PS Elements 2023 and HEIF format

[claude_m]

I am using Photoshop Elements 2023 (version 21.0), which comes with "Camera Raw". But I can't yet open raw (*.arw) or heif (*.hif) images taken with the new Sony Alpha 6700. I know that I just have to wait for Adobe to add support for the raw files. But when I try to open the heif file it just tells me it's the wrong format. I could use "Imaging Edge Desktop" by Sony but I prefer using Photoshop Elements.

Adobe says that PSE supports HEIF:
https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop-elements/kb/supported-file-formats-photoshop-elements.html

* HEIF files format is supported only on macOS 10.13.x and above. Currently, HEIF files can only be imported in Photoshop Elements 2019 release.

Does that mean it isn't supported on Windows 10? Does it mean they removed support after the 2019 release? Or should HEIF actually be supported in PSE 2023 on Windows 10?

Here it tells me that I just need to install the codec:
https://helpx.adobe.com/photoshop/kb/ps-heic-codec.html

I installed it but I still can't open the files. It just works with the windows picture viewer now. But PSE claims that it is the wrong format.

I have tested both 4:2:0 and 4:2:2 with the same result. Right now I just use JPEG.

How can I open HEIF files in PSE 2023?

[Jeff Arola · Accepted solution]

As of this posting Adobe hasn't released a new version of camera raw to support the Sony Alpha 6700 ARW files.

As far as the Sony Heif files, Adobe may not support those.

Actually i believe Sony uses the .HIF extension.

Hopefully another user with a Sony camera will comment about that.

You can check on the camera raw forum for a new release of camera raw and what cameras are supported and then post back here so we can give instructions how to update pse 2023.

Camera raw as of the date of this posting is version 15.4.1

https://community.adobe.com/t5/camera-raw/ct-p/ct-camera-raw

[claude_m]

ILCE-6700 is not yet supported. I was expecting this. I just don't understand why HEIF is not supported. What what I read online it seemed that PSE should support it. As I understand it, HEIF ist the format and the codec could be HEIC or something else and so if hte codec used in the format isn't supported by PSE then it just won't work. This is too bad. Maybe a newer version of Camera Raw will support it. I wouldn't mind if I had to use that to open the images in PSE. 

[Jeff Arola]

You can update to the latest camera raw 15.4.1 by following the below directions:

Update the Camera Raw version on your Mac or Windows machine

Last updated on Jan 12, 2022 | Also Applies to Elements Organizer, Premiere Elements

Find out how to update the Camera Raw version on your Mac or Windows machine.

Note:

The following is a workaround to update Camera Raw within Elements. It is recommended to wait for Camera Raw updates within the product for issue fixes. 

If you haven't been able to update the Camera Raw plug-in for Elements, follow these steps:

• Download and install the latest Camera Raw version from https://helpx.adobe.com/camera-raw/kb/camera-raw-plug-in-installer.html

• Quit all Adobe applications.

• • On macOS, double-click the .dmg file to mount it.
  • On Windows double-click the downloaded .zip file to unzip it. (Windows might unzip the file for you.)

• • On macOS, double-click the .pkg file to start the installer. 
  • On Windows, double-click the resulting .exe file to start the installer.

• Follow the on-screen instructions.

• Once installed successfully, close the installer window.

• Navigate to the following folder:

  • On macOS: /Library/Application Support/Adobe/Plug-ins/CC/File Formats
  • On Windows: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Plug-Ins\CC\File Formats

• Copy the Camera Raw plug-in from the CC > File Formats folder that is mentioned in the above step.

• Navigate to the following folder: 

  • On macOS: /Library/Application Support/Adobe/Plug-ins/Elements<Version Number>/File Formats
  • On Windows: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Plug-Ins\Elements<Version Number>\File Formats

• Replace the existing Camera Raw plugin in Elements<Version Number> folder with the plug-in that you copied in step 8.

[Jeff Arola]

You can update to the latest camera raw 15.4.1 by following the below directions:

Update the Camera Raw version on your Mac or Windows machine

Last updated on Jan 12, 2022 | Also Applies to Elements Organizer, Premiere Elements

Find out how to update the Camera Raw version on your Mac or Windows machine.

Note:

The following is a workaround to update Camera Raw within Elements. It is recommended to wait for Camera Raw updates within the product for issue fixes. 

If you haven't been able to update the Camera Raw plug-in for Elements, follow these steps:

• Download and install the latest Camera Raw version from https://helpx.adobe.com/camera-raw/kb/camera-raw-plug-in-installer.html

• Quit all Adobe applications.

• • On macOS, double-click the .dmg file to mount it.
  • On Windows double-click the downloaded .zip file to unzip it. (Windows might unzip the file for you.)

• • On macOS, double-click the .pkg file to start the installer. 
  • On Windows, double-click the resulting .exe file to start the installer.

• Follow the on-screen instructions.

• Once installed successfully, close the installer window.

• Navigate to the following folder:

  • On macOS: /Library/Application Support/Adobe/Plug-ins/CC/File Formats
  • On Windows: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Plug-Ins\CC\File Formats

• Copy the Camera Raw plug-in from the CC > File Formats folder that is mentioned in the above step.

• Navigate to the following folder: 

  • On macOS: /Library/Application Support/Adobe/Plug-ins/Elements<Version Number>/File Formats
  • On Windows: C:\Program Files\Common Files\Adobe\Plug-Ins\Elements<Version Number>\File Formats

• Replace the existing Camera Raw plugin in Elements<Version Number> folder with the plug-in that you copied in step 8.

[claude_m]

That gives me version 15.4.0.1 of Camera Raw, which can't open the files. Both the α6700 raw files and the HEIF files can't be opened. Even if I could download version 15.4.1 it would not help as it doesn't yet support the α6700 camera. 

[Jeff Arola · Accepted solution]

Adobe just updated camera raw to 15.5, which includes support for the Sony Alpha 6700 .arw files.

Check this page for the link to camera raw 15.5

(the link is not there yet)

https://helpx.adobe.com/camera-raw/kb/camera-raw-plug-in-installer.html

[claude_m]

I was able to update using Creative Commons and then I copied the files as explained in your other post. I can now open the raw files but it still doesn't work with the HEIF files from the same camera (ILCE-6700).