Is 5d mark II raw (CR2) file different from CR2 file from 5d? Adobe Camera Raw error on mk II not 5d

[GicleeMstr]

I use Photoshop Camera Raw plugin (Adobe) to preprocess color, then finish image preparation in Photoshop.  Never a problem opening CR2 files, usually from my own 5d camera.  But a customer sent a few CR2 files that won't open (error says it is wrong kind of document).  So far no explanation or fixes from Photoshop users... thought I would ask the Canon experts.  Why would CR2 file from 5d mk II fail but CR2 files from 5d all open ok?

Still using Photoshop CS2, and the Camera Raw plugin is v 3.7.  I really want to continue this workflow (works for me), prefer not to experiment with dpp or other possibilities.  Not ready to upgrade yet to Photoshop CS6.

[Skirball · Accepted solution]

No, CR2 (and all camera manufacturer RAW files) are changed a little bit for pretty much every camera release.  Likewise, software manufacturers like adobe are always updating their software for the new models.  Your version of Adobe Camera Raw is extremely old, so it can't read the 5d2 files.  And Adobe limits backwards compatibility, so I'm not sure if you can load a current enough version to recognize the 5d2 files.  If you can't then you're only choice would be to use the Adobe DNG Converter, batch convert the 5d2 files to DNG, then read those.

[TCampbell]

"RAW" is more of a concept than a specific standard.  As Skirball points out it will be different for every camera model.

Adobe added support for 5D II RAW files in Camera RAW Update 5.2 for Photoshop CS4.  You must be running CS4 (or later) to be able to directly open those files.

But there are TWO work-arounds.

Canon's DPP -also- includes a "batch" mode.  The batch modes primary purpose is to do bulk conversion of a whole lot of CR2 files into a standard format (and if you want a non-lossy standard you'd proably pick TIFF) and it will convert them all.  

Drop all of your CR2 files into an otherwise empty folder (create an empty folder if you have to).

Launch DPP.

Along the left you'll see the familiar directory navigator... navigate to the folder containing all of your CR2 files.

Along the top you'll see several icons... the right-most icon says "Batch Process".  Click that.

This will pop open a new window showing the list of .CR2 files found in your source directory.

It will allow you set a target directory for the output files.

Pick the file format you'd like to use when creating output files (e.g. 16 bit TIFF would give you non-lossy results)

The rest mostly optional (whether you want to resize as it converts or change the naming convention, etc.)

Then click Execute

It will batch convert each of your .CR2 files into a new format which your version of Photoshop will be able to open.

The other method is, as Skirball says, download the Adobe DNG converter (which is free) and use that to convert the 5D II RAW files into .dng format which Photoshop should be able to open.

[ebiggs1]

" Not ready to upgrade yet to Photoshop CS6."

I understand using what works but a better solution for you may be Lightroom 5. Not too expensive and up to date.

Not having touched CS2 for years, I still believe LR5 will do most everything CS2 does plus it will read your CR2 files.

[Skirball]

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@ebiggs1 wrote:

" Not ready to upgrade yet to Photoshop CS6."

Not having touched CS2 for years, I still believe LR5 will do most everything CS2 does plus it will read your CR2 files.

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I have no idea how you could say that.   Just the simple act of working in layers is already out of the realm of LR, not to mention layer specific adjustments, clipping masks, frequency separation, channel separation, apply image adjustments, smart objects, etc.  All of these are widely used in retouching alone, not to mention advanced compositing.  Then you have all the filters, tools, etc.  Some of the new tools in CS6/CC are nice, but most of them are just speeding up processes that were done in CS2 and well before.

[ebiggs1]

“I have no idea how you could say that. “

Again I am not surprised! 

Plus you again fail to completely read, “... LR5 will do most everything CS2 ...”

The vast majority of photographers do not use the advanced features of Photoshop. That is why Lightroom has gained in such popularity.

If GicleeMstr is an advanced Photoshop user he likely would have upgraded from CS2 to a more recent version.

That prompted the “...a better solution for you may be Lightroom 5 ...” as a suggestion. Simply another option.

You need to chill, man.

[TCampbell]

I have a photographer friend who has used Photoshop for years and basically never used anything else.  He bought his 5D III from a store which was offering a free copy of Lightroom with the purchase.  He didn't buy because of the incentive... he bought his camera and a copy of Lightroom came with it.  He put it on the shelf to collect dust.

One day we're out shooting and somehow get onto the topic of how he's processing his images and I mention Lightroom to him (I use Aperture, but that's for Mac users only -- he's on a PC).  He tells me has it... it's on the shelf... he never installed it.

I gave him my "are you crazy" look and then proceeded to tell him why he needs to learn to use Lightroom.  He now pretty much just uses Lightroom and is much happier for it.

I'll sum up (again... I'm an Aperture user but Lightroom was designed to fend off Apple from taking over in photography.)

Photoshop is NOT made for photographers.  It's made for people working in graphics arts and publishing, etc.  

Apple, recognizing that the tool was awkward for photography made a tool targeted specifically at professional photographers...and Aperture was born.  Adobe, seeing this as the very real threat that it is, realized they'd better get busy.  Adobe produced Lightroom.  Both are targeted to photographers and NOT to those in graphics arts or publishing.

I think of Aperture and LIghtroom as being outstanding at image management for large collections of photos and also outstanding when you come back to your office with cards loaded with images that now all need to be processed.  

This is a painful long and tedius task of opening things image by image in Photoshop.... but a breeze to do in Aperture or Lightroom.  You don't actually open images... you import the entire contents of the card into your library and now you can breeze through them apply adjustments as needed.  Some types of global adjustments such as "white balance" can be applied to every image in the shoot as long as it was taken in the same lighting.  No need to do that image by image... you adjust one, then select all the other images shot in the same light and tell it to apply the same adjustments.  Don't try that in Photoshop... you'll injure yourself.  

Lastly... Photoshop is a "destructive" editior.  You can take precautions to try to make sure you don't actually edit any original data, but the tool WILL let you change original data if you aren't careful.  Aperture and Lightroom are non-destructive by their very nature.

I find that with Aperture or Lightroom that I still do need to open an image in Photoshop.  Aperture and Lightroom can't do everything.  They do not, for example, allow you to create composit images by combining elements of multiple other images.  But I will say it's not often that I need to open something in Photoshop anymore.  

If you are a photographer and you've been using Photoshop because that's what you know... you _really_ need to evaluate one of the tools which were actually intended for use by photographers.