Importing RAW and JPEG from a Rebel XS into iPhoto '08

I recently bought a Rebel XS and am now playing around with RAW images for the first time.

 

For the last few years, I have been using iPhoto to store my digital 'negatives' – mostly JPEG files from my A510

and A570. I want to do the same thing with RAW and JPEG files from the Rebel XS. I know some people prefer

Lightroom, but I already have tens of thousands of images catalogued in iPhoto and it serves my purposes at the

moment.

 

The trouble is this: when I shoot in RAW/JPEG mode (where the camera produces one image of each type), iPhoto

imports the JPEG and then a black rectangle for each RAW image. The black image files are significantly smaller

than the actual RAW files.

 

I can use Canon's DPP software to get the RAW files off my memory card, but it is a pain to need to use two

programs. It is also annoying to have to delete the black squares, as well as to download all the JPEG images

using DPP as well.

 

Is there some way to make iPhoto work properly, importing RAW images from a Rebel XS?

 

Many thanks,

 

Milan

 

P.S. I am using iPhoto '08 and the latest version of Mac OS X, on a 24" iMac.

Try to download Adobe`s free DNG converter and see if the files will display. I do not think iPhoto has a raw converter, but if it does, open the raw /DNG file in it.

 

If not, go to iPhoto preferences, and check the box where it says prefer to edit in an external editor.

Then use open with and pick the editor of your choice, do the raw conversion, then replace back into iPhoto.

 

Nobody uses iPhoto for serious work. It works fine for amateurs, but after that you need something better.

You need to download the RAW file update for iPhoto 2008

 

http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/apple/application_updates/digitalcamerarawcompatibilityupdate22.html

 

Actually, there's a 2.3 update, here, which should have all the other updates in it (including the XS from 2.2).

 

http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/apple/application_updates/digitalcamerarawcompatibilityupdate23.html

The odd thing is that iPhoto isn't downloading CR2 images which it cannot read. It is actually downloading weirdly corrupted smaller files.

 

I will try the software update, which will hopefully resolve the issue.

Aside:

 

"Nobody uses iPhoto for serious work. It works fine for amateurs, but after that you need something better."

 

All I use iPhoto for is storing photos chronologically, as well as tagging them with things like the city where they were taken and the names of those in them. That way, if I immediately want to see every photo of my friend Mike, taken in Paris, I can do so easily.

 

Since I never do any photo editing in iPhoto, would it really be necessary to upgrade, even for 'serious work?'

To say that no one doing serious work would use iPhoto is ridiculous. Its editing tools though more limited than Photoshop, Lightroom, Aperture, etc. are very good for original jpeg editing. I must agree though, that iPhoto's editing and RAW conversion aren't as good as Aperture's. If you download the latest iPhoto update from Apple, your RAW transfers will be just as easy as the jpegs.

I got the latest version of iPhoto and the problem remains.

Your problem is that Apple supports only the product it "feels like". They have been doing that since the beggining of time. Chaulk yourself up as another victim.

 

On the other side, iPhoto doesn't do much with a raw file. It just makes it into a jpeg for you. Not much point, I thought.

 

Getting your pictures out of iPhoto is staightforward for the originals. Anything you did work on will have to be exported one-by-one.

 

I'm gonna gat flamed for this but......

 

You probably don't need raw unless you are doing exacting work. Most amatures (and some pros) I see use raw to cover for their mistakes in lighting, exposure and just poor judgement. Most times when you get it right in front of the lens, there is little else to do with the image anyway. If you are focusing on gaining photography skills, you should not be trying to fix them afterwards. Use them as a reminder of what you lack, so you can do better next time. That's generally why people who started on film are better at the 1'st shot than people whom started with digital.

A couple of things, Milan, to reply to peter carter's post: First, iPhoto does support your RAW. But I think you have a technical problem somewhere in the workflow, either in-camera, or in the transfer method, or the iPhoto software. I write this, because I have had iPhoto support for the RAW conversions from both my D70 and my Sony A100, which certainly isn't as popular as your Canon Rebel XS. If I were in your position, I'd call Apple tech support, or keep trying here at photo.net until a Mac expert sees your post.

 

Secondly, I really must take issue with peter carter's claim that iPhoto "just makes a jpeg for you." The entire menu of photo editing is open to you, when it's working properly. For fun, I've compared RAW conversions from three different software environments, importing all of them into iPhoto and running slide shows from there, to compare. The differences are only subtle. iPhoto's RAW conversions are a little softer looking than the others, but you can still do a lot of editing with a number of control palettes.

 

I wish that people who lack experience in certain environments would not make such crass judgments. And now, I'll probably draw some flaming. But all I want for you, is that you can fully enjoy your Canon DSLR with your Mac and iPhoto. It's not the ultimate, but it's better than you've seen it so far. If I had the tech abilities, I'd walk you through to the glitch and help you remedy it.<div></div>

Thanks a lot for the information so far.<br /><br />

 

Other people seem to have experienced this problem with Canon dSLRs and iPhoto:<br /><br />

 

<a href="http://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1316088&tstart=6074">Canon Raw images import as

black</a> (no responses)<br /><br />

 

<a href="http://forums.macnn.com/90/mac-os-x/376760/iphoto-08-and-raw-files/" title="iPhoto '08 and Raw files -

MacNN Forums">iPhoto '08 and Raw files</a> (no solution)

I'm sorry to see this, Milan. The latest list posted by Apple for Cannon is pasted here. Is your model the XSi/kiss? That's in the list.

 

Canon

 

* EOS 1D Mark III

* EOS 1Ds Mark III*

* EOS 1D Mark II

* EOS 1D Mark IIN

* EOS 1Ds Mark II

* EOS 1D

* EOS 1Ds

* EOS 5D

* EOS 10D

* EOS 20D

* EOS 30D

* EOS 40D

* EOS 50D*

* EOS D30

* EOS D60

* EOS Digital Rebel XS/Kiss Digital F2/1000D*

* EOS Digital Rebel/Kiss Digital/300D

* EOS Digital Rebel XT/Kiss Digital N/350D

* EOS Digital Rebel XTi/Kiss Digital X/400D

* EOS Digital Rebel XSi/Kiss Digital X2/450D

* PowerShot G5

* PowerShot G6

* PowerShot G9*

* PowerShot Pro 1

* PowerShot S60

* PowerShot S70

Sorry, Canon should only have had one "n"!

Everyone reporting this problem has one of the dSLRs on the list.

 

I think they were also all using the RAW/JPEG function, to produce both kinds of images.

Milan,

 

What version of OS X are you running?

10.5.5

In case it's relevant, the machine has a 2.8 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor and 2 gigs of RAM.

This thread you linked to called "iPhoto '08 and Raw files" says the problem can be solved by not shooting RAW+JPG but instead just RAW.

 

And to me that sounds like a problem with communication between camera and computer. Have you tried using a card reader?

I find RAW+JPEG very useful. For most of the photos I take, I see no reason to keep the RAW. For the few where it seems worthwhile. RAW+JPEG makes it easy.

 

I haven't tried a card reader, but will do so as soon as I can pick one up.

[[i find RAW+JPEG very useful. For most of the photos I take, I see no reason to keep the RAW. For the few where it seems worthwhile. RAW+JPEG makes it easy. ]]

 

I'm suggesting using RAW only as a temporary solution.

The roundabout (use iPhoto to import JPEGs and DPP to inport RAW files) approach is working for the moment, though I would definitely prefer to be using one program instead of two.

<p>I spent hours trying to figure out this same problem with my Rebel xsi and my new iMac.  Finally Apple tech support figured it out;  I needed to download a Firmware update to my camera.  I downloaded the updated 1.0.9 firmware onto my Rebel, and everything worked fine.  I believe you can find the firmware update on Canon's site.  Maybe it's not that, since your xs is so new, but it sounds like the same problem I had.  If that doesn't solve it, a tech at Apple support could help.</p>

<p>The firmware version in my Rebel XS is 1.0.3. The Canon USA page says: "No firmware updates are available for this product."<br>

http://www.usa.canon.com/consumer/controller?act=ModelInfoAct&fcategoryid=139&modelid=17316#DownloadDetailAct<br>

My mystery persists...<br>

I will try calling Apple support tomorrow.</p>

<p>I'd be interested in hearing what you find out when you solve this!</p>

<p>Hello!<br>

I've bought a Canon EOS 1000D (Rebel XS) and I've exactly the same problem. Is there a solution now?</p>

<p>I am still using iPhoto to import JPEG files and the Canon software to import RAW files.</p>

<p>I haven't tried calling Apple yet, largely because my work schedule clashes with when their tech support is open.</p>