Convert RAW to JPEG on MacBook Pro

Sadie M · Jul 8, 2012

Hoping someone here can help.

I inadvertently took several vacation pics with my Panasonic Lumix GF3 in the RAW state. I have only had this camera for a little while so have mainly been using the automatic feature.

So when I tried to add my pics to Iphoto on my Mac it showed the RW2 pics as unrecognizable.

I did some research and realize my Mac does not support RAW pics from my particular camera. Silkypix software came with my camera and I downloaded that onto my Mac as I read this would allow me to convert. However, I can't figure out how to properly convert and most of the support I've found for that software has been in Japanese!

Can anyone help me with a simple step by step process to save these images to jpeg. I want the jpeg so I can send pics to my friends and post online. It sounds like I may have to do some "touching up" of these pics first(?).

Nice camera & nice computer but unfortunately in the hands of one who's technologically challenged!

Please help!
Sadie

compuwar · Jul 8, 2012

Look at Raw Photo Processor, it likely supports your camera and has a fantastic conversion engine, just take it off "half" when you use it if you don't read the manual.

donklaus · Jul 8, 2012

Did your camera come with any image processing software?

Most digital cams come with a software disk. Chances are, an application is included that will enable editing and conversion of the files you generate from the camera itself. Worth a look.

Prodo123 · Jul 8, 2012

http://support.apple.com/kb/HT3825?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US
It says your computer, assuming you've updated it, should be compatible with the Lumix GF3.

Sadie M · Jul 9, 2012

Thanks for that link Prodo123. I attempted to download the upgrade from apple when I found out I have iphoto 9 and need iphoto 11. I then tried to download iphoto 11 and found that I need Mac OS version 10.7.4 or better. I currently have 10.6.8.

I don't think I want to download a new operating system on my own (remember my first post where I mentioned I was technologically challenged!) so I may go to my local apple store to have them do it.

donklaus, my camera did come with software. It's the silkypix I mentioned in my first post. To me it's very confusing and the only support I can find online is in Japanese.

I may not go with the upgrade to my Mac depending on how much it would cost me at the Apple store.

In the meantime, does anyone have any experience with silkypix?

Compuwar mentioned Raw Photo Processor. Would this have to be downloaded to my Mac? Has anyone used it? Is it safe?

Thanks for your help.
Sadie

Joseph Farrugia · Jul 9, 2012

Sadie, thank goodness you have 10.6.8; here's how

no need for advanced programs at this stage.

If all you need is to convert raw (small letters, raw is not an acronym) to JPEG;
just open all the raw files in Preview
(select all raw files, Right click>Open with>Preview)

then select all files in Preview's sidebar;

then go to File> Save As
& choose "JPEG" from the Format drop down list.

Choose a location to save your files & you're done

Thank goodness you have 10.6.8, which still has the "Save As" command;
the dopping of Save AS & inclusion of "Duplicate" in Lion has negatively impacted workflows; now you can appreciate how useful that "Save As" menu item is.

HTH,

JF

r.harris1 · Jul 9, 2012

Joseph Farrugia said:
no need for advanced programs at this stage.

If all you need is to convert raw (small letters, raw is not an acronym) to JPEG;
just open all the raw files in Preview
(select all raw files, Right click>Open with>Preview)

then select all files in Preview's sidebar;

then go to File> Save As
& choose "JPEG" from the Format drop down list.

Choose a location to save your files & you're done

Thank goodness you have 10.6.8, which still has the "Save As" command;
the dopping of Save AS & inclusion of "Duplicate" in Lion has negatively impacted workflows; now you can appreciate how useful that "Save As" menu item is.

HTH,

JF

To clarify, just use "Export" in Lion from Preview and it works the same way. You'll be good regardless of whether you are on the *Leopard variants or *Lion variants - just different nomenclature.

Sadie M · Jul 9, 2012

Ok. So I plugged my camera into my Mac and iphoto automatically opened. So I closed iphoto and double clicked on the icon for my camera plug in which brought me into finder.

I found one of my raw photos and double clicked and got this message:

The file "P1010517.RW2" could not be opened. Preview does not support this raw file format.

Can anyone tell me where I went wrong? Or is it just not supported by my Mac?

Sadie

Prodo123 · Jul 9, 2012

Sadie M said:
Ok. So I plugged my camera into my Mac and iphoto automatically opened. So I closed iphoto and double clicked on the icon for my camera plug in which brought me into finder.

I found one of my raw photos and double clicked and got this message:

The file "P1010517.RW2" could not be opened. Preview does not support this raw file format.

Can anyone tell me where I went wrong? Or is it just not supported by my Mac?

Sadie

https://discussions.apple.com/thread/3942768?start=30&tstart=0
I found this on the Apple Community Forums, I think it might be very helpful.

r.harris1 · Jul 9, 2012

Sadie M said:
Ok. So I plugged my camera into my Mac and iphoto automatically opened. So I closed iphoto and double clicked on the icon for my camera plug in which brought me into finder.

I found one of my raw photos and double clicked and got this message:

The file "P1010517.RW2" could not be opened. Preview does not support this raw file format.

Can anyone tell me where I went wrong? Or is it just not supported by my Mac?

Sadie

Hi Sadie -
Apple Digital Raw compatibility extends to your camera as early as revision 3.8. The current version is 3.14. What's your current version? You can find that under your system profiler under "Software->Installations" (Go under the Apple at the top left of your desktop, "About This Mac" to get to the profiler).

If it is greater than 3.8, we'll need to figure out another path

Joseph Farrugia · Jul 9, 2012

to be clear:

r.harris1 said:
To clarify, just use "Export" in Lion from Preview and it works the same way. You'll be good regardless of whether you are on the *Leopard variants or *Lion variants - just different nomenclature.

r.harris1, just to be clear & not confuse issues:
Export in Lion might work in this particular case (Sadie has 10.6 not Lion, so it is a non-issue);
but it is most definitely not "just different nomenclature" as you put it;
neither "export" nor "Duplicate" have the same functionality as Save As, even combined they have not made up for the workflow inefficiencies caused by the omission of Save As.

(There are many articles & detailed explanations on the web on the glaring omission of Save As from OS X if you wish to do some research)

r.harris1 · Jul 9, 2012

Joseph Farrugia said:
r.harris1, just to be clear & not confuse issues:
Export in Lion might work in this particular case (Sadie has 10.6 not Lion, so it is a non-issue);
but it is most definitely not "just different nomenclature" as you put it;
neither "export" nor "Duplicate" have the same functionality as Save As, even combined they have not made up for the workflow inefficiencies caused by the omission of Save As.

(There are many articles & detailed explanations on the web on the glaring omission of Save As from OS X if you wish to do some research)

I have no doubt it affects everyone where "Save As" was or is central to their workflow, including yourself, and that there are voluminous posts out there on its omission

.

And while that in itself may be interesting to some, my intention here was not to tell anyone what is or isn't good for workflow as I figure most people can decide that for themselves. What I did want to do was clarify that even if Sadie upgrades to Lion, Preview can still be used to achieve the same goal with a differently named operation, regardless of what it was called.

And yes, admittedly, my post was not strictly germane to the subject

Sadie M · Jul 10, 2012

Hi again,

I tried to find the installations version like r.harris1 asked but it seems I'm even having trouble with that

I clicked on the apple icon, about this mac, more info, software...but there is no installations. I have applications, developer, extensions, etc but no installation.

I also looked at the link Prodo123 posted but I did find some of the terminology confusing. I am going to go back and read through it again though because it does seem they are discussing an issue similar if not the same as mine.

So if you aren't totally sick of this newbie already

I'd appreciate any more help you can give me!

Sadie.

r.harris1 · Jul 10, 2012

Sadie M said:
Hi again,

I tried to find the installations version like r.harris1 asked but it seems I'm even having trouble with that

I clicked on the apple icon, about this mac, more info, software...but there is no installations. I have applications, developer, extensions, etc but no installation.

I also looked at the link Prodo123 posted but I did find some of the terminology confusing. I am going to go back and read through it again though because it does seem they are discussing an issue similar if not the same as mine.

So if you aren't totally sick of this newbie already I'd appreciate any more help you can give me!

Sadie.

Try downloading a raw processor like Capture One or Aftershot Pro (they have trials).

Once you have one installed, you can then try to open the photos that way and save them off as a JPEG. Obviously somewhat overkill but...it may work

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Convert RAW to JPEG on MacBook Pro

Sadie M

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compuwar

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donklaus

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Prodo123

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Sadie M

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Joseph Farrugia

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r.harris1

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Sadie M

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Prodo123

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Joseph Farrugia

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Sadie M

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