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tobiass23446165
Participant
January 9, 2020
Question

Camera Raw fails to open some DNG files

  • January 9, 2020
  • 2 replies
  • 1414 views

Hi there,

I am scanning old diapositives using the following setup (on Windows 10 - 64 bit):

  • Scanner: Nikon Super Coolscan 5000
  • Scanning Software: SilverFast 8.8
  • Editing: Adobe Photoshop Camera Raw (Version 12.0.0.322)

I am scaning to a raw ".DNG" format. The problem is that out of a hundred scanned files, Camera Raw loads 95 or so perfectly, but the remaining five a rejected with the message that the files are "not of the right type". All files are created with exactly the same settings on exactly the same hardware. SilverFast HDR can open all 100 files the same, no issues.

How can I fix this? Any help will be appreciated.

 

This topic has been closed for replies.

2 replies

Per Berntsen
Community Expert
Per BerntsenCommunity Expert
Community Expert
January 9, 2020

Are you able to open them in a different program and convert them to tiff?

As pointed out by the digitaldog, they are not true raw files.

But a 16-bit tiff that contains all the information from the film with no shadow and highlight clipping is as good as a raw file. 

When I scan film, I aim for a histogram that looks something like this, with ample space on both sides, which makes sure that no shadow or highlight detail is lost.

 

T
tobiass23446165Author
Participant
January 10, 2020

Yes, as stated in the original post, SilverFast HDR can open all files just fine.

Since you and thedigitaldog are mentioning other file formats as a workaround: The raw files include an infrared layer (for digital dust removal) and a second "multiple exposure" scan pass. There is hardly a better use case for the raw format than diapositive scans. You gain very powerful editing and enhancement capabilities you wouldn't have otherwise. But I am sure both of you will agree that this discussion is really beside the point of my question and probably doesn't really belong here. Photoshop should simply be able to open all files.

I am now rescanning the images in question and (with about 95% confidence) Photoshop can open the new files. This is tedious and should be unnecessary. Of course, it isn't 100% clear whether this is a bug in Photoshop or in Silverfast, but circumstantial evidence surely points to Photoshop...

TheDigitalDog
TheDigitalDog
Inspiring
January 10, 2020

Sounds like SilverFast isn’t correctly writing some (?) of data to the DNG to spec. They are not the first company to fall into that trap. 

Author “Color Management for Photographers" & "Photoshop CC Color Management/pluralsight"
    TheDigitalDog
    TheDigitalDog
    Inspiring
    January 9, 2020

    Can you import the five after the first 95 load (and you just try those 5)? 

    Do you realize that by scanning into DNG, the data is really no more raw than if you simply scanned as a TIFF? Not that ACR shouldn't import those DNGs. 

    Author “Color Management for Photographers" & "Photoshop CC Color Management/pluralsight"
    T
    tobiass23446165Author
    Participant
    January 9, 2020

    No, unfortunately the exact same five files fail consistently. I cannot open them at all in Photoshop / Camera Raw.

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