Import Canon HIF files

[lssmit02]

Has anyone figured out a simple way to import Canon HIF files into their Mac? Apple Photos for Mac can't preview them when you plug in the camera, and won't import them if you select the greyed out preview image. On the iPhone, the Canon camera app won't let you do it, either. Is there some camera setting that interferes with Apple devices seeing these files, or is it just that Apple and Canon have not worked together to make them compatible?

 

[chrfr]

Has anyone figured out a simple way to import Canon HIF files into their Mac? Apple Photos for Mac can't preview them when you plug in the camera, and won't import them if you select the greyed out preview image. On the iPhone, the Canon camera app won't let you do it, either. Is there some camera setting that interferes with Apple devices seeing these files, or is it just that Apple and Canon have not worked together to make them compatible?

What if you change the file extension to .heic?

 

[chabig]

Drag and drop them from your image card to your Mac. Then change the file extension to .heif and then they'll import/open in any Mac app.

I know this because it works for me.

 

[mackmgg]

I was hoping this (along with RAW support for R5/R6) would come in iOS 14.5, but I guess we’re still waiting… maybe iOS 14.6? Or iOS 15 at this point. Would make the iPad much more useful if I could actually load in RAW files. Especially since the file picker won’t even let you pick them in Lightroom despite the fact that Lightroom can open them just fine from the share dialogue instead of the browse window.

 

[Slartibart]

I was hoping this (along with RAW support for R5/R6) would come in iOS 14.5, but I guess we’re still waiting… maybe iOS 14.6? Or iOS 15 at this point. Would make the iPad much more useful if I could actually load in RAW files. Especially since the file picker won’t even let you pick them in Lightroom despite the fact that Lightroom can open them just fine from the share dialogue instead of the browse window.

no problems here loading and editing RAW (.CR3) files from an R5. iPad Pro 11” 2020, iPadOS 14.5, RAWPower 3.2.4.

 

[Slartibart]

actually iPadOS 14.5 supports Canon .HIF as well as RAW directly. Here are screenshots of 2 photos taken with an R6 and opened in RAWPower for editing (same hard&s oft ware versions as in my previous post, you can download the .CR3 and .HIF files here).

 

[mackmgg]

Looks like it was indeed added in 14.5! The file picker still doesn’t support them though, and it looks like it doesn’t support G5X Mark II’s CR3 either despite the fact that the RAWs from that camera have been supported for a while now. This means I can edit them in apps, but I can’t actually select them in Affinity for a stack or panorama which is unfortunate. I don’t know if this is a limitation of iPadOS or Affinity just not saying that CR3 are acceptable.

 

[Slartibart]

Looks like it was indeed added in 14.5! The file picker still doesn’t support them though, and it looks like it doesn’t support G5X Mark II’s CR3 either despite the fact that the RAWs from that camera have been supported for a while now. This means I can edit them in apps, but I can’t actually select them in Affinity for a stack or panorama which is unfortunate. I don’t know if this is a limitation of iPadOS or Affinity just not saying that CR3 are acceptable.

Are you referring to the file selector in Affinity Photo?

of course it allows to select and open R5 and R6 .CR3 directly.

As well as RAWs from the G5X Mark II.

Absolutely no problem.

Actually any app I tried opens these RAWs, even Apple’s Files. At least since the release of iPadOS 14 - probably even 13, but I do not any longer have access to hardware to verify that.

Maybe you should consult the Affinity Photo manual? ?

nota bene: no problems to open these on MacOS too.

 

[katbel]

I'm having the same problem with Sony HIF. Reading everywhere I found that the only solution so far is to use GIMP app that converts photos easily. Changing extension doesn't do anything in my case, blank file. Maybe because I'm still in Mojave?

 

[Clix Pix]

For Sony HEIF files:

From Sony:

"The functions of HEIF Converter are now integrated into Imaging Edge Desktop (Remote/Viewer/Edit).
Henceforth, please use Imaging Edge Desktop (Remote/Viewer/Edit) to convert HEIF files."

 

[katbel]

For Sony HEIF files:

From Sony:

"The functions of HEIF Converter are now integrated into Imaging Edge Desktop (Remote/Viewer/Edit).
Henceforth, please use Imaging Edge Desktop (Remote/Viewer/Edit) to convert HEIF files."

Thanks but doesn't work on Mojave, already tried. So for Mojave users and older system you have the option to use GIMP

 

[Clix Pix]

Ah, well, that's the problem then..... Time to think about updating!

 

[katbel]

Ah, well, that's the problem then..... Time to think about updating!

I would like to update but if I do it I'm going to miss too much automation I created in Mojave. I'm experimenting on an old MBP but so far GIMP is the easiest solution

 

[chown33]

On Mojave, can you check whether the AppleScript "Image Events" can convert from HEIF to other formats? If so, then it's possible that the 'sips' command can also do that conversion. Either of those might be easier to automate than GIMP (unless (equal you scheme-wizard)).

In a Terminal window, type this:

sips -H

This runs the 'sips' command and asks it for its builtin help. The output should be a bunch of lines summarizing available image properties and formats. Please drag-select the text in Terminal, then copy and paste to a reply here, because I'm not running Mojave on anything right now.

 

[katbel]

On Mojave, can you check whether the AppleScript "Image Events" can convert from HEIF to other formats? If so, then it's possible that the 'sips' command can also do that conversion. Either of those might be easier to automate than GIMP (unless (equal you scheme-wizard)).

In a Terminal window, type this:

sips -H

This runs the 'sips' command and asks it for its builtin help. The output should be a bunch of lines summarizing available image properties and formats. Please drag-select the text in Terminal, then copy and paste to a reply here, because I'm not running Mojave on anything right now.

I tried few things
First the AppleScript "Image Events" doesn't exist or I couldn't find it
There is an "Image Events" in Core services but doesn't work. I found a Quick Action- created in Automator called "Heic to JPG"
The problem is with the image downloaded from the camera is HIF : no QActions available

If I change it to HEIC, the icon becomes white and the kind is HEIC image and QActions/ Automator- try to convert it but I get an error when I choose "Change type of images" using Preview, standard in Automator
If I use Pixelmator PRO "Change type of images" I don't get the error but the image created is black and small
This is the website where I got the input

If I leave the image with the original HIF, shown as a terminal file though , QActions doesn't do anything at all

Terminal today accepted the command sips -H 🙄

Those are the strings requested

format string jpeg | tiff | png | gif | jp2 | pict | bmp | qtif | psd | sgi | tga
formatOptions string default | [low|normal|high|best|<percent>] | [lzw|packbits]



GIMP is still the only solution for now.

 

[AlaskaMoose]

I would like to update but if I do it I'm going to miss too much automation I created in Mojave. I'm experimenting on an old MBP but so far GIMP is the easiest solution

More than likely Graphic Converter will work. Why don't you give it a try?

 

[OldMacs4Me]

More than likely Graphic Converter will work. Why don't you give it a try?

If nothing else Graphic Converter will let you change the extension from .hif to .heic on a big block of images in a matter of seconds. Suspect it will also open the files directly. Thorsten also makes legacy versions available for those not running the latest bleeding edge version of Mac OS.

 

[katbel]

More than likely Graphic Converter will work. Why don't you give it a try?

GC 10 was the first

If nothing else Graphic Converter will let you change the extension from .hif to .heic on a big block of images in a matter of seconds. Suspect it will also open the files directly. Thorsten also makes legacy versions available for those not running the latest bleeding edge version of Mac OS.

I tried but somehow it gets the size of an icon and doesn't go anywhere
Gimp works.