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Jeffrey28367259ry7g
Participating Frequently
February 11, 2023
Answered

Photoshop will not open RAW files

  • February 11, 2023
  • 7 replies
  • 26494 views

Photoshop has stopped being able to open RAW files. I get the Photoshop cannotopen this file and suggests updating camera RAW. I have Camera RAW 15.1.1.1329 with Photoshop 24.1.1. Here is what I have tried so far:

Uninstalled and reinstalled Photoshop - twice (once with keeping preferences and the second time without keeping preferences). Sysytem is new Windows 11 machine which has been opening files with no problem until very recently. It also stopped displaying thumbnails in Windowws photo folders - I resolved that by downloading a more update Nikon Codec. Camera RAW is up to date, am using Nikon D810 so no issue with it being too new! It is creating text files here and there with Gude logging (whatever that is). These same files can downlaod from CF and SD cards on my old Windows 10 computer with same versions of PS and Camera RAW and work just fine. Have done several computer and Photoshop restarts along the way.

    Correct answer Jeff Arola

    I reloaded the files using the new card reader plugged into a different USB port. They download OK with Nikon Transfer Software, read OK in Nikon ViewNx and Windows photo viewer. Still will not open in Photoshop nor through Bridge. Will not display a thumbnail image in Bridge, just a NEF tile. Seems to be an Adobe issue although I have completely uninstalled PS and reloaded. I'm stymied.


    Nikon Transfer is known to corrupt nefs in such a way that Adobe camera raw won't open them.

    Instead of using Nikon Transfer, use Adobe Bridge>File>Get Photos from Camera or download them directly to a folder on your drive.

    7 replies

    Jeff Arola
    Community Expert
    Jeff ArolaCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    February 13, 2023

    Did you use Nikon Transfer to get the Nikon D810 nefs from your camera to computer?

     

    I can view but not do any editing to the file you provided in Nikon NX Studio on macOS Ventura 13.2

    Looks like all i'm seeing is the thumbnail preview and not any of the actual nef file.

      J
      Jeffrey28367259ry7gAuthor
      Participating Frequently
      February 13, 2023

      Yes, I downloaded through Nikon transfer, from a card reader (new).

      TheDigitalDog
      TheDigitalDog
      Inspiring
      February 13, 2023

      There is something seriously wrong with this NEF. Not only can I not open it in Adobe Camera Raw, but I cannot in RawDigger or other raw converters. So this isn't an Adobe issue and seems to be either a very corrupted raw or something along those lines. 

      Author “Color Management for Photographers" & "Photoshop CC Color Management/pluralsight"
        J
        Jeffrey28367259ry7gAuthor
        Participating Frequently
        February 13, 2023

        Hmm, I wonder if it is a Windows 11 issue. I downloaded the same files from the same card on my old computer, Windows 10 and current PS and it opens just fine. I needed a file teo days ago so opened it on the old computer, saved as a PS document, then finished on the new computer. Hardly a good workflow! Also have had the issue, only in some folders, of PS creating the Gude text file which seems to be a problem Adobe is working on. Related to inability to open RAW files?

        D Fosse
        Community Expert
        D FosseCommunity Expert
        Community Expert
        February 13, 2023

        If this is a corrupt file, which seems very likely, that is always caused by failing hardware. It could be a failing drive or bad RAM, but in this case I would look at card reader, cables and connectors first. Anything connected externally at the end of loose cables is prone to corruption. Those cables get moved around a lot and the connectors will get worn. It only takes a fraction of a second's broken connection.

         

        The gude log is unrelated.

          J
          Jeffrey28367259ry7gAuthor
          Participating Frequently
          February 13, 2023

          Tried the reset of preferemnces and that did not solve. Here is a RAW file I can't open : https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VCabMilmuU0he9MNtA3wS9ZrGO1ks8_j/view?usp=share_link. Thank you for the help!

          TheDigitalDog
          TheDigitalDog
          Inspiring
          February 13, 2023

          Can you zip and upload one of the problematic raws to something like Dropbox so we can test? 

          Did you actually reset the Adobe Camera Raw preferences (which differ from Photoshop)?

          Try resetting the Camera Raw preferences:
          Hold down the Command key and select Photoshop > Preferences > Camera Raw (macOS) or hold down the Ctrl key and select Edit > Preferences > Camera Raw (Windows).
          Click Yes in the dialog that asks "Delete the Camera Raw Preferences?"
          See also:
          https://helpx.adobe.com/camera-raw/using/camera-raw-settings.html 

          And yes, make sure you try this with Photoshop, not Bridge hosting Adobe Camera Raw as it could be a Bridge issue. 

          Author “Color Management for Photographers" & "Photoshop CC Color Management/pluralsight"
            F
            Fernando30649107p1bt
            Participant
            October 28, 2023

            This worked for me! Thank you!!!

              J
              Jeffrey28367259ry7gAuthor
              Participating Frequently
              February 13, 2023

              Regular Camera RAW. Will not open files through PS or Bridge. It is the strangest problem - I can open older files, anything before late December. One folder I am able to open files, 10 other folders not. Things shot JPG are fine. I checked Windows updates but nothing seems to correlate to the time frame things don't work.

              PECourtejoie
              Community Expert
              PECourtejoieCommunity Expert
              Community Expert
              February 13, 2023

              Hello, is it the case for Camera Raw as a filter, or the regular Camera Raw? Did you try opening the files in Bridge via  CMD+R?

              J
              Jeffrey28367259ry7gAuthor
              Participating Frequently
              February 11, 2023

              Also just did a Windows 11 update - no joy.

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