How to open Kodak Photo CD images in Photoshop?

<p>Found out Photoshop CS6 does not work with Kodak Photo CD images. The older version I upgraded from - 5, does not either.<br>

What do I do to open these CD files so I can check them and change to TIFF to do a transfer to a new disc so I don't lose them? <br>

I thought Photoshop was a pro program that opened these images. Used to have a version that would open them but it was destroyed/lost in flooding a couple years ago.</p>

 

<p>Sorry, can't edit for some reason.<br>

I did find Photoshop 4 but it won't install on a 64 bit windows machine.<br>

Looks as if I may be moving to another image editing program before I thought I would as I will not use the subscription type of Photoshop.</p>

 

<p>It appears that Photoshop CS2 and CS3 could process the files; later releases cannot.</p>

<p>See this link: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photo_CD</p>

<p> </p>

<p>This is frustrating.<br>

I can still print from glass plates done in the 1880's but can't open a Kodak Photo CD done 20 years or so ago? Also finding my older versions of Photoshop can't install on the computer I have now.<br>

Why in the world would Adobe fail to include the file formats for images I was able to open in earlier versions of Photoshop? Does not make sense - a lot like the stack of Zip Discs that won't open at all now.</p>

<p>[[a lot like the stack of Zip Discs that won't open at all now.]]</p>

<p>If the problem is the OS, you might look to booting from a Linux CD (which does not require an install to your hard drive). You should be able to connect your zip drive to your computer and have it recognized. </p>

 

<p>[[What do I do to open these CD files so I can check them and change to TIFF to do a transfer to a new disc so I don't lose them?]]</p>

<p>The Wikipedia page lists a number of solutions.</p>

 

<p>Not for nothing but it's not Adobe's fault that recent and current versions of Photoshop can't open Photo CD images, it's all Kodak's fault for failing to keep the Photo CD plug-in up to date. It was Kodak that provided the Photo CD plug-in for Photoshop users to use and Kodak quit supporting that plug-in...</p>

<p>The Wikipedia article is at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photo_CD</p>

<p>It lists sources that will lead to downloads of Unix-based conversions programs that will run on various Linux, Mac and Windows versions.<br /> Especially see http://tedfelix.com/PhotoCD/PCDSoftware.html <br /> However one program not mentioned that does list Kodak photo CDs as being convertible is a program called <a href="http://www.lemkesoft.de/en/image-editing-slideshow-browser-batch-conversion-metadata-and-more-on-your-mac/">GraphicConverter</a>. I can't find where I put some old Kodak discs so I can't see how well it handles highlights (a common problem with many conversions, apparently). I've used GraphicConverter for many years and it has saved me many times when I have found ancient graphics files in a folder somewhere in formats no longer readable by the major image editors.</p>

<p>http://www.irfanview.com/main_download_engl.htm -</p>

<p>IrfanView is free and it works for me. I don't remember the installation steps or options but you need to pay attention so that you are able to access the largest size Kodak PhotoCD file.</p>

<p>I did a photo.net search and found that this topic has already been discussed. Here is a link with more info:</p>

<p>http://www.photo.net/digital-darkroom-forum/00YFLT</p>

 

<p>+1 for irfanview. Great tool for simple manipulations and viewing of graphical files.</p>

<p><a href="https://sites.google.com/site/pcdmagicsite/">PCD Magic (Mac)</a> or <a href="https://sites.google.com/site/pcdmagicwindows/">PCD Magic for Windows</a> are likely the best options out there for preserving the depth and accuracy of color in PhotoCD images. The software will set you back $79, but it extracts almost everything Kodak stuffed into those PhotoCD discs from twenty years ago.</p>

<p>All the programs in the Wiki will give you an image (most of mine - which I scanned to the PhotoCD myself - were loaded into iPhoto a long, long time ago, and are usable, if not perfect...), but all are missing some component, whether it be the metadata (film type, date of scan, scanner model, etc.), access to the largest, most detailed scan image (base64) or something else. Worst case, it can be like opening the JPEG from your DSLR instead of the RAW. You have an image, but it may not be quite as good as you would like.</p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>I can still print from glass plates done in the 1880's but can't open a Kodak Photo CD done 20 years or so ago?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Welcome to the world of proprietary files. Our raw files are no different! I too have plies of PhotoYCC (Kodak PhotoCD) disks. I think the main issue with the old Photoshop plug-in is 64-bit support. Kodak stopped suppring that plug-in a very long time ago. <br>

If you have an older version of PS around, it's a great way to acquire the data. The image pack is much like a predecessor of our camera raws, proprietary and basically in need of rendering to a full color image. So like a raw camera processor, not all are created equally. But at this point, just finding a product that can render the image is the difficult part. IF you have an older machine that can run an older version of Photoshop, I'd use that with the Kodak PCD plug-in as it provided a lot of control via what at the time were akin to ICC profiles for the rendering. <br>

The dilemma here with PCD image packs could easily repeat itself years from now thanks to every new camera that can create a proprietary raw doing so when they are all basically the same. </p>

<p>Jeff says:</p>

<blockquote>

<p>it's not Adobe's fault that recent and current versions of Photoshop can't open Photo CD images</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Of course it is Adobe's fault. Reading Photo CD is entirely a software issue, and there are many software companies (see the posts above) who do it. Clearly Adobe could do it, too. If supplier A (Kodak, I guess) doesn't have what you need, you go to supplier B, or do it yourself. That is, if you care, which apparently Adobe doesn't.<br /></p>

<p>Marc, I'd love to see the DNG converter handle the old PhotoYCC image pack's IF that's even possible. That said, do you really expect them to spend the engineering resources to do this considering the years since PCD has been discontinued and considering that the original plug-in was from Kodak? </p>

<p>I downloaded IrfanView. In its simplest form it apparently will only open Photo CD files in a version of about 3 MB, with an additional plug-in download I was able to open up 18 MB images.<br>

VERY IMPORTANT: In the course of the download of IrfanView, many other utilities are offered. I declined all these but nonetheless after I had installed IrfanView, my AVG security software lit up like a Christmas tree, claiming to have found 4 Trojan horses and a piece of malware. I isolated all these, hopefully without permanent damage. The computer I have installed the software on is a backup computer running Windows 7 - it would seem prudent not to install on a main computer and absolutely not without good security software.</p>

<p>David, from what site did you download Irfan View? I have been using this little program for a very long time as an image viewer as it allows me to look at everything from basic jpeg to RAW files to Photoshop files to AutoCad drawings quickly. On every machine I have this application installed I have never had an issue like you mention--as freeware I know that this application is available from lots of sites and I have no doubt that some of the less scrupulous ones will "package" a number of additional items with the base software.</p>

<p>Jeff asks:</p>

<blockquote>

<p>... do you really expect them to spend the engineering resources ...</p>

</blockquote>

<p>No, of course not. It would be silly, and I'd much rather they work on other, relevant, features. However, the reason PS can't handle PCD is because of this decision they've made, for which they are responsible, not because they are somehow being controlled by Kodak.<br>

</p>

<p>I believe Kodak built the plug-in, all Adobe did was install it with other plug-in's (many today unusable in modern versions of Photoshop). We know what happened to Kodak and thus the plug-in... It was their proprietary format too. So in my book, the blame is on Kodak although I sure feel for them. </p>

<p>@ David Thomas: my download was from the first source on this list:<br>

http://www.irfanview.com/main_download_engl.htm</p>

<p>David,<br>

While C|net used to be a reputable company, they now engage in a most disgusting level of malware/adware intrusion from any download linked to from their site. Avoid them like the plague. </p>

 

<p>@ Rob - which site would you recommend?</p>

<p>It looks like Tucows just gives you the installer without any nonsense. </p>

<p><em>It looks like Tucows just gives you the installer without any nonsense.</em><br>

Good tip! Got a clean download from this site.</p>