# Viewing CR2 and PSD on Windows PC as Thumbnails !



## Big W

Hi guys, just looking to see if there is a way to show the actual thumbnails of photos in either CR2 or PSD format on my laptop. I have lightrooms, but when I want to email or just brows to see my photos in explore they just show icons.

Thanks

Wayne


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## clee01l

CR2 files and PSD files require a CODEC to be converted into a viewable thumbnail. JPEGs, GIFs,PNG, etc. do too.  Microsoft supplies the proper CODEC for JPEGs etc. for Win7-64. Canon needs to provide one for CR2s and Adoble needs to provide the one you need for PSDs.  Adobe has a DNG Codec but AFAIK no PSD CODEC.  Third parties sell the Codecs that you need. http://www.ardfry.com/Products.htm


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## Effeegee

Welcome
Ardify seemed to want to download several products to view CR2 and PSD so I opted for alternative CODEC pack available here: http://www.fastpictureviewer.com/codecs/ The default settings has to be larger thumbnails in explorer folders - which can be a little clunky - when it comes to rapid browsing of large folders and the thumbnails are fuzzy.  The codec pack and/or my trial of 'fastpictureviewer' may have been the cause of some minor conflicts I experienced but I am about to migrate from XP so never chased them down.  The fast picture viewer product might be worth the trial download.  It was unsatisfactory for me on XP 32bit but with W7 64bit it might prove to be a good solution. 
Good luck - if you are not in a hurry I'll let you know when I've got W7 64bit machine up during next week.


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## Pete_S

FastStone Image Viewer will display both CR2 and PSD files, among many other formats.  It's free (for home users), and can be checked out/downloaded from here:

http://www.faststone.org/FSViewerDetail.htm

---
Pete


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## clee01l

Pete_S said:


> FastStone Image Viewer will display both CR2 and PSD files, among many other formats.  It's free (for home users), and can be checked out/downloaded from here:
> 
> http://www.faststone.org/FSViewerDetail.htm
> 
> ---
> Pete


FastStone Image viewer does not work inside Windows Explorer and it is Windows Explorer that requires the Codecs


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## dj_paige

Of course none of these show your Lightroom edits.

Which is why I would recommend you browse for your photos inside of Lightroom.


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## clee01l

dj_paige said:


> Of course none of these show your Lightroom edits.
> 
> Which is why I would recommend you browse for your photos inside of Lightroom.


But it is a valid topic for the Lounge sub forum and deserves a legitimate answer instead of an admonishment.


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## Kiwigeoff

Both FastStone viewer and Lightroom are valid image viewers depending on one's needs. Neither work within Explorer but both provide alternatives to using the OS.


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## happycranker

Hello, just noticed today that Microsoft have produced a CODEC for Win7 for most popular RAW files, it can be downloaded from http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=26829


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## Brad Snyder

Thanks, Peter.


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## clee01l

happycranker said:


> Hello, just noticed today that Microsoft have produced a CODEC for Win7 for most popular RAW files, it can be downloaded from http://www.microsoft.com/download/en/details.aspx?id=26829


 Noticeably missing from the list of file formats supported is DNG.


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## Big W

Yep works well for me, just shame its missing the DNG format. 
Is there any free DNG codec out there ?


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## b_gossweiler

Big W said:


> Yep works well for me, just shame its missing the DNG format.
> Is there any free DNG codec out there ?



Yes, here.

Beat


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## Big W

Thanks  Beat, got it all working now.

I can see mr DNG and CR2 files on explore.


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## Pete_S

happycranker said:


> Hello, just noticed today that Microsoft have produced a CODEC for Win7 for most popular RAW files,......



Thanks, Peter.  Now I don't have to leave the OS to view my RAW files.


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