HEIC (HIF) files and PS

[CekariYH]

Hi,

After more than a year Photoshop still doesn't support Sony HEIC files. how come? 

It's a great format if you need to shoot more images than RAW will fit on the memorycard.

[kevin stohlmeyer]

Hi @CekariYH have you downloaded the codecs for HEIC?

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/ps-heic-codec.html

https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-cc/kb/heic-files-support.html

[CekariYH]

Thanks, but those are for Windows, I'm on a Mac with MacOS which suport HIEC BTW.

[kevin stohlmeyer]

Did you set your Camera Raw settings per the second link?
Note:

To open JPEG or .heic images into Camera Raw: In the Camera Raw Preferences dialog box, go to File Handling > JPEG, HEIC, and TIFF Handling and set either the following in the JPEG/HEIC field:

• Automatically open JPEGs and HEICs with settings: Open only JPEGs and HEIC images with raw processing in the metadata into Camera Raw
• Automatically open all supported JPEGs and HEICs: Opens all JPEGs and HEIC images into Camera Raw 

To access Camera Raw Preferences, click the Open Preferences Dialog button in the Camera Raw dialog box.

[CekariYH]

All set but still no go, the sony HEIC filer has the name ending of .HIF and have existed for over a year by now.

Kind of sloppy of Adobe, an expensive profesional photo editing app to refuse to implement this.

[kevin stohlmeyer]

Hi @CekariYH Change the extension name from .HIF to .HEIF and try again.

[CekariYH]

Only diffrens from opening a .HIF with the .HIF extension renamed to .HEIf is that PS starts and:

 

[kevin stohlmeyer]

It's showing you renamed to HEIC - did you change to HEIF?

[CekariYH]

Yes, took the wrong image, tried all extension I can think of and know about... pretty sure the extension is internal in the image-file....

[kevin stohlmeyer]

Odd on the Sony forums that worked for other users. Wonder if the Mac is not allowing the change.

[CekariYH]

MacOS allows you to change extension and the Mac can read and show the .HIF image files with no problems. 

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

Hi,

After more than a year Photoshop still doesn't support Sony HEIC files. how come? 

By @CekariYH

Just throwing out some thoughts, I'm not an Adobe employee and I am not privy to know why...

Define support. Is this read, or write or both read/write?

Does Sony offer an API for other developers?

If so, is the API free, does it have a one-off licensing cost or ongoing licensing costs?

[CekariYH]

Well I try to edit the files in PS so they are read, I don't now any app that saves back in the RAW/HIF format... One saves in PSD or JPG most common but there are other formats to save as as well.

I have no idea about Sonys API at all.  

[kevin stohlmeyer]

Hi @CekariYH the issue at hand though is that you can't open the files in PS correct?

[CekariYH]

Yes.

[Stephen_A_Marsh]

Well I try to edit the files in PS so they are read, I don't now any app that saves back in the RAW/HIF format... One saves in PSD or JPG most common but there are other formats to save as as well.

I have no idea about Sonys API at all.  

By @CekariYH

AFAIK, HEIC/HIF isn't a raw file format – it's rendered. However, as HEIC is a wrapper/container format I suppose it could contain either raw or rendered data. This is certainly the case for DNG, where it is synonymous with raw data but can also contain rendered data.

I didn't really expect you to know the answer to the API or licensing question, it was a question designed to get you thinking about your question. :]

Anyway, I don't know or understand why Adobe don't have the feature built-in as both a native read/write format, they should IMHO.

Edit: Add you vote at the following links –

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-ideas/p-heic-support/idi-p/12248752

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-ideas/export-to-heic-from-photoshop/idi-p/1236886...

[CekariYH]

I know the HIF isnt a real RAW format but the RAWs are 🙂

[Shad33215357tauy]

I have attempted to update the camera raw codecs in Photoshop and am having the same issue. If you have Lightroom you can import them there and then export them as JPEG or what ever format you prefer. Best of luck!