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StrongBeaver
StrongBeaver
Legend
October 25, 2018
Answered

DEM in Photoshop ?

  • October 25, 2018
  • 3 replies
  • 5977 views

Is it possible to load DEM files into Photoshop; from what I vaguely remember, it was possible, then again I could be wrong ?

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer maxwithdax

    Hi StrongBeaver,

    Your DEM (digital elevation map) data file can be converted to a tif using something like this:

    https://mygeodata.cloud/converter/geotiff-to-usgsdem

    then of course you can open the tif in Photoshop. But you cannot open a .dem directly in photoshop.

    3 replies

    ilvar
    ilvar
    Inspiring
    October 21, 2020

    An old thead, but you can also use Avenza's Geographic Imager to import/export your DEM (and other geospatial) data directly from/to Photoshop, among other things.

    Ussnorway7605025
    Ussnorway7605025
    Legend
    October 25, 2018

    DEm as in map files = yes Photoshop can open many of these... some are special and locked

    OpenDEM as in the 3d standard = yes Photoshop can open most of them... imo Obj is a better file type for cross platform work

    DEM as in Source game engine = no Photoshop can't open these because they are game engine specific and really a type of video... the DEM is short for Demo in this case

    maxwithdax
    Community Expert
    maxwithdaxCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    October 25, 2018

    I was referring to the DEM data map files which are a series of datapoints not actual image files. This is a dem of an area not to far from my house. Dropbox - 9031_75m.dem

    Ussnorway​ can you walk through how you would open such a file. I am interested to know the solution. The file was generated by USGS.

    Ussnorway7605025
    Ussnorway7605025
    Legend
    October 25, 2018

    you need to unpack that file first... the free tool maxwithdax posted will do this and the map part is what Photoshop can see

    the other files are effectively metadata i.e, latitude and longitude, time of day etc

      maxwithdax
      Community Expert
      maxwithdaxCommunity ExpertCorrect answer
      Community Expert
      October 25, 2018

      Hi StrongBeaver,

      Your DEM (digital elevation map) data file can be converted to a tif using something like this:

      https://mygeodata.cloud/converter/geotiff-to-usgsdem

      then of course you can open the tif in Photoshop. But you cannot open a .dem directly in photoshop.

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