DEM in Photoshop ?

[StrongBeaver]

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

[maxwithdax · Accepted solution]

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.

[Ussnorway]

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]

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.

[Ussnorway]

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

[StrongBeaver]

maxwithdax​ answer was the only answer.

[StrongBeaver]

Except, when loading my TIF translated DEM file, it looks like this in Photoshop ?

[maxwithdax]

My link was the wrong way around.. DEM to TIF not TIF to DEM

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

This should work just fine.

-Dax

[StrongBeaver]

maxwithdax​ Unfortunately the limit is 1 gig for that site; my file is 4 gigs.

[rayek.elfin]

If your intention is to convert to an actual 3d file for rendering, please refer to this answer:

qgis - Import DEM in blender as mesh - Geographic Information Systems Stack Exchange​

Qgis will also convert any DEM file to TIFF.

[StrongBeaver]

Using Qqis did not  successfully convert the file.  Therefore I have attached the file in hopes someone can successfully convert the file.

Note: It is a extremely large file.

[ilvar]

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.