After recently purchasing the D7100 and taking some pics I have come to realise that I am unable to open raw files in Adobe Photoshop CS6 version 6.2. I have gone into help and updates and updated it; however I am still getting a message saying "Photoshop cannot open this file" and then it says to update (which I already have). Any advice would be appreciated. I am using Windows 8.
Opening raw files in Photoshop CS6
- Thread starter Moosh12
- Start date
CS6 6.2 confuses me. My CS6 says version 13.0.1. The first Photoshop CS was version 8 in 2003. PS version 6 was in 2000 (14 years ago?)
If you meant ACR 6.2, you do need an ACR update, but ACR 6 was for CS5. The D7100 camera was added to ACR 7.1. ACR is up to 8.7 now, and these will require CS6. The PS Help menu shows these version numbers.
I would add that "Photoshop" is not the convenient way to open raw files... it will only open one at at time. The better way is to use Bridge, where you can select All files in a folder, and right click on one and open them all in Raw. Many edit operations can affect all or many files at once that way.
If you meant ACR 6.2, you do need an ACR update, but ACR 6 was for CS5. The D7100 camera was added to ACR 7.1. ACR is up to 8.7 now, and these will require CS6. The PS Help menu shows these version numbers.
I would add that "Photoshop" is not the convenient way to open raw files... it will only open one at at time. The better way is to use Bridge, where you can select All files in a folder, and right click on one and open them all in Raw. Many edit operations can affect all or many files at once that way.
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Thanks for your assistance. Eventually I got it sorted out, even though I did the updates I was still getting the "photoshop cannot open this file" message. However, I went back and did the same updates an hour later and it worked, so I'm happy with that, albeit a bit confused. I will take on your advice about using Bridge, I am still new to processing so any information is appreciated, thank you.
Great, glad you got it going. There is a video about ACR near top of page at Why shoot Raw? which possibly could be of interest as an introduction.
FYI, it's not just Adobe but a "feature" of almost all software updates that if you skipped multiple updates, it will not update to the latest version unless the publisher puts out a "consolidated" update (like Microsoft's SP3 etc.) So, if you are more than one revision behind, after you "check for updates" you should restart and then do another "Check for updates" again and again and again until there is REALLY no updates left.
Horoscope Fish
Senior Member
Don't worry about Picture Controls if you're shooting RAW. If you want you can apply settings that mimic most all of the Picture Controls in Adobe Camera RAW and the ones you can't, like Active D Lighting, won't matter because you have so much more control working with a RAW file anyway.
Stay focused on learning to use Adobe Camera RAW and Photoshop. Between the two, you're set. A great learning resource for leaning Adobe Camera RAW and Photoshop is Lynda.com but there are a ton of resources online that will get you up to speed. Lynda is just one of the better resources because it offers entire *courses* on specific subjects.
....
True, but the point was that IF any Picture Control or Active-D Lighting settings are applied in-camera and then the raw file is subsequently opened in non-Nikon software, many new users are puzzled as to why the image on their computer does not look like it did on the camera monitor, especially if they are using the Monochrome Picture Control and then the raw image opens as a color image using ACR.
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Sure, everyone does need to understand that Raw is Raw, and any camera settings (other than exposure and focus) only affect the camera rear LCD preview, and the histogram. But no settings are in the Raw file data, which is Raw. Raw is Raw. This is why we choose Raw.
So they also need to understand the purpose of Raw. We can make all those same settings later (white balance, vivid, contrast, sharpening, whatever)... AFTER we can actually see the image, and KNOW what it needs to actually help it. We can try different things, and choose best result. And Raw has other advantages (simply better tools than the camera has, including lossless edits, precise White Balance adjustments, ability to correct several images at once, etc, etc.). The simple fact that we can SEE IT FIRST is so critically important. Much better than guessing at some vague settings earlier, with no clue (that we probably use for everything, regardless).
There are defaults in Raw, selectable to be about what you would have done in the camera, but then you see it to know what is actually better.
Adobe users of ACR may not see the full range of features right at first.
There are ten tabs across the top of edit area.
The first tab (default) is Basic, for white balance, exposure, etc. This normally seems about 90% of it. Pictures just pop out at us when we get WB and exposure actually correct. But we have to see it to know what that will need.
The second tab is Tone Curve, which includes a preset (at Point, Medium Contrast), which is a very useful S Curve (makes dark tones darker, bright tones brighter - without clipping), which is a very elegant way to increase contrast. (better than the too-dumb contrast slider).
The sixth tab (of ten) is Lens Profile, where you can correct vignetting and distortion, caused specifically by your lens.
The eighth tab (of ten) is Camera Calibration, where you can select Vivid if you crave it, or Neutral for portraits, etc. Or there are a couple of "standard" choices, Adobe Standard, or Camera Standard. You can set any default, or you can change any one image any way.
I think Elements only includes the first and third tab (basic and sharpening). Lightroom and Photoshop have it all.
But seeing the image first, to know what it needs, to see and and know and choose what will actually help it.... that's Raw. Its ability can change your life.
If you care.
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