Adobe just posted a new version of the Camera Raw Photoshop plug-in. This new version adds support for the following cameras:
Canon EOS Rebel XT (EOS 350D/EOS Kiss Digital N)
Nikon D2X
Olympus EVOLT E-300
Olympus C-7070 Wide Zoom
The updated plug-in needs to be placed in the following location for it to be usable by both Photoshop and Bridge (the replacement for CS’s File Browser):
Mac: /Library/Application Support/Adobe/Plug-ins/CS2/File Formats/
Win: Program FilesCommon FilesAdobePlug-insCS2File Formats
I did not see a version for Photoshop CS… Camera Raw 3.0 shipped with CS2 and this is an update to that software.
Unfortunatly for CS users, ACR will no longer be updated for CS. All future updates to ACR will be for CS2 only.
There has been a huge uproar lately over Nikon encrypting the white balance information in their NEF Files. And while I do not agree with this tactic, many of the arguments raised about this were in regards to the Camera Makers not supporting file formats in the future, with the loudest objections coming from Adobe.
And now what has Adobe done? Exactly what they have accused the Camera companies of doing. By not supporting Photoshop CS for Camera Raw 3.0 and higher, they have in effect made that program obsolete. Unless of course you are will to pay $150 to upgrade to CS2 you are stuck with ACR2.4. If in a year’s time I were to go out and upgrade to the newest DSLR and wanted to use ACR, I would have to upgrade to CS2. I would have no choice in the matter, whether or not I was perfectly happy with the functionality I already had in CS. CS isn’t a dog compared to CS2, so in effect what Adobe has done is reinstate the fee that they did away with by including ACR with CS.
At best this is a case of the pot calling the kettle black. It is a little bit hypocritical if you ask me.
I believe they also release a new DNG converter which would allow you to convert the raw files from your new camera into a DNG which should be able to be opened in CS. Adobe’s whole point was to use DNG’s and they have commited to supporting DNG into the future.
Do you really expect Adobe to keep putting time and effort into old versions of Photoshop just because the camera manufacturers have decided to change the was their new cameras record information into their raw file formats?
If the camera manufacturer would have supported DNG directly in the camera, then there would be a very good chance that you’d be able to open the files directly in CS without the need to upgrade to CS2.
Adobe is our friend in this matter… they are the only people trying to get the camera manufacturers into changing their ways, but because the camera makers are constantly making changes while not communicating with Adobe, the situation is less than ideal.
That’s my 2 cents worth.
-Ben
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