Mavic RAW files in Apple Photos

BeachDuc · Apr 21, 2017

Hi there, I've just got myself a Mavic and was wondering if anybody knew much about the RAW file format? I use Apple's Photos app and used to be able to import and edit the RAW files from my old Phantom 3 Advanced. For some reason the DNG files from the Magic aren't recognised. Am I doing something wrong or is this just an unsupported format in Photos? Thanks

4wd · Apr 21, 2017

DNG is supposed to be a universal form of RAW rather than something you might need special latest software such as Canon CR2 etc.
But I'm still not surprised Apple decided they must be a threat and you aren't allowed to see them.

kave · Apr 21, 2017

RAW images comes straight from the sensor. I am not surprised that they wont work with all applications. Just have a look at all Adobe RAW converter updates that need to be updated every month to make it compatible with every new camera model. For archiving I would use jpg or tiff. You never know when your special raw file cant be opened no more.
I use raw with the mavic, but I always do a touch up first with Adobe Lightroom and then sends them to Photos.app.
Btw, Photos.app handles Mavic raw files without problems. Which Mac OS are you using?
Make sure you use the latest Sierra.

Kilrah · Apr 21, 2017

The whole point of DNG is to remove those incompatibility issues by having the format common to everyone who uses it.
but yeah DJI occasionally have some issues getting this right.

BeachDuc · Apr 21, 2017

kave said:
Btw, Photos.app handles Mavic raw files without problems. Which Mac OS are you using?
Make sure you use the latest Sierra.

I'm using Sierra 10.12.4 and Photos 2.0. Everything is up to date. Maybe pushing it via Lightroom is why it works for you?

BeachDuc · Apr 21, 2017

OK. I just downloaded a sample Magic DNG file I found on the internet and it loaded into Photos just fine. Which begs the question, what am I doing wrong with my own photos?

BeachDuc · Apr 22, 2017

So, it appears my DNG files are stripped of GPS data, as well as ItemColorProfile and ItemBitsPerSample data. No idea why, nor how to fix it.

4wd · Apr 22, 2017

BeachDuc said:
So, it appears my DNG files are stripped of GPS data, as well as ItemColorProfile and ItemBitsPerSample data. No idea why, nor how to fix it.

Can you upload one to dropbox or similar so we can have a look?

Kilrah · Apr 22, 2017

What firmware version on your mavic? App version?

BeachDuc · Apr 22, 2017

Dropbox link: Dropbox - Photos Test

Latest firmware and app version (firmware xx.xx.0600, software 4.0.8).

Please have a look and give me any ideas you have. I'm waiting for DJI to do the same.

4wd · Apr 22, 2017

As you say no GPS but the exif is there and it opens normally in Lightroom or Faststone viewer

BeachDuc · Apr 22, 2017

In Mac OS my friends DNG files have the ColorProfile and BitsPerSample fields (Cmd I). Mine don't. Other EXIF is there and I can convert my files into something usable. I'm thinking that there is some sort of profile issue that some software (ie Apple) is more fussy about than others.

BeachDuc · Apr 23, 2017

The one on the left is my file. The one on the right is his.

BeachDuc · Apr 23, 2017

I'll try that again

eorkin · May 13, 2017

About a month ago I had to send my Mavic in because a firmware upgrade caused the gimbal to fail the calibration test. It took a month but I have it back and two things have changed: 1. I used to be able to import the RAW files into Photos on the Mac and then send them in that format to Photoshop. Since returning, the Mac no longer recognizes the RAW or DNG file. I can open the DNG just fine in Photoshop but this makes for a much longer workflow. The other issue is that much of my iPhone screen turns red. I think this is to show what is in focus. It is of limited use, very distracting, and I can not figure out how to turn this "feature" off.

BeachDuc · May 13, 2017

Mine is on the way back, so I'll see if the issue persists. I think the red is showing over-exposed areas, so there should be a setting to turn that off. Without a camera I can't experiment for you.

eorkin · May 13, 2017

I think overexposed gives zebra stripes. I know where to turn that on and off. I think the red shows what's in focus. But I can't figure out where to turn it off.

JustinVV · May 13, 2017

There is no color profile with RAW, you apply that in post. And Apple Photos works fine with DNG

eorkin · May 15, 2017

The ability to use RAW files is built into the Apple OS. Same goes for DNG files. DNG are supposed to be generic but evidently not. My Mavic DNG files were opened with no problem on my Mac before I sent the Mavic in for repair. When it came back (a month later) the Mac could no longer open the DNG files. Photoshop and Lightroom open them just fine. It is unlikely that Apple took away DNG resolution so it must be something in a DJI firmware update. Any ideas?

BeachDuc · May 15, 2017

eorkin said:
so it must be something in a DJI firmware update. Any ideas?

Personally I don't think it is a software nor a firmware issue. I tried all of the last three firmware versions (not .700 - as my Mavic was with DJI when that was released) and all had the same issue. My theory is that later batches of Mavics use a different version of the camera (or they just had a bad batch). This is partly bourn out by the fact that DJI told me that they tested a few other Mavics in their workshop and that none of them produced DNG files which worked natively on the Mac. They used this as an excuse to tell me the problem was with Apple, not them, but the fact that yours (and many others) worked makes this unlikely.

My replacement is due sometime today. If it arrives, before I head to work, I'll see how it fares with this issue