Card reader damaging raw files?

[DanK]

well, the jpegs weren't, the cr2s i don't know, cause i can't open them.
that's because the camera is so new, it produces a version of cr2 that needs a new version of camera raw to open it. and that version isn't compatible with my old copy of ps. i did try with a raw converter, but the pictures looked off. not sure if that's due to the converter or just cause i'm not used to working with raw files...

then the problem doesn't lie with the card reader. it wouldn't read one format correctly and one incorrectly; it just passes the data.

Converting to DNG shouldn't change anything. I think you may not understand how raw files work. Raw files don't look like anything; by the time you are viewing a "raw" file, it has been converted. The issue with DNG files is probably nothing more than initial rendering. The software needs to make a decision about how to render the image. Some of the exif was probably lost in conversion to DNG. But in any case, the initial rendering of a raw file, whatever it is, is not intended to be a finished product. It's just a starting point for you to do the edits yourself. If it starts out darker, you would just lighten it.

[shutternutter]

And, of course, an extracted JPEG will not be of the best quality and will indeed "look like a JPEG".

i rather meant this to say, they look alike when zoomed out and one isn't darker than the other.

The Adobe DNG converter used to work well enough for me when I was into creating DCP camera profiles. If it produces a bad DNG, there is more likely a problem with the input file than there is with the converter ...

i don't know, now that i can work on the raw files they seem to be just fine... here's one i edited yesterday:
https://500px.com/photo/271920233/fa...er_id=25346909

P.S. hope your shift-key gets fixed soon ...

Haha, it just always feels like I'm working when I write properly. But I am capable (luckily, otherwise I couldn't afford photography)

[Manfred M]

What you are describing is not a data corruption issue, but rather a file incompatibility issue.

The raw converter must be compatible with the version of raw data that your camera produces. If not, then the raw file cannot be interpreted correctly and the resulting data will be problematic. Every time a camera manufacturer releases a new camera body, the raw converter supplier has to update it for the new camera. If you are using an old of Adobe Camera Raw that shipped with Photoshop CS5, which was discontinued in May 2012. The 77D came out last year, and needs the raw converter that ships with Photoshop CC 2018, which is the current version of the software and is only available as a subscription.

That being said, raw data has to be converted, sharpened, have contrast adjusted, etc. by you the user. All this work is done in camera when a JPEG file is created. Without this work, the raw data looks worse than what a jpeg looks like.

Get yourself a raw converter that is compatible with your camera as a first step. Based on what you have written, I strongly suspect this is the core issue here, not your card reader.

[shutternutter]

then the problem doesn't lie with the card reader. it wouldn't read one format correctly and one incorrectly; it just passes the data.

Converting to DNG shouldn't change anything. I think you may not understand how raw files work. Raw files don't look like anything; by the time you are viewing a "raw" file, it has been converted. The issue with DNG files is probably nothing more than initial rendering. The software needs to make a decision about how to render the image. Some of the exif was probably lost in conversion to DNG. But in any case, the initial rendering of a raw file, whatever it is, is not intended to be a finished product. It's just a starting point for you to do the edits yourself. If it starts out darker, you would just lighten it.

sorry i only just noticed there's a second page.
we have actually long moved away from the card reader and went on to raw files in general. but u're right, it shouldn't change anything... anyway, it did and it was quite dark, which i think would mean a loss of detail in the darkest areas. still, by now i'm pretty much decided to just pay for ps cc, which even is on offer atm...

[shutternutter]

What you are describing is not a data corruption issue, but rather a file incompatibility issue.

indeed, i think the topic has somewhat shifted focus

The raw converter must be compatible with the version of raw data that your camera produces. If not, then the raw file cannot be interpreted correctly and the resulting data will be problematic. Every time a camera manufacturer releases a new camera body, the raw converter supplier has to update it for the new camera. If you are using an old of Adobe Camera Raw that shipped with Photoshop CS5, which was discontinued in May 2012. The 77D came out last year, and needs the raw converter that ships with Photoshop CC 2018, which is the current version of the software and is only available as a subscription.

spot on. i will probably spring for the tenner photoshop is at the moment, it's manageable

That being said, raw data has to be converted, sharpened, have contrast adjusted, etc. by you the user. All this work is done in camera when a JPEG file is created. Without this work, the raw data looks worse than what a jpeg looks like.

Get yourself a raw converter that is compatible with your camera as a first step. Based on what you have written, I strongly suspect this is the core issue here, not your card reader.

exactly, the card reader is still fine, that was just a precautionary question and then we veered off topic a bit. the reason i mentioned raw files at the start was simply that due to the compatibility issue i wasn't able to check whether they were intact or not

[royent]

Did you not get a Raw converter with your camera ?
Roy

[shutternutter]

Did you not get a Raw converter with your camera ?
Roy

it didn't come with any software. maybe there was a download link somewhere...

[Saorsa]

Often when a new camera comes out it takes a while for updates to software to happen. One thing you can do is download and install the latest CODEC (cOderDECoder) files for your system.

Just search for Nikon CODEC or Canon CODEC in their respective support sites and you sometimes don't even need to wait for updates to applications since must use the OEM CODECs.

[shutternutter]

Often when a new camera comes out it takes a while for updates to software to happen. One thing you can do is download and install the latest CODEC (cOderDECoder) files for your system.

Just search for Nikon CODEC or Canon CODEC in their respective support sites and you sometimes don't even need to wait for updates to applications since must use the OEM CODECs.

the problem was that i had an old version of photoshop, for which support had been seized, i.e. new versions of camera raw aren't compatible with those versions anymore. i am running a trial version of photoshop cc now tho and will probably get the full version

[Taneko]

I'm in a similar situation right now. I used a cheap card reader which damaged the SD card and lost all files on it. This is very bad, because very important files were stored there. The PC sees the memory card, but it is empty. I am trying to use Uneraser to recover data. I won't skimp on these things anymore!