Open .dng with Photoshop and not Camera Raw

[rchersh]

In windows, I have photoshop set as the default app to open .dng files

I want to open some .dng files in photoshop and use its 'file info' to view all the metadata.

But my .dng files open in camera raw instead, and I have to go through another step to open in photoshop.

I don't understand why this has to be a two step process, to open a .dng file in photoshop. Why are these opening up in ACR first? Any way to change this?

thanks for any help or insight.

[Bojan Živković]

You can not open raw files directly in Photoshop, raw files must go through  ACR.

Do you have Adiobe Bridge installed? You can see metadata using Bridge, no need to open file in Photoshop.

[rchersh]

Thank you. Bridge does have the same 'file info' functionality as Photoshop, and I'd be happy if I could open a .dng file directly in Bridge and use Bridge to view the metadata.

Problem is, windows doesn't recognize Bridge as a program; so I can't set Bridge as the default program to open a .dng file. 

For more background: I'm using a Duplicate Photo Finder to identify duplicate files so I can clean house. The duplicate photo finder makes some metadata available, but I sometimes need to make a more comprehensive examination to determine which file to keep. So, with Photoshop as default program to open the .dng file, I can click to open and get access to comprehensive 'file info'--but it's an annoying two-step process. Open in ACR, then open in Photoshop. I can't set Bridge as a default program to open a .dng; so it doesn't seem to offer a better solution.

But thanks for the new insight I did get on Bridge!

[JJMack]

If your Duplicate Photo Finder to identify duplicate files only by checking file names I would state it not a good application to use.  Duplicate file happen when user keep original and process images in separate locations. When camera gets reset, user name errors, user create several sizes. A duplicate file name do not mean that the files are duplicates.  The application name is Duplicate Photo Finder  It should only be checking Image File formats and should be checking content as will as name. 

duplicate photo finder   Seems to have options and a way to view dupes for verification before deleting around $80.00.

[rchersh]

Thank you for your advice--the program I am using is actually named: Duplicate Photos Finder Pro by Ashisoft. Using this program to identify exact copies will, as you point out, not identify duplicates that happen to have different names or have been converted from original raw format to .dng. The program has the added capability of identifying 'similar pictures' based on pixel comparisons and other criteria, which is great for identifying possible duplicates that have the kinds of changes you mention. The program functionality includes some metadate in the files it identifies as similar, which makes evaluation of possible duplicates more complete. 

But, I also want to make sure I'm keeping the most original of the likely duplicates, and this makes me want to examine the metadate more closely. Photoshop (and Bridge) have 'file info' possibilities that make a in-depth look at the metadata possilbe. I can open the files from the Duplicate Photos program with the windows default program, which if that is set to Photoshop, the file opens first in Camera Raw, afterwhich I can open in Photoshop--apparently I can't open directly into Photoshop and save a step. I can't make Bridge a windows default for opening .dng files.

Again, thank you for your kind efforts to help.

[JJMack]

You would use Bridge its a good for editing Meta Data. Photoshop does not support RAW files it has a Plug-in that does.

[rob day]

You can open via scripting and skip the Camera RAW inerface. Your Camera RAW preferences will determine color space, bit-depth res, etc.

 Try this:

var f = File.openDialog("Open File");
if(f != null){ 
    open(File(f));
}

[JJMack]

RAW has no color space, Its not an RGB image its a mosaic image.

[rob day]

I know. The Camera RAW application preferences determine the opened file’s color space. I think the OP wants to open a RAW file without the Camera RAW application interfering—the open() JS will do that and apply the current CR prefs and the XMP settings on the open.

[rchersh]

Thank you for the work around. I'll give it a try.

[Jeff Arola]

You can also hold down the Shift key and press open in the photoshop Open dialog to skip the acr interface when opening a dng or any camera raw file into photoshop.

[rchersh]

Thank you for the suggestion, but no joy. If I try to open a .dng (with windows default app for .dng set to photoshop) and hold down the shift key, I do get a dialog box asking "skip loading optional and third party plugins?" But, either choice still results in the .dng opening in Adobe Camera Raw.

Photoshop appears to be hard-wired to open a .dng in ACR. Oddly, I can open an unmodified .dng from Lightroom directly into Photoshop--by right-click and either 'edit in PS' or 'open as smart object in PS'. I just wish I could otherwise open a .dng directly into Photoshop without the initial open in ACR .

[Chuck Uebele]

Use Bridge to open the files with the shift key, as Jeff mentioned. You also don't have to keep holding down the shift key, after you select open.

[D Fosse]

What you need is an app that can read the full metadata without actually opening the file at all. Something like Exiftool might work.

"Photoshop appears to be hard-wired to open a .dng in ACR. Oddly, I can open an unmodified .dng from Lightroom directly into Photoshop"

You still don't seem to understand the basic underlying facts here: a raw file cannot be directly opened in Photoshop for the simple reason that it is not an image. It has to be processed in a dedicated raw processor like ACR or Lightroom first. Opened from Lightroom, it still goes through the ACR engine one way or another. It is not opened "directly".

There's no way to get around that basic fact.

[rob day]

If I try to open a .dng (with windows default app for .dng set to photoshop) and hold down the shift key

Try opening the .dng via Photoshop’s Open dialog.

File>Open, choose the DNG or RAW file, and hold down Shift when you click the Open button inside the dialog.

Scripting also works. you could open a folder of DNG or CR2 files with this:

//Opens DNG and CR2 files without the CameraRAW interface
var fld = Folder.selectDialog("Select the folder containing the images"); 
if(fld != null){ 
    f = fld.getFiles(/\.(dng|CR2)$/i);
}
var i = f.length; while (i--) open(File(f[i]));

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