Cannot Update PE 2018 16.0 to Current RAW Support

[Mike26358991jy7v]

I purchased and registered Adobe Photoshop Elements 2018 (16.0) some time ago but only recently started using it.  I'm also getting much more into photography and have shifted from JPGs to RAW.  This version of Elements has Photoshop Camera RAW version 10.3.0.933.  I need at least version 12 to support my Sony a6100 RAW shots.  I've tried several Adobe sites and files but cannot get Elements to update its current RAW 10.3.0.933 plug in.  Not sure what I'm doing wrong, all of these update files seem pretty straightforward and self installing.  They seem to do their thing but then it doesn't work.  Specifically, when I try to open a RAW file in Photoshop, I get a warning that it doesn't recognize it and if I'm trying to open a RAW file I need to update.  But the update function says that my application is up to date, no surprise, Adobe doesn't offer active support for 2018 anymore.  That's fine, I found another page with just the RAW plug in updates, there's a whole bunch from version 14 back to version 12, I can't get any of them to work or update my application. I really don't feel like purchasing another more current standalone Photoshop app, and I won't do the newer software as a service version with monthly fees, no way, I don't use it that much.  Either I'm going to figure out a way to update my current application, or I'll be modifying JPGs versus RAW files.  Please help if you have any ideas, thank you. 

[TheDigitalDog · Accepted solution]

See: https://helpx.adobe.com/camera-raw/kb/camera-raw-plug-supported-cameras.html

This will show you the cameras and versions of ACR supported. If you can't update (or don't want to), to a newer version, the only alternative is to convert your proprietary raws to DNG using the free DNG converter. 

https://helpx.adobe.com/camera-raw/digital-negative.html

[Mike26358991jy7v]

Thank you for the reply. Yes, I saw that bulletin. It says that I need the version 12 plug in for Photoshop to be able to open RAW files from my Sony a6100. My current plug in is version 10.3. How do I upgrade the RAW plug in from 10.3 to 12?

[TheDigitalDog]

I believe you must update Photoshop Elements to do so.
Adobe just released a new version this week.

https://www.adobe.com/products/photoshop-elements/buy-elements.html?utm_campaign=cv-nwmp-ae2023&utm_...

[Mike26358991jy7v]

I'm sorry but why can't I update my current version of Photoshop Elements to version 12 or higher of the RAW plug in?  Seems a bit overkill to buy a completely new piece of software that I rarely use. 

[TheDigitalDog · Accepted solution]

AFAIK, the special version of ACR for Elements is updated with the full package. You can stick with the old version but work with newer proprietary raws by converting them to DNG with the free converter already mentioned. 

[Mike26358991jy7v]

I just figured that out 🙂  I saw the earlier reply to my post about the DNG Converter, works like a charm.  So if and when I need to bring any RAW shots into Photoshop, I'll just convert them to DNG.  I'm assuming no loss of image quality in doing so?

[TheDigitalDog]

The lossless DNG conversion is as raw as the original; no loss of quality. Also see:
http://digitaldog.net/files/ThePowerofDNG.pdf

https://www.cnet.com/news/adobe-offering-new-reasons-to-get-dng-religion/

[Mike26358991jy7v]

Thank you!

[jane-e]

Hi @Mike26358991jy7v 

Since your question is about Photoshop Elements, I have moved this from the Photoshop forum where you posted.

~ Jane

[Mike26358991jy7v]

Sorry I could not find a Photoshop Elements forum when I made the post.

[jane-e]

---

@Mike26358991jy7v wrote:
Sorry I could not find a Photoshop Elements forum when I made the post.

---

No worries, Mike, we can move posts easily.

When you go to https://community.adobe.com/, the default sort is by number of posts, and Photoshop is near the top. You can use the filters on the left or change the sort to alphabetical, but new users don't always see that.

Jane

[Jeff Arola]

Most likely you can update your photoshop elements 2018 to the current camera raw plugin version

that will handle your Sony a6100 by following the diections posted here:

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop-elements/kb/camera-raw-update-not-available.html

[Greg_S.]

Jeff Arola said:

Most likely you can update your photoshop elements 2018 to the current camera raw plugin version

that will handle your Sony a6100 by following the diections posted here:

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop-elements/kb/camera-raw-update-not-available.html

The link tells you to download and install the latest version of Camera Raw.  I don't think the latest version (14.x) will work with Elements 2018.  However, on the ACR update download page, you will also find a download for ACR 12.x which you say supports your camera.  That version should work with Elements 2018.  Although you have apparently tried to download and install that version without success, you need to follow the directions in Jeff's link exactly by copying the Camear Raw.8bi plug-in file from the folder that is used by Photoshop CC to the one used by Elements.

Since you have already tried to install several versions of ACR, it may not be clear which one is currently installed.  So you may want to delete the Camera Raw.8bi file from the C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Plug-Ins\CC\File Formats directory and install the ACR 12 file again.

[Greg_S.]

Most likely you can update your photoshop elements 2018 to the current camera raw plugin version

that will handle your Sony a6100 by following the diections posted here:

https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop-elements/kb/camera-raw-update-not-available.html

The link tells you to download and install the latest version of Camera Raw.  I don't think the latest version (14.x) will work with Elements 2018.  However, on the ACR update download page, you will also find a download for ACR 12.x which you say supports your camera.  That version should work with Elements 2018.  Although you have apparently tried to download and install that version without success, you need to follow the directions in Jeff's link exactly by copying the Camear Raw.8bi plug-in file from the folder that is used by Photoshop CC to the one used by Elements.

Since you have already tried to install several versions of ACR, it may not be clear which one is currently installed.  So you may want to delete the Camera Raw.8bi file from the C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Plug-Ins\CC\File Formats directory and install the ACR 12 file again.

[Mike26358991jy7v]

Well, it was worth a try.  I followed the directions above exactly, step by step, to delete all current Camera Raw.8bi files from both Elements and CC folders on my computer, then downloaded 12.2.4 and 12.1 versions, copied from CC and pasted to Elements, it didn't work.  In both cases Elements got as far as the initialization screen then crashed.  When I pasted the old Camera Raw.8bi back in the correct folder, everything worked fine.  As a last resort I am going to simply deinstall then reinstall Elements, see if Adobe gives me the opportunity to do an update.  After that I am committed to DNG conversion as needed.  Again, thanks for the tip, it was worth a try. 

[Mike26358991jy7v]

And the grand finale...I went through the entire process of deinstalling then reinstalling Photoshop Elements 2018. And the version of the RAW Camera Plug In that came with the new download? 9 lol. So of course Adobe Application Manager gave me the opportunity to update that to version 10, but no additional updates.  So that is that.  I'm guessing that there is some convulated way to get PE'18 to the RAW Camera Plug In version 12 or higher but I'm not interested in wasting any more time trying to figure out how to do that.  I'll stick with DNG conversion as needed.  Again, thanks to everyone who responded back to my post, really appreciate it. 

[TheDigitalDog]

Agreed; stick with DNG.

[Greg_S.]

I have confirmed that ACR 12.x cannot be used with Elements 2018. 

I also reinstalled the program which launched with ACR 9.12 and successfully updated the program which then launched with ACR 10.3.

Sorry, Mike for putting you through some unnecessary work. 

[Mike26358991jy7v]

No worries, no harm done, it was worth a shot. Thank you.