Lightroom: Fails to import some valid scanned TIFFs created by Mac Image Capture

Forum|Forum|7 years ago
July 15, 2018
33 replies
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When LR tries to import some scanned TIFFs created by Mac Image Capture, the import fails with "The file uses an unsupported compression algorithm". The problem is that LR doesn't implement the representation used by Image Capture with these TIFFs: JPEG compression, 4 samples per pixel (RGB + Alpha), and PhotometricInterpretation = RGB.

For some reason, Image Capture uses this representation on crops with non-zero angles, such as those created by the very useful feature Auto Selection: Detect Separate Items, which identifies and separates multiple photos being scanned.

Here's such a TIFF:
https://www.dropbox.com/s/ks57ijejfuvjcbp/Image-Capture-Angle.2018.07.14.tiff?dl=0

Many programs correctly read this TIFF: Preview (Mac), Gimp (Mac), Photos (Mac), Safari (Mac), Photos (Windows 10), Paint (Windows 10).

Unfortunately, there's a longstanding bug in Photoshop that incorrectly reads this representation:
https://feedback.photoshop.com/photoshop_family/topics/scans-not-working-in-photoshop

There are (at least) two workarounds:

1. In Image Capture, save the scans with non-zero angles as JPEGs rather than TIFFs. These TIFFs use JPEG compression anyway, so there is no advantage to using TIFF over JPEG.

2. Open the TIFF in another program and save it with a different compression algorithm (e.g. none or LZW).

Unfortunately, you can't use Preview to export as a TIFF, since it seems to have a bug in its Export / Save that ignores the setting Compression = None. But since the TIFF is already using JPEG compression, simply use Preview to export it as a JPEG, and in this case you won't suffer any additional loss in quality.

Tested with LR 7.4 / Macos 10.13.5. But this problem has been in LR for years, based on reports in the forums.

Desktop

This topic has been closed for replies.

Correct answer simonsaith

From the bug report, our developer reported that the problematic TIFF files are compressed with lossy JPEG compression. This type of lossy TIFF compression is not supported by Lightroom/ACR. The bug is marked closed/won't fix.

One workaround is to re-save the lossy compressed TIFF from Photoshop, and then the result can be imported into Lr.

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johnrellisAuthor

Legend

You might find the JPEG compression acceptable. These days, with higher-resolution images and high-quality compression selected, the difference in image quality between JPEG and TIFF can be very, very close.

F

FeedbackCommunityMember

Inspiring

Thanks again John.
I think the filesize is the giveaway. The files that Lightroom accepted were all around 100MB. The very small files were the ones it wouldn't import. That makes logical sense as the smaller files are clearly the compressed ones. The photos were all a similar size so I was already wondering what was going on.

As Image Capture automatically detects if the photo is on an angle I have no way of guaranteeing an uncompressed TIFF other than scanning the entire page (huge filesize) and cropping in Lightroom. Or trying different software. Its a shame as Image Capture seemed to be working beautifully and scanning lots of photos was looking easy. I must admit it seemed too good to be true!

johnrellisAuthor

Legend

You can use Photoshop to see what compression is being used with the TIFF:
https://feedback.photoshop.com/photoshop_family/topics/scans-not-working-in-photoshop?topic-reply-li...

Or use the free Exiftool utility (which is easier, but you first have to learn how to use Exiftool).

F

FeedbackCommunityMember

Inspiring

Thanks John.

I have been using Auto Selection: Detect Separate Items. It works a treat except for this issue.
Is there a way of telling whether it has used JPEG compression or not? perhaps the file size? I've noticed that some are scanning at 100MB plus whereas most are 7-20MB. My intention is to archive the best reasonably sized copies then copy them all as smaller JPEGs later so I don't mind the larger file size.

johnrellisAuthor

Legend

"Is there an alternative way to scan my photos using Image Capture that doesn't have JPEG compression?"

At least as of a year ago, Image Capture used JPEG compression in TiFFs only when the crop had a non-zero angle, e.g. when you used Auto Selection: Detect Separate Items. If the crop had a zero angle, it didn't use JPEG compression.

F

FeedbackCommunityMember

Inspiring

I have just had this problem. Lightroom is up to date.

I'm concerned that "These TIFFs use JPEG compression anyway, so there is no advantage to using TIFF over JPEG."

I was using TIFF to avoid JPEG compression. Is there an alternative way to scan my photos using Image Capture that doesn't have JPEG compression?

johnrellisAuthor

Legend

Great. My sample file loads correctly in PS 20.0.

LR 9.0 still chokes on it with the same error message: "The file uses an unsupported compression algorithm."

J

J453

Legend

This issue should be fixed in the current version, Photoshop 2020 v21.x or later. Let us know if you're still having trouble.

L

lyle berman

Participant

Frustrating that they're just throwing up their hands and not fixing this.

johnrellisAuthor

Legend

Since the internal bug report is marked closed/won't fix, I changed this topic to "idea" (feature request).

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