Adobe Camera Raw and .ERFs

[Alan_Ampolsk]

A first (probably newbie) question from a new arrival. I took my R-D1s out for its first walk yesterday, and came back with some very nice results. Unfortunately, Adobe Camera Raw refuses to read them. When I try to open the files in CS2 and in Bridge using Camera Raw, I get a "program error" message. The files open with no problems in the Epson Photo RAW plug-in, and in the standalone version. I'd through that ACR was able to read R-D1 files -- has something changed between the R-D1 and the R-D1s? Or am I missing something. I'm new at Raw processing (taking on too many new things at once, I guess), so I may have missed a step. Thanks in advance for any light you can shed.

Best,
Alan

 

[Sean Reid]

Hi Alan,

Go to the Adobe site and download the latest version of Camera Raw, that should do the trick.

Cheers,

Sean

 

[Alan_Ampolsk]

Thanks, Sean -- that was part of an answer -- I was a version behind on Camera Raw. Unfortunately, I'm still getting the same problem with version 3.3. In Bridge, the Camera Raw options are grayed out. When I open the .ERF files -- either in Bridge or Photoshop -- either the Epson RAW converter or the plug-in launches by default. My other RAW files (from Canon 1DS and Pentax *st-DS) invoke Adobe Camera Raw. I've tried uninstalling and re-installing both Adobe Camera Raw and the Epson plug-in and full converter, without success. I wonder if I don't have a corrputed installation -- but of what?

I guess I can manage with the Epson program -- you've had good things to say about it -- but wouldn't mind having Camera Raw as an option, too.

Am open to any and all suggestions.

Thanks!

Alan

 

[jlw]

The latest version of ACR definitely will open regular Epson .ERF files. You might try removing the Epson plug-in from your Photoshop plug-ins folder to keep ACR from being able to use it.

Another thought: You mention you have an R-D1s, which most of us haven't seen yet. I do know from what I've read that it has an option to save files as raw+JPEG. If you have that option turned on, ACR may not know what to do with the file. I suppose it's even possible that they've changed the basic raw format for the R-D 1s to accommodate the raw+JPEG feature.

Here's a possible workaround: Download the latest version of Adobe DNG converter, convert your ERF files to DNG, and see if ACR will open those. If you get good results with this, it may be a good interim solution until we can sort out your problem.

PS -- Do you have someplace where you can make one of your "problem" ERF files available for download. I'd be willing to download it and try opening it with my well-tested
MacOS X ACR/CS2 installation; some of our other RFFers may be willing to do the same on other platforms. This might help narrow down possible sources of your problem.

 

[Alan_Ampolsk]

Thanks. I tried swapping out the Epson converter but just got the program error message when trying to open the file. Tried the DNG option at your suggestion, but no joy there -- I get a message to the effect that "there was an error parsing the file." DNG works fine on my Pentax and Canon files. And the Epson RAW converter converts the .ERFs to 16-bit TIFFs without a problem.

I'm using the RAW only option, not RAW + JPEG. But I'm wondering if you're right about their having changed the RAW file format. Seems like a possible explanation given the circumstances but I may still be missing something.

Unfortunately I don't have a facility for download handy. I'd be glad to e-mail a file if you can receive a nearly 10-MB attachment.

Thanks yet again...

Alan

 

[Alan_Ampolsk]

Oh, I should mention also that in Bridge, the .ERF files display an .ERF icon, but no image. Bridge is able to read thumbnails for my RAW files from other comments. For what it's worth...

Alan

 

[Steve L]

I do remember another posting in this forum concerning having to remove the Epson plugin to get ACR to use its builtin converter...maybe you could search for it and talk to the poster....it was a comment down in a thread some time ago....sorry I don't remember when, I'm fairly new to this forum and just read all of the old posts!

 

[Alan_Ampolsk]

Thanks, Steve -- I'll give it a try. I uninstalled both Epson converters using Add/Remove programs, and still had the same problem -- couldn't get ACR to launch on these files. But maybe something related to the Epson converters was left behind after the uninstall. I'll see what else I can track down.

Best,
Alan

 

[Sean Reid]

Alan,

E-Mail me please: sreid@sover.net I'm working on this with Thomas Knoll.

Cheers,

Sean

 

[Alan_Ampolsk]

Will do.

Best,
Alan

 

[Patman]

Try opening program first and then open files, if on a Mac drag file to program.

 

[Sean Reid]

Patman,

The Adobe support isn't in place yet but it will be.

Cheers,

Sean