# Solved: Importing from Canon 5Dmark2 - get "Preview unavailable for this file"



## adifrank (Oct 22, 2010)

I recently purchased a Canon 5D mark ii.
I import and organize my images using Lightroom 3.

For the first few months I had no problems using the two together. But recently during 'Import' from the Canon 5D mark ii around 1'%-6'% of the cr2 thumbnails in the import dialogue are not able to produce a preview image. Instead they have the following message: "Preview unavailable for this file".
The remaining 4'%-9'% of the images on the memory card have no issues. The problematic files seem to always be among the first of all the images. So for example, if I had 1'' images stored on my memory card - I could have the first 3' images showing the "Preview unavailable for this file" message while the remaining 7' would show the preview properly.

I'm using a SanDisk Ultra CompactFlash (3'MB/s, 16GB). The card was bought brand new at the time I purchased the camera (about 3-4 months ago).

I don't have a card reader, so I import straight from the camera via usb. Tried different usb cable, but didn't help.

How can I try to isolate the problem and find out if it is something to do with the card or the camera or computer or Lightroom?

Thanks!


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## Jim Wilde (Oct 22, 2010)

*Re: Importing from Canon 5D mark2 - getting "Preview unavailable for this file"*

Hi, welcome to the forum.

The best way of resolving these types of problem is to try to isolate the various components in the chain from image capture through to Lightroom. So, given that you don't have a card-reader (though this would be a really worthwhile purchase, for only a few $$), do you have any of the following:

1. Access to a friends card-reader?
2. A different card you could try?
3. A different computer (yours or a friends) that you could try?
4. A different camera you could try with the suspect card?

Have you tried reformatting the card in-camera?
Do the affected 'no preview' images show up in the Develop module?
Have you tried looking at a file using other software, e.g. Canon's own DPP, or the EOS Utility?

Sorry for all the questions, though the answers may give us a clue as to what's going wrong.


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## adifrank (Oct 25, 2010)

*Re: Importing from Canon 5D mark2 - getting "Preview unavailable for this file"*

Hi Jim. Thanks for the reply!

Things I've tried so far and their results:

Tried using Canons EOS Utility &gt; All image previews are displayed fine. No problems.
Then went back to Lightroom &gt; but still got the "Preview unavailable..." message.
Tried importing jpgs from a simple point 'n shoot Canon PowerShot S8' using Lightroom &gt; All image previews displayed perfectly.

By the way, after importing the cr2 files from the 5d mark2 - the preview images show up fine in the Lightroom Library display, even files that failed to provide a preview during import. So it seems to be some kind of issue between either Lightroom and the camera, or Lightroom and the card.

Next step I'll try formatting the card and I'll let you know if that helped any.

Thanks.


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## adifrank (Oct 25, 2010)

*Re: Importing from Canon 5D mark2 - getting "Preview unavailable for this file"*

Formatted card. Didn't help.

I don't have the option currently to use alternative computer, card, or same model camera. But as I mentioned before, previews work fine with Canon EOS Utility and also when importing jpg files from a Canon PowerShot S8' via Lightroom - all is good.

Also, I'd like to further emphasize that the previews were working fine over the past few months. I imported over 1''' images with the exact same equipment with no problems. The preview problem I am facing started out with only a few images out of the total images on the card, then got worse to about half the images.... now, by the way - ALL IMAGES ON THE CARD have the preview problem upon import via Lightroom.

Any ideas, anyone?


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## Jim Wilde (Oct 25, 2010)

*Re: Importing from Canon 5D mark2 - getting "Preview unavailable for this file"*

Thanks for letting me know.

Just to clarify my understanding.....this problem only manifests itself in the Import process? Once imported, everything appears normal in both Library and Develop? And you are shooting RAW, yes?

Would it be possible for you to post a screenshot of the Import screen with the errors showing?

Without either another card or a card-reader, it does make it a little difficult to pin down the problem. So I guess the next thing I would try would be to use the EOS Utility (or Windows Explorer) to upload the CR2s directly to your hard drive and then to try importing from there into Lightroom. If the previews show up then during Import, great....though I'd then be even more confused about what's causing the problem! The obvious suspect is of course the card....


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## tzalman (Oct 25, 2010)

*Re: Importing from Canon 5D mark2 - getting "Preview unavailable for this file"*

I and others ( http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=11161'16#post11161'16 ) have seen this same behavior. I get it when the camera is connected to the computer by usb cable, but EOS Utility works fine. LR is also fine when the card is transferred to a card reader. So the problem seems to be in the LR3 to 5D2 usb interface.


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## adifrank (Oct 28, 2010)

*Re: Importing from Canon 5D mark2 - getting "Preview unavailable for this file"*

Hey!
Problem is solved !!  

With little hope I just started looking through Lightroom Preferences and stumbled onto a section under the *File Handling* tab titled *Camera Raw Cache Settings.
*
I googled the subject and decided to hit the *Purge Cache *button. After doing that - all previews showed up fine as before!

I also changed the maximum cache size from the default 1GB to 2GB.

So, I guess its a good idea to hit the purge button every once in a while? 

Anyway, I'm happy again and hope this helps someone running into the same problem in the future.

Cheers!


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## Jim Wilde (Oct 28, 2010)

Well done, and thanks for letting us know. I must admit that purging the cache would have been a LONG way down my list of "things to try" given the symptoms as described, but it's useful information for the future.

Not sure you would need to do this as a regular procedure (I've never had cause to do it), but if it crops up again it might be indicative of a deeper problem on the hard drive.....certainly worth keeping your eye on it.


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