# Macbook preview won't open raw



## Brendatn (Dec 16, 2012)

I have a macbook and am running os x 10.6.8. I have emptied iphoto and use Lightroom 4 and save in folders. I have a Sony A65 and have photo elements 8.  My preview won't open the files if I go directly to the picture in the folder. I have researched and I think it has to do with the Adobe Camera Raw. My question, would I need to update elements to get the latest update. Or does the latest update come with Lightroom? I have all the updates available on both of them now. Any ideas would be appreciated. I know not to move them so not to mess up the LR file but sometimes I need to open without using LR.


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## Denis de Gannes (Dec 16, 2012)

Lightroom stores all the work you do with your files in a catalog file and does not ever change the original image. No other program can read the Lightroom catalog only LR.
There is an option to save your work into .xmp sidecar files (or to the file header for DNG, JPEG, TIFF files) but the only programs that can fully utilize that info is LR or Photoshop CS/Elements provided it has the equivalent ACR as LR. In your case LR 4 uses the equivalent of ACR 7.x Elements 8 cannot use ACR 7.x it uses an earlier version of ACR.


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## clee01l (Dec 16, 2012)

I think your issue may be the release date of the camera and the versions on OSX, LR and PSE that you are running. Neither Apple or Adobe update legacy products after new versions are released. 
If your camera was a released product when OSX 10.6.8 came out, then you can use the Preview app or finder to view the embedded thumbnails in the RAW image file. Similarly, PSE and LR both contain a version of camera raw that stops getting updates when a new version is released. It looks like for your A65 you will need ACR 6.5 which comes with updates to PSE 9 and the LR version that will first support your camera is 3.7.

if you can, update OSX to v 10.8.2 and Finder will also show thumbnails of your proprietary RAW file format.


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## Brendatn (Dec 18, 2012)

Thank you for your answers. Reading both replies I don't know whether to go with upgrade to get new Photo Elements or upgrade to Lion on my macbook. I have been hesitate to do that wondering if it will slow my mac down.


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## clee01l (Dec 18, 2012)

Brendatn said:


> Thank you for your answers. Reading both replies I don't know whether to go with upgrade to get new Photo Elements or upgrade to Lion on my macbook. I have been hesitate to do that wondering if it will slow my mac down.


 If possible, I would suggest the greatest benefit would be to upgrade to MtnLion and LR4.3. Unless you are a heavy PSE user, then there is not much benefit getting PSE11. Earlier I think I mistated the LR3.7 is necessary to read your RAW files from the A65.  Actually, there is not a version 3.7 and your A65 has been supported since LR3.6  So you would not need to Upgrade LR unless you wanted the benefits in version 4.


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## Brendatn (Dec 19, 2012)

Cletus, I know this is more of a Macforum question and I plan to research there, but I have a 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo 4 Gb memory. On my HD I have 198. GB free. Right now I have used 3.02 GB of memory and it is not recommended to add more.  I have LR 4.3 now. Would mountain lion run okay on here in your opinion? Also if I upgrade is the best way through the Mountain Lion app that is in the app store? 
Also one other question, I have emptied iphoto, should I delete the program to get more space? I did delete the garage band. 
No problem if this is too much to answer. You have helped me so much in the past.


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## Brendatn (Dec 19, 2012)

I am researching to see if Office 2008 works with mountain lion. I had read somewhere it didn't. I need it but really don't want to upgrade to office 2011.


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## clee01l (Dec 19, 2012)

Brendatn said:


> I am researching to see if Office 2008 works with mountain lion. I had read somewhere it didn't. I need it but really don't want to upgrade to office 2011.


I can't help there as I have Office2011. I no longer use it since Pages, Numbers and Keynote will handle any MS Office specific files.


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## clee01l (Dec 19, 2012)

Brendatn said:


> Cletus, I know this is more of a Macforum question and I plan to research there, but I have a 2.26 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo 4 Gb memory. On my HD I have 198. GB free. Right now I have used 3.02 GB of memory and it is not recommended to add more.  I have LR 4.3 now. Would mountain lion run okay on here in your opinion? Also if I upgrade is the best way through the Mountain Lion app that is in the app store?
> Also one other question, I have emptied iphoto, should I delete the program to get more space? I did delete the garage band.
> No problem if this is too much to answer. You have helped me so much in the past.


 We do have a sub forum for "Equipment Talk" and this converstaion would be suitable there.  But starting a new thread there is not necessary or required..

Who would recommend NOT adding more memory  Your only limitation is the amount of RAM that your Mac can physically handle.  Is this a Macbook Pro or a MacBook?  This MacBook - Apple MacBook "Core 2 Duo" 2.26 13" (Uni/Late 09) can support up to 8GB RAM and should run OSX 10.8.2 (Mtn Lion) nicely.

AFAIK, The only way to upgrade to Mtn Lion is through the Mac App Store. It is painless and at $20 not very expensive. (You probably spend more money going to a movie)

I do not run iPhoto and I am careful to not retain any images that get imported into iPhoto.  the iPhoto Library in Pictures is used by the iCloud PhotoStream. My Library takes up ~200MB and the app uses about 1.5GB.  I would not remove either the Library or the App because of the tight integration with the iCloud Photostream.


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## Brendatn (Dec 20, 2012)

Thanks again. I think my issue is solved. When I started working with it again this morning, a program image data converter opened and now shows my raws without lightroom. It must have been turned off and one of the updates brought it up. Thank you again. I learn so much just researching this forum.


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