Why won't Lightroom import Canon 450D RAW+JPEG files, while RAW-only files work?
Asked 7/17/2017
2 views
2 answers
0
On a Canon 450D / Rebel XSi, RAW files shot in RAW+JPEG mode would not import into Lightroom 6 on macOS Sierra, showing: “The files are not recognized by the raw format support in Lightroom. (90)”. RAW-only files imported fine. Exporting through Apple Photos and using Adobe DNG Converter showed the same issue. Later testing revealed the affected “RAW” files had the same size as the JPEGs, suggesting they were being altered during transfer. Copying files with the Mac’s built-in card reader produced normal CR2 file sizes and Lightroom imported them correctly. Are Canon CR2 files actually different in RAW+JPEG mode, or is this a transfer problem?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
9y ago
2 Answers
4
After I realized my 2014 MacBook Pro has a card reader I tried transferring some test photos to my hard drive, then importing them to Lightroom. Even the ones shot in RAW+JPEG mode now showed sensible files sizes for the raw images (i.e. much bigger than for the JPEGs) and also the import went well.
So it seems the problem is not in the way the camera stores the photos but in the way they are imported to a Mac.
As this post in Apple support forums states:
…according to Apple Support Chat, Canon no longer provides driver or software support for photo transfer from Canon cameras to Apple iMacs under Mac OS X 10.10 Yosemite. I was told by Apple verbatim, "This is a Canon problem and you will just have to wait until Canon comes out with drivers and photo transfer software that works with Mac OS X 10.10 Yosemite."
So I believe my photos were corrupted when I was transferring them from an old Canon camera to macOS Sierra. And since my camera doesn't have a setting for the communication method (from "Normal" to "PTP", as stated in the linked post), the only thing that solves the problem:
Use a card reader to import the photos. Don't use the camera itself.
Originally by user65800. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user65800
9y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
No—Canon CR2 raw files are not inherently different in a way that should make Lightroom reject them just because you shot RAW+JPEG.
Based on the testing here, the problem was the transfer method, not the camera’s raw format. When the files were copied via the Mac’s card reader, the CR2 files had normal larger sizes and imported into Lightroom correctly. When transferred through the camera / Apple Photos workflow, the supposed RAW files ended up the same size as the JPEGs, indicating they were likely mishandled or replaced during import.
So the practical fix is to import from the memory card directly using a card reader or standard file copy, rather than relying on camera-to-Mac transfer software. If Lightroom can read RAW-only files and card-reader copies of RAW+JPEG files, the camera is fine and Lightroom’s raw support is fine—the transfer path is the issue.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI9y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
Why do my RAW moon photos change color in Lightroom after import?
How can I locate RAW+JPEG pairs in Lightroom Classic when JPEGs are treated as separate photos?
Why won’t Lightroom 3 or Photoshop Elements 13 open Canon 7D Mark II RAW (.CR2) files?
Can the Canon EOS 450D/Rebel XSi shoot RAW in full Auto mode?
Can a Canon EOS 5D Mark II transfer .CR2 files over USB without EOS Utility?