I use it a good bit and then use photoshop for other edits.

Maybe try this until you can figure out how to use your other program for processing your RAW files.

I can't fiouge out how to use that software though?

Oops! I just read the Adobe Web site for Adobe Camera Raw 4.6 (link). Looks like ACR 4.6 supports your Canon 50D. And if that's the case, you should be ok with Photoshop CS3.

So don't worry about the option of buying a newer version of Photoshop...unless you want to.

I have downloaded it. I can't get it to work. Ialso went to updates in CS3 and tried to update it using that and it encounter a problem everytime.. I did it on 2 computers and both have a problem and won't update.

I have the DNG converter downloaded and converted my files....buyt I have no clue what to do with them now. They won't open in camera raw either.
 
I can't fiouge out how to use that software though?

It is actually very easy to use. There is a tutorial to go with it that should show you how to use the basic functions. Once you have downloaded the software, you should at least be able to see your images. Can you open and view them?
 
I can't fiouge out how to use that software though?

It is actually very easy to use. There is a tutorial to go with it that should show you how to use the basic functions. Once you have downloaded the software, you should at least be able to see your images. Can you open and view them?


I could see them in there, but had no clue what to do with them. It was very confusing. If I can't get raw files to open in camera raw, I will just shoot jpeg like I have. I just can't figure out why it won't update on 2 computers
 
Sorry I can't help you with updating CR, but for an immediate fix to getting your current RAW photos to jpegs, just select one of them and then click on File and then Convert and Save. This should make your file a jpeg and you will still have the RAW file. At least then you can get to them and manipulate them in photoshop.
 
As far as CS3 being too old. That's not the issue. I was using CS2 until CS5 came out and I had no issues using ACR with CR2 files from my 50D. THe 50D came out in 2008, so it's not like it's a new build.
 
I am getting the impression that you downloaded the update but didn't install it. Forgive me if I am wrong. To install it, you should just be able to double click the file you downloaded and follow the prompts.
 
I am getting the impression that you downloaded the update but didn't install it. Forgive me if I am wrong. To install it, you should just be able to double click the file you downloaded and follow the prompts.

I doubleclicked on it. It says extract files and there are no files to extract then. Nothing else comes up as a prompt.
 

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