# LR Import not showing previews of RAW files



## jkhasson (Dec 20, 2007)

Has anyone run into this problem?  Trying to import from my Canon D35', none of my RAW photos are showing up in the import preview window.

Thanks for any guidance!


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## RipIt (Dec 21, 2007)

Presumably you have the Show Preview box checked?

What result do you get if you use a card reader. (understand you may not have one if you are connecting direct to camera)

Are you able to download the images via Canon image browser utility?

If on a mac are you able to download using Image Capture utility?


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## Mark Sirota (Dec 21, 2007)

There have been reports of video drivers playing a part in this.  Are you sure yours are up to date?


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## jkhasson (Dec 24, 2007)

*Finally, some answers for you guys*

Gentlemen,
Thanks so much for the replies.  Apologies for the delay in responding.  I've been searching high and low for my card reader to test your suggestions.

Ripit:  
Yes, show previews is checked
Using a card reader, LR 1.3.1 correctly renders the previews before download of both JPG and RAW files
Using the Canon image browser utility, I can download the images and I can see the correct previews before downloading, both JPG and RAW
Not on a Mac (see updated signature below)
Mark:
Yes, I thought about this, but since Canon image browser corrected renders the previews and LR 1.3.1 doesn't, it sounds like a LR problem.  If I remember correctly, LR 1.2 did show the previews correctly.
Thanks guys.  Your insight is greatly appreciated.  I know I could just use the Canon utility, or the card reader, and then import the libraries, but I'd love to cut out some middle steps and download directly from the camera into the LR libraries.


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## jkhasson (Jan 2, 2008)

Hey guys...any idea what's going on in my posts above?  I covet your insight!

Thanks, and Happy New Year!


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## Mick Seymour (Jan 2, 2008)

jkhasson said:


> Trying to import from my Canon D35', none of my RAW photos are showing up in the import preview window.



Can you explain exactly what you do see on the import dialog please? I'm interested to know whether the directory structure on the card in the camera shows up and how it is displayed. IIRC, the 35'D creates a new directory on the card for every 1'' photos so perhaps Lightroom isn't drilling down deep enough to find them?


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## jkhasson (Jan 2, 2008)

Mick Seymour said:


> I'm interested to know whether the directory structure on the card in the camera shows up and how it is displayed. IIRC, the 35'D creates a new directory on the card for every 1'' photos so perhaps Lightroom isn't drilling down deep enough to find them?



You are correct in the directory structure.  When I try to view the thumbnail previews in LR, it sorts them by date, which I want but doesn't show the thumbnail picture.  When I use the card reader, the directory structure is the same (1'' pictures per directory), but the import previewer does render the thumbnails correctly.

Thanks for the reply.


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## Mick Seymour (Jan 3, 2008)

jkhasson said:


> When I try to view the thumbnail previews in LR, it sorts them by date, which I want but doesn't show the thumbnail picture.



Do you get grey thumbnail squares with no photo rendered or no thumbnail squares at all in the preview pane?

If you get grey squares then going back to Mark's comment, do you have a monitor profile installed? It could conceivably be corrupt or Lightroom just doesn't like it in this situation. It it probably best not to assume that if it works in X it must work in Y.


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## melissa (Jan 4, 2008)

I'm confused - are you not seeing previews in Import, or in the Library?


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## jkhasson (Jan 4, 2008)

Thanks folks!

Mick:  I do get gray thumbnail squares in the the preview pane.  However, no monitor profile is installed.

Melissa:  I am not seeing previews in the import dialog box only.  Library works fine.

Thanks.


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## Halina (Jan 4, 2008)

I'm having the same problem but only from my Canon 4'D. All my other Canons are showing the previews correctly.

Halina


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## Kiwigeoff (Jan 4, 2008)

Halina said:


> I'm having the same problem but only from my Canon 4'D. All my other Canons are showing the previews correctly.
> 
> Halina


Halina can you please fill in your signature (in the UserCP top left of this page). I am interested to see if you have a monitor profile issue as well also. It may be something else though - Canon related.


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## jkhasson (Jan 22, 2008)

Not much action on this thread recently.  Anyone figured out what's happening here?  Based on this and a few other similar threads, the problem seems to be common to some Canon cameras.


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## Paul16 (Jan 23, 2008)

I have a canon 3'D and I've had the same problem with the import previews just showing up as gray squares. I now use the card reader in my HP printer and the previews appear fine.


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## lowolf (Jan 23, 2008)

issue with some canon cameras not showing previews if using lr 1.2 the previews show but in 1.3.1 they do no only seems to affect canon cameras, what compression you use on the CR2 files?


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## cakesby (Jan 27, 2008)

Hi,

Just thought that I would help by adding that I have a canon 4''d and I only see grey squares also instead of picture previews in the import dialogue box.

My other problem is that my jpgs are upside down. (only in the import dialogue box preview).

Everything is fine if I import the photos using the canon eos utility program and then "import from disk" although this is very time consuming because of the doubling up.


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## Korayem (Jan 28, 2008)

*my 20cents*

I am facing the exact problem, Lightroom's import from device doesnt import RAW files.

I have installed Canon Camera WIA Driver (5.6.') only (no EOS Utility or DPP). Now when I connect the camera through the USB and browse it using Windows File Explorer, I dont see any .CR2 files. I even did a search on ALL directories and all that I found was .JPG!! 

Now you might say that I didnt shoot any RAW shots, hence there are none. Well to make sure, I shot a RAW shot and saw it in the review screen on my camera, yet I couldnt find it on through Explorer.


The bottom line is, I don't think that this is a problem with Lightroom, it's a problem with Canon's driver. Seems that the only way to pull off those RAW files is through "EOS Utility"


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## Victoria Bampton (Jan 28, 2008)

Nice summary Korayem.



Korayem said:


> The bottom line is, I don't think that this is a problem with Lightroom, it's a problem with Canon's driver. Seems that the only way to pull off those RAW files is through "EOS Utility"



... or using a card reader.


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## Korayem (Jan 28, 2008)

Victoria Bampton said:


> ... or using a card reader.



...and that too :cheesy:


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## Ralph Buehler (Feb 15, 2008)

*Same Problem with a Nikon D300*

I do have the same problem, just seeing grey Boxes instaed of Thumbnails, with a Nikon D3''. 

It only occurs when I try to import directly from the camera, copied to the harddisk and importing from there works fine

Thanks
Ralph


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## PaulaG (Feb 26, 2008)

*All Images are gray boxes*

I could not use Ligthroom at all. All the images, preview, filmstrip, import, develop; everything was just a gray box.

I'm working on a Windows XP system. I tried Lightroom 1.1 and 1.3. I tried JPEG from a Canon 5D and SD8'', from both disk and card reader. I tried CR2 images from the 5D. All I saw were gray boxes, even in the import dialog with Preview checked.

I do not have any Canon drivers installed on this particular PC.

The full Adobe CS Professional suite works just fine with all these images. 

I went into the Windows Control Panel / Display / Settings / Advanced / Color Management and found it was set to a profile for the NEC monitor that is installed on the PC. I tried to remove that profile but it wouldn't let me do it. So I added the ProPhoto profile and set it as the default. Then I restarted Lightroom and all the images were visable.


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## Kiwigeoff (Feb 26, 2008)

Ralph and Paula, welcome to the forum.

Please take a moment to fill in your signatures in the UserCP (top left of the page).
This will help immensely in isolating your problems - thank you.


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## Kiwigeoff (Feb 26, 2008)

Ralph Buehler said:


> I do have the same problem, just seeing grey Boxes instaed of Thumbnails, with a Nikon D3''.
> 
> It only occurs when I try to import directly from the camera, copied to the harddisk and importing from there works fine
> 
> ...



We need to know your set up to give specific advice.


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## Kiwigeoff (Feb 26, 2008)

PaulaG said:


> I could not use Ligthroom at all. All the images, preview, filmstrip, import, develop; everything was just a gray box.
> 
> I'm working on a Windows XP system. I tried Lightroom 1.1 and 1.3. I tried JPEG from a Canon 5D and SD8'', from both disk and card reader. I tried CR2 images from the 5D. All I saw were gray boxes, even in the import dialog with Preview checked.
> 
> ...



Are you calibrating your monitor Paula??


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## PaulaG (Feb 26, 2008)

> Are you calibrating your monitor Paula??


 
Not at this time. The work I'm doing right now doesn't require calibrated color rendering at my workstation. However I'll need it some time down the road.


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## jkhasson (Dec 20, 2007)

Has anyone run into this problem?  Trying to import from my Canon D35', none of my RAW photos are showing up in the import preview window.

Thanks for any guidance!


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## Kiwigeoff (Feb 26, 2008)

PaulaG said:


> Not at this time. The work I'm doing right now doesn't require calibrated color rendering at my workstation. However I'll need it some time down the road.



It sounds like you may have had a corrupt profile. I don't know much about PC's but with the way LR works you will be better off with a properly calibrated system in the end. Have a look around for similar issues as they come up frequently.


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## PaulaG (Feb 26, 2008)

I have a number of PC computers with either NEC or IBM LCD displays. I haven't figured out where Windows is getting the ICS files for the monitors but Photoshop and Lightroom don't like them. Photoshop complains that they are corrupt and allows me to ignore them, which I have been doing. Lightroom goes right ahead and uses them but can't render a single image.


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## DonRicklin (Feb 26, 2008)

Just delete them. Best to roll your own. sRGB will do as a stop gap, only!

Don


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## SAS (Jul 7, 2008)

I have had the exact same problem with gray boxes with no thumbnail, but the frame number shown at the bottom of the box.  I have the problem with both RAW and JPG.  It also only occurs when I try to download directly from the camera.  The only difference is, I am using the EOS Utility, not Lightroom.  I have never tried it in Lightroom.  I just reformated my machine and will have to try it in Lightroom once I reinstall it.  But, it looks to me like the probem may be communication with canon cameras.  I use a Canon 1DS Mark III and I work on a PC.


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## SAS (Jul 8, 2008)

I tried to download pictures to Lightroom and got the same results I had been having with the EOS Utility. I tried the EOS Utility on my laptop and it worked fine there. I don't have Lightroom on the laptop so I could not test that there.


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## luxactor (Aug 11, 2008)

I have the same problem with Lightroom 2.' and Canon 4'D. Btw, it works perfectly on a Mac (1'.5).

Here is a screenshot:


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