macOS support for CR3 flies from EOS R5 mark ii

[cdel3133]

I am unable to open CR3 files from my new R5 mark ii on my Macbook pro using Preview or (Mac) Photos.

My camera is using latest firmware. My computer is using latest OS (Sequoia 15.2 (24C101)). I rebooted the computer a couple of times.

"Get info" correctly reads the file type, size, other data. However, it can't give a preview and the icon has no image.

I was able to import the CR3 files into Photos, but I cannot see previews or open them for editing. I was able to export CR3 files, but not jpgs, from Photos.

I am able to open the files (including the ones exported from Photos) using Canon's Digital Photo Professional 4.

In researching the problem online, I was able to download someone else's CR3 file from an R6 - it opens ok.

I realize I am probably part of a small group that buys the R5 mark ii and uses Mac Photos for editing. My previous camera was a Canon 5D mark iv and I never had problems with this computer and workflow.

EOS R5 Mark II 

[justadude]

"Similar to you not being able to suddenly open .CR3 files under your desktop OS after going from 26.x to 26.3"

Are you sure, Rick?  Or maybe I'm just misunderstanding what you are saying.  My M4 iMac is on Tahoe 26.3 and I don't have any problems opening, editing, saving, or exporting .CR3 files in DPP4.  Well, no problems other than the sluggishness that has always been there with DPP.

[Curamantel]

So, this is what I have been doing - Import CR3 files directly into Apple Photos from both R6MII and R5MII. The R6MII CR3 files open and edit in Apple Photos just fine. The R5MII used to work for me until this past weekend.

Now, I will import R5MII files into DPP, then Export it to JPG and then re-import them into Apple Photos. I just use the Apple Photos/iCloud to sync etc. It's just that what used to work fine no longer does. Who has to solve this? Apple or Canon?

[justadude]

"Who has to solve this? Apple or Canon?"

Well, we still don't know where the problem lies.  Can you upload one of the R5 Mk ll RAW files to Dropbox (just a test file)... or somewhere similar where I (or any of us) could download it and test on our iMac to see if it opens for us?  If it opens for us, then the problem would be with your Mac.  If it doesn't open for us, it is a compatibility issue between Canon and Apple with these files, on this operating system version.  I have zero problems opening CR3 files, but I've never tried any from the R5 Mk ll.

[kvbarkley]

"Now, I will import R5MII files into DPP, then Export it to JPG and then re-import them into Apple Photos. I just use the Apple Photos/iCloud to sync etc. It's just that what used to work fine no longer does. Who has to solve this? Apple or Canon?"

have you tried restarting in safe mode yet?

[SpagVR]

I have a similar problem with editing Canon CR3 RAW files. 

On a M3 Mac Studio with macOS 26.3, Apple Photos, Photomator, Pixelmator Pro, Graphic Converter 12.5.1, and Acorn all report an incompatible RAW format when opening Canon RAW CR3 images shot on a R5 Mark II. macOS Preview shows a large red area in the opened image.

The issue seems resolved in macOS 26.4 Developer Beta, released yesterday. (Beta software can be unstable and changes frequently before final release.)

[Curamantel]

Thanks Gary, here is a CR3 from R5 MII - 

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1fxYS53IVJ4EiQdwY3pEQsEOAKLWhhD9U/view?usp=sharing

[rs-eos]

On my Mac (M2 Ultra Studio with macOS 26.3), I observed the following with your shared .CR3 file:

• Finder shows a proper thumbnail icon (small preview) on the Desktop (where I saved the image)
• Selecting in Finder then using space bar opens/displays a proper preview in QuickLook
• Finder shows proper relevant preview in Finder windows (with modes: as Icons, as Columns, as Gallery)
• Double-clicking in finder launches preview, but top 40% or so shows as transparent (light/dark gray checkerboard). Bottom 60% or so is pure red.
• Using Open in Preview from QuickLook preview results in the same as the prior bullet point.
• Dragging the CR3 atop Photos icon imported it a-ok. Preview is good, but opening up to display the full images results in a 100% pure red image.
• Opening in Photoshop 2026 works a-ok.

When trying one of my own R5 Mark II CR3 images, all the above was identical except for Photos not showing any thumbnail (was pure black). And my image was shot in portrait orientation, so the mix of transparent/red in Preview showed the transparent region along the left side (about 40% of the width) and red along the right side.

[cdel3133]

I originally posted a year ago. At some point in 2025 (forget which month), Apple updated and I could edit my Canon R5 mark ii CR3 files.

Now it has stopped again. I have the files uploaded into Mac Photos, I can see the previews, but when I try to edit, I get an incompatibility error. I get the same error for new files, and also for CR3 files I was able to edit a couple of months ago. In other words, it appears that Mac Photos has lost a function in one of its recent updates.

Files from a Canon 5d mark iv open and edit without problem.

Macbook Pro, Intel processor

MacOS Tahoe 26.3

I tried restarting the computer a few times. I also tried starting in Safe Mode (hold down the shift key while starting) - that made things worse. Mac Photos became unstable and kept crashing. (I have a LOT of photos in my library.)

I'm open to most suggestions. Not sure beta is a good option for me and I don't want to edit jpgs. Other ideas? Next I will try the Canon DPP software on my Mac. In the past I found it clumsy to use relative to Mac Photos but maybe it's my best option now.

[Curamantel]

Hello Ricky,

Awesome! All of the points you listed is exactly how mine behaves. Some of the CR3's show a pure black thumbnail or a grey thumbnail in Photos.

Selecting Edit in Photos displays and then this error - "Photos cannot edit this image because it uses an unsupported format."

When I launch Pixelmator Pro via Photos for Editing, Pixelmator Pro complains - "The Pixelmator Pro Photos extension was unable to open the photo in the Photos Library. A photo preview will be opened instead." It then proceeds to open the photo. I can then Save the photo w/o any edits and it goes back to Photos. Then, select "Done", give it a second or two, then you can "Edit" in the Photos App, lo and behold, it starts to work fine in Photos! From this point onwards, the CR3 is fine in Apple Photos. You can Edit at will and then export to JPEG for sharing! 

So, something with the CR3 format coming out of R5 MII has changed.

[Curamantel]

Hello @cdel3133,

1. Yes, same as you - I can no longer Edit previously downloaded CR3's. So, we must have lost something with the new MacOS.

2. DPP Express on the iPad is better than the DPP on the Mac. Use the Camera Connect and DPP Express in conjunction to import CRS and then within DPP Express - Export and save as JPEG to the Camera Roll. On the Mac OS DPP - I was never able to successfully Batch Process CR3 to JPEG. So many errors and skipped files. The DPP Express on the iPad worked well (you need the Subscription though).