Photoshop CS2 Error When Loading DNG Files

[Yan Zhang]

Hi all,

Following Colin and others advices on my previous post "Two questions about working on raw files", these two days I have been doing some practice on raw files.

Now I understand how to convert camera raw file *.CR2 into format "*.psd" and "*.tif", and
use Photoshop to do some adjustment on these files.

I also down load free DNG converter (5.2 version), and can also convert "*.CR2" file into
"*.DNG" file, which, from my reading, is the best format for storing raw files.

Now my question is: it seemed that I cannot open file ".DNG" from my Photoshop CS2, why?

Also, I noted that DNG file is slightly smaller than CR2 camera raw file, while "*.psd" and ".tif" are much much bigger than CR2 file, does this mean ".DNG" file lost some information from CR2 file?

Many thanks in advance!

Yan

[Colin Southern]

Hi Yan,

You should be able to open a *.DNG file in ANY version of photoshop CS - what happened when you try it? Do you get some kind of error message?

Re: Size - RAW files be it in *.CR2 or *.DNG format are compressed by default - The DNG ones probably just use a different compression algorithm. The very earliest DNG format didn't save black-masked pixels (a relatively minor thing), but all subsequent versions save everything, so you can rest assured that you're not losing anything. I have no hesitation in deleting my *.CR2 files once they're converted to *.DNG.

[Yan Zhang]

Colin,

I can view DNG file using picasa photo view in Wondows.

From Photoshop, I go to "File => Open as ...", then in the window "Open as", I can find
that the fomat "Photoshop Raw (*.RAW)" can only be used to open the file, but the opened file is not viewable, it is a gray square.

Is this normal?

Thanks,

Yan

[Colin Southern]

Hi Yan,

You can't open a file "as" a DNG - all that you should need to do is double click the DNG file and it will start photoshop and pop up the DNG converter, unless I'm misunderstanding what you're saying?

The other option is to open them in Adobe Bridge.

Working now?

[Yan Zhang]

Colin,

I am sorry, it still doesn't work. What I did was as following:

(1) use DNG converter to convert .CR2 file into .DNG file;
(2) then if I double click the .DNG file, the pisaca photo viewer is initiated and shows the picture;

(3) So, I open Photoshop, go to birdge to open all file folders;
(4) I move to the folder containing .DNG file, it dose not show anything - which seems that Photoshop does not recognised .DNG file;
(5) Then I go to "File=>Open as..." to get "Open as" window, I see in "Open as" option,
no DNG format there (though all other formats are there), so I tried format "Photoshop Raw
(*.RAW)", then DNG file shows up,
(6) I open it, it is a gray square.

I don't know which part I went wrong. Since picasa photo viewer can view my .DNG fie,
so the file should be OK. I don't know why Photoshop has no ".DNG" format option to open the file.

Thanks for your help.

[Colin Southern]

It sounds to me like Picasa has been associated with the *.DNG filetype, instead of Photoshop. Are you on a Windows XP or Windows Vista PC?

[Yan Zhang]

Colin,

I am using Windows XP.

[Yan Zhang]

By the way, if I right click .DNG file, indeed two "Open with" options show up:
Pisaca Photo Viewer and Adobe Photoshop CS, if I click Adobe Photoshop CS,
Photoshop is initiated, but it comes to an error message:
"Could not complete your request because it is not the right kind of document".

[Colin Southern]

I'd be inclined to get DNG associated with Photoshop instead of Picassa first, and see what happens from there.

Fir an XP box you need to open any folder -> click on TOOLS then FOLDER OPTIONS - click on the FILE TYPES tab - scroll down until you see .DNG - highlight it and then (off memory), click "change". If in doubt, delete the association altogether and when you double-click a DNG file winXP will tell you that there's no program associated with it, and give you the option to create an association.

Try that and let me know what happens.

[Yan Zhang]

Colin,

I did what you suggested, now .DNG is associated with Photoshop CS.
but when I double click, although Photoshop is initiated, it still comes to
an error message "Could not complete your request because it is not the right kind of
document."

It seems something wrong with my Photoshop?

[Colin Southern]

Hmmm - that's a strange one.

... not really sure what to suggest. What version of Photoshop are you using? What version of ACR? Is it all up to date?

[Colin Southern]

Yan,

I did a bit of googling, and a couple of things showed up.

First up, I found this ...
http://kb.adobe.com/selfservice/view...nalId=kb407110

Although it's for Photoshop Elements, I think that most of it would apply to Photoshop as well - might be worth a look.

I also discovered the Adobe Forums www.adobeforums.com - you might be able to get more help there?

Possibly a re-installation of photoshop would help?

[Yan Zhang]

Colin,

Probably it is an old version, I can only see Photoshop CS 8.0 version,
which probably is not CS2, and so does not adopt .DNG files maybe.

Thanks for your points. I'll look at that, and if it is an old version, I'll consider to buy a latest version of Photoshop.

By the way, I don't know what is ACR?

[Yan Zhang]

Colin,

I just looked at the link you gave to me. Now I understand that I need to install
the latest ACR (now I know what ACR is). I'll follow the instruction to do that.

Thanks very much for your help.

[Yan Zhang]

Colin,

I downloaded a new version of Camera Raw plug-in and replace it in my current
CS 8.0 relevant folder. Now I can open .DNG file and use Photoshop to do adjustment on it.

Thanks a lot for your help!

[Colin Southern]

Colin,

I downloaded a new version of Camera Raw plug-in and replace it in my current
CS 8.0 relevant folder. Now I can open .DNG file and use Photoshop to do adjustment on it.

Thanks a lot for your help!

Excellent news Yan - I was starting to scratch my head a bit on that one!