p.1 #1 · RAW Convertor for Windows 8 machine that works with .cr3 (R5 MKII) files.
This maybe a fools errand but I thought I'd ask anyway.
Right now I'm still running an old Windows 8 Desktop as an offline photo-editing computer. Mainly because Photoshop CS6 is on it and does all I need. I have no problems working RAW files on it from my Canon 5D, 5DsR, Leica SL and Leica SL2. But, I just added a Canon R5 MKII to the mix and don't have anything that recognizes the .CR3 files from it. Adobe Bridge will display them but gives an error if I try and do anything with them.
Anyone know of a RAW converter that would work in this odd situation? The latest DPP won't run on the machine.
I have the latest version of DPP on my MacBook Pro so I can do something like batch process to TIFF and then move to my old P.P. computer but I'd love to be able to work directly. I just can't come to terms with "renting" software or I'd just run the latest photoshop on the MacBook and be done with it.
p.1 #2 · RAW Convertor for Windows 8 machine that works with .cr3 (R5 MKII) files.
That's going to be challenging. Windows 8 was deprecated years before CR3 existed. Have you tried Faststone viewer? If the latest build won't run on Win8, you may find an archive of older versions on the interwebs somewhere. Perhaps one of their earlier versions with CR3 support will also run on that old windows box.
p.1 #3 · RAW Convertor for Windows 8 machine that works with .cr3 (R5 MKII) files.
So I am able to use Adobe DNG converter on the laptop to convert them. Then my old box is able to work those files as my normal workflow of Bridge-ACR-CS6.
p.1 #4 · RAW Convertor for Windows 8 machine that works with .cr3 (R5 MKII) files.
jeffbuzz wrote:
That's going to be challenging. Windows 8 was deprecated years before CR3 existed. Have you tried Faststone viewer? If the latest build won't run on Win8, you may find an archive of older versions on the interwebs somewhere. Perhaps one of their earlier versions with CR3 support will also run on that old windows box.
I'll look around and see, thanks!
I'm an idiot for not updating the old computer to Windows 10 years back. Not even sure why I didn't as it was totally compatible.
p.1 #6 · RAW Convertor for Windows 8 machine that works with .cr3 (R5 MKII) files.
schlotz wrote:
Jim, don't you think it might be time to get off the fence and upgrade to current technology?
Why? Photoshop CS6 is not holding me back at all. So as long as I can process all the images from all my camera's why upgrade just so I can throw money away on all the subscriptions everyone has gone too?
I actually have a brand new (by a few months) MacBook Pro. I'm just not that proficient yet with the Affinity I'm running on it. So the longer the old CS6 can work for me the better. Believe me, if I needed something CS6 didn't provide me I would be moving on.
p.1 #8 · RAW Convertor for Windows 8 machine that works with .cr3 (R5 MKII) files.
EB-1 wrote:
If 10 was compatible with your hardware then it should be now.
EBH
Yep, I just thought Windows 10 was no longer available. But I did look a few minutes ago based on what another member mentioned and found the ISO is still out there. Now debating giving the upgrade a try once I make sure I've got no compatibility issues. My only real concern with that computer is not losing the ability to use my photoshop CS6 Suite. That's the only reason I'm running that old box.
p.1 #9 · RAW Convertor for Windows 8 machine that works with .cr3 (R5 MKII) files.
I don't know whether DxO PureRaw would work on Windows 8, but the program is free to try and test, and it does not require a subscription. Thus, you can easily test if DxO PureRaw can work for you on the older machine.
p.1 #10 · RAW Convertor for Windows 8 machine that works with .cr3 (R5 MKII) files.
jamesdak wrote:
So I am able to use Adobe DNG converter on the laptop to convert them. Then my old box is able to work those files as my normal workflow of Bridge-ACR-CS6.
This was going to be my suggestion when I read your first post. One thing I would recommend is to keep the original Canon cr3 files, even though you have the DNG conversions, in order to keep future options open.
For example, for certain past events I DNG converted all the outtakes as lossy DNGs before Canon offered the in-camera CRAW option, but then discovered that certain new features in Lightroom, such as AI 'Denoise' noise reduction wasn't compatible with those DNG converted files, yet is compatible with the original cr3 files. And I use Denoise on practically everything now...
I hear you about Photoshop CS6 still being good enough. Until recently when I still used a Mac that could boot into OSX 10.6.8, I did all my Photoshop work in CS2! But truthfully, less than 1% of my images go through Photoshop and primarily only when when I need to cut/paste heads/faces from one photo to another to improve an overall group photo, for example. Everything else is done in LRC now because it has become fully featured for what I need to do. And the features Adobe has added since I had no choice but to go to the subscription version to maintain native support for recent camera acquisitions, have significantly improved the efficiency of my LR workflow. I had thought about DNG converting to keep using LR6 standalone with files from my newest cameras, but features like Denoise and AI masks have become an integral part of the workflow now. They save me so much time (the masks in particular) compared to the time I spent doing the same edits in LR6.
On the other hand, if PS wasn't bundled with LRC, I wouldn't rent it now. Affinity Photo is certainly very capable, and I installed it years ago as a hedge in case PS was priced out of reach. My only gripe with Affinity Photo is that while it's very similar to PS, it's just different enough to be annoying and introduce enough of a learning curve to slow things down that I otherwise could do quickly in PS. I guess they couldn't outright copy every aspect of Photoshop.
p.1 #12 · RAW Convertor for Windows 8 machine that works with .cr3 (R5 MKII) files.
jamesdak wrote:
Yep, I just thought Windows 10 was no longer available. But I did look a few minutes ago based on what another member mentioned and found the ISO is still out there. Now debating giving the upgrade a try once I make sure I've got no compatibility issues. My only real concern with that computer is not losing the ability to use my photoshop CS6 Suite. That's the only reason I'm running that old box.
Does it have enough RAM and hopefully an SSD? MS wanted everyone to go to 11 but it's not happening fast enough and now with the shortages and prick increases new client computer sales are down. Just about everything modern software still runs on 10 for at least 2026.
p.1 #13 · RAW Convertor for Windows 8 machine that works with .cr3 (R5 MKII) files.
EB-1 wrote:
Does it have enough RAM and hopefully an SSD? MS wanted everyone to go to 11 but it's not happening fast enough and now with the shortages and prick increases new client computer sales are down. Just about everything modern software still runs on 10 for at least 2026.
EBH
Oh yeah, the machine is old but I bought it supercharged for longevity and to smash post processing. I'll be honest though. With Adobe DNG converter running on the MacBook it crushes the file conversion. Knocked out over a thousand images for me today in about 15 minutes. Back to questioning if it's worth the risk of something going wrong to upgrade to Windows 10 now. I can convert files on the Mac and then process per my norm on this old box.
p.1 #14 · RAW Convertor for Windows 8 machine that works with .cr3 (R5 MKII) files.
IrfanView should convert cr3's.
You will need some additional downloads per google AI but then it's supposed to work.
Since it's free you only have the time to try it as your loss.
p.1 #16 · RAW Convertor for Windows 8 machine that works with .cr3 (R5 MKII) files.
You need the camraw.dll plugin which is part of the default Irfanview plugin package. It is worth a try. The trick will be getting the app and the plugin to work on the old OS.
But truthfully, less than 1% of my images go through Photoshop and primarily only when when I need to cut/paste heads/faces from one photo to another to improve an overall group photo, for example. Everything else is done in LRC now because it has become fully featured for what I need to do. And the features Adobe has added since I had no choice but to go to the subscription version to maintain native support for recent camera acquisitions, have significantly improved the efficiency of my LR workflow. I had thought about DNG converting to keep using LR6 standalone with files from my newest cameras, but features like Denoise and AI masks have become an integral part of the workflow now. They save me so much time (the masks in particular) compared to the time I spent doing the same edits in LR6. 
, always!