Images Being Truncated in Photo Viewers: Only Happens to EOS T1i images on my Win10 Computer

[dunniteowl]

I am having an issue that I currently find myself completely at odds with.  I have two Canon Cameras, the first is my Rebel EOS T2i.  The other is a Rebel EOS T1i.

My Win10 laptop just had a crash recently, which required a Repair of Win10.  At the end of it, there was a list of all sorts of 'removed' files, many of which were MS Updates.  I Can't verify if, before the crash, everything was fine.  I just recently started using the T1i as my 'secondary' camera, meaning I'd use it with lenses I could change quickly while my T2i did the "heavy lifting" with my new Sigma 150-600 lens, so that I didn't have to keep changing the monster lens with smaller lenses while out doing my thing.

Since I just started doing this and Spring is in the air, I've been out taking wildflower photos.  So just yesterday I was loading up images from both cameras and then going through them with the included Windows Photo Viewer.  As I was going through the images, each image would load up (I am using RAW+JPG) it would take a second or three before all the RAW data was loaded.  I see the image get a bit more clear as the data fully loads. (It also doesn't allow me to go to the next image until if fully loads.)

Now, as it loads one of the T1i images, it initially shows me the entire photo.  Then as it starts to load all the RAW data, the images truncate to showing ONLY the top left 1/4 of the photo and it turns a fairly bright pink as well.  I loaded up a free photo viewer from the MS store (to see if it was the Photo Viewer itself) and get exactly the same result.  The initial full images show for about 2-5 seconds before they truncate and turn pinkish.

I then decided to check the images in RawTherapee (which is where I do my Photo Touchup Editing) to see if that would help me sort it out.  RawTherapee cannot load ANY of my T1i images, it didn't even give me what the other two did.  It just said it couldn't load those images, period.

I am pretty sure that previous versions of Windows did just fine with both cameras (I let my wife use the T1i while I used the T2i for photo walks a few years back, but she's not into the photography thing, so I took it over as my secondary as previously described,) but at the time I was using both cameras in JPG only mode.  In September of 2025 I decided to jump in and use RAW on the T2i and while the images take longer and use more memory, they loaded fine as far as that goes.  I literally JUST started using the T1i as my secondary and I think these are the first images on that camera that I set to RAW+JPG.

It just so happened that my Win10 Crash occurred before I really got a chance to look at the T1i's RAW+JPG images.  This is only mildly annoying as I can just go back to using the single camera method (saving me about six pounds of total weight in camera, batteries and two more lenses), though I have found that the two camera method is really starting to 'gel' for me for speed of using different lenses.  The Sigma is a 'monster' that requires me using my tripod and changing out that for smaller lenses is an exercise in patience and dexterity with a single camera setup.

That's the nitty gritty detailed story of what's going on.  I am pretty sure that it is the camera at this point, otherwise I feel that the RawTherapee program would have loaded them, truncated or fine.  Instead it just said, "No. I can't load that image."  While RT can work with JPGs, it takes the .cr2 RAW data when loading up the initial images.  I surmise that this boils down to an issue with the T1i's age and software compatibility as it's now considered a 'legacy' device.

I would be very interested to hear any suggestions that lead to a solution or course of action I could take to sort this out satisfactorily.  I apologize for the length, though I felt a full and as accurate a description of my issue as possible was worth it.

Thanks! dunniteowl

[kvbarkley]

Have you tried DPP?

Does this happen on the Raws and the JPEGS?

Do they display OK in the camera?

How are you getting the images into the camera, this sounds like file corruption. Are you using a full size card or a micro SD with adapter?

Have you tried a new card or at least low-level formatted this one in the camera?

[stevet1]

dunniteowl,

As kvbarkley suggested, it sounds like you may have a corrupted card on your hands.

One possible solution might be to shoot only jpgs on the T1i in the short term.

Irfanview is a free and pretty easy to use photo editor for your jpgs. It's not as fully featured as Raw Therapee, but at least you'd be able to view and slightly edit your photos.

Steve Thomas

[ebiggs1]

"I would be very interested to hear any suggestions that lead to a solution ..."

Solution is DPP4. It is free form Canon so no reason to not get it. I don't think it is a camera issue. I think it is a computer one.

"...issue with the T1i's age and software compatibility as it's now considered a 'legacy' device."

A jpg is a jpg no matter where it comes from. Raw on the other hand is more of a challenge for Windows if you don't have the correct codex. Your computer's USB basically turns the camera into another hard drive. Get DPP4 first off.

[jrhoffman75]

Try downloading and installing this

https://apps.microsoft.com/detail/9nctdw2w1bh8?hl=en-US&gl=US

[dunniteowl]

Don't know what DPP is, so I cannot answer that. So far, my images show in the thumbnails of my folder.  They immediately show fully, then as the data loads, the truncation snaps into place (and it's actually about 1/6th of the upper left section of the image) leaving me with a very PINK background.  They display fine in the camera and my SD card is fine.

I am loading the images from the camera with a USB Mini connector to standard USB.  I've never had any trouble before with either camera when using them in JPG only mode.  My T2i has no issues whatsoever, but the T1i is solely the issue when it comes to displaying the images.  I delete images from the card immediately upon uploading them to my computer.

I have not tried reformatting the SD card, though I suspect that won't make a difference (I will try it, though).  As for it happening on the RAWS only I am not sure, I haven't examined it that deeply at this point.  There have been multiple real life issues commanding the majority of my attention and distracting me from the important photography efforts (lol) that are my passion.

I would think 'file corruption' immediately most time, except that the thumbnails all display correctly.  My computer has had issues recently and it may be the Win files that read the .cr2 data (it's cr2 on my T1 and cr3 on the T2) are gone (many files were just removed, though the system was 'kind' enough to inform me it removed many files, applications and programs during the reset).

Thanks for your response and I will certainly test the SD card.  I think I will also switch back to JPG only and see if those display okay.

dunniteowl

[dunniteowl]

Thanks, Steve.  I am already going to switch to JPG only for the foreseeable now, so thanks for that.  I think it is possible to have a corrupted card, so I am also going to try a proper reformat and see if that helps.

dunniteowl

[dunniteowl]

Thanks.  So DPP4 is a codex?  I have not heard of this before.  I am using yesterday's technology today, so I am not as 'up to date' on all the potential software/firmware 'upgrades' available and my initial foray into trying to sort this out lead me to here, ultimately.  Prior to landing here I had found nothing using as many ways to search with Google questions (and I can do quite a few things with the search bar using some old school search engine skills) that even remotely matched my issue.

So thank you for the DPP4 thing.  The first responder also mentioned DPP and I was just, "Blink, blink..." as I had no idea what that was.  I still don't, but now I can go forward and learn more as I search further.

dunniteowl

[dunniteowl]

Thanks I will try that.

dunniteowl

[LeeP]

Question on an unrelated tangent...Given that the cameras you're using are APS-C models and that they would turn the Sigma effectively into a 250-1000mm "ish" zoom, do you use the "monster" lens because you cannot get close to the wildflowers you're shooting or does it have a truly great macro range? Just curious.