raw files suddenly will not open in preview, no recent Mac updates so don't know what's changed

I just downloaded a Canon EOS R3 RAW image from DPReview and it does not show an image in the Finder, does in Quick Look, and I get this dialog when double-clicking the image to open it in Preview:

This is despite Sonoma 14.* showing unqualified camera RAW support for the R3. This image was made with an R3 using firmware version 1.2.1.

I happen to have the free ExifTool v12.89 installed. Should you choose to install it by double-clicking its pkg installer, macOS will tell you it cannot be installed by an unknown developer. Click OK, and then visit System Settings > Privacy & Security, and scroll down to the Security section. You will see this:

and click Open Anyway. Then proceed with the installer.

Since I do not use any Adobe products here other than Acrobat Reader, or occasionally Adobe DNG, I chose to write the following Zsh script that extracts the JPG image from the RAW content using ExifTool.

#!/bin/zsh

: <<"COMMENT"
Extract the JPG image from the camera RAW content into the same filesystem
location. Output file will have the RAW extension appended to the base filename
such as 20220827-8902.cr3 => 20220827-8902_CR3.jpg.

It will overwrite the extracted JPG file on repetition, but not the origina RAW file.

You will need to make the script executable in the Terminal:

/bin/chmod +x ./raw2jpg.zsh

Usage: ./raw2jpg.zsh ~/path/to/raw.cr3
COMMENT

/usr/local/bin/exiftool -if '$jpgfromraw' -b -jpgfromraw -w %d%f_%ue.jpg \
    -execute -if '$previewimage' -b -previewimage -w %d%f_%ue.jpg \
    -execute -tagsfromfile @ -srcfile %d%f_%ue.jpg -overwrite_original \
    -common_args --ext jpg "${1}" 2> /dev/null
exit 0

Start with this if IntelMac...

Safe Boot, (holding Shift key down at startup), does the problem occur in Safe Mode? Could take 10 minutes or more.

Safe mode attempts to repair Disks & clears lots of caches & loads safe Drivers, & prevents loading of 3rd party extensions, so if Safe Mode works try again in regular boot.

If still need be. To find out if it's system wide or user specific, try this...

Open System Preferences>Users & Groups, unlock the lock, click on the little plus icon, make a new admin account, log out & into the new account.

Does it work in the new account?

Just reported on the Canon Board.

https://community.usa.canon.com/t5/Camera-Software/Canon-R3-Raw-files-not-working-anymore-with-Apple-Photos/td-p/489938

If you have this issue, please send Apple feedback:

Product Feedback - Apple

Neither Apple nor its product teams participate in these communities so "me too" posts will change nothing towards any R3 camera RAW revisions by Apple.

The macOS product team will only know there is an issue by the use of the macOS product feedback link. They may already know about this R3 issue and due to the late stage of macOS Sonoma development before the release of Sequoia, that may be the first instance where this issue is resolved.

I just downloaded a RAW R3 image from DP Review and although Quick Look displayed it, the Finder icon was not set and Preview stated it could not be opened. That image was shot in Jan 2022 with firmware v1.0.1. Using Sonoma 14.6.1.

I spoke with Apple tech-support twice this week regarding not being able to view R3 raw files in the Apple photo program. They said the engineers are aware of it and hopefully they will resolve it soon. All of my old canon R3 raw files that were imported prior to 2 weeks ago into the computer can still be viewed in the photo program. It is only the new files that I tried to import from about two weeks ago going forward that cannot be seen in the photo program. My R5 Raw files can be imported and edited. It is only a problem with R3 Raw. This is incredibly frustrating!!

Did you revert your macOS operating system to Big Sur (11.*) from a newer release of macOS? The Canon R3 has camera RAW support after Big Sur.

Did you perform a Canon R3 firmware update just before your R3 RAW files did not appear in Preview?

Are you using a new Canon R10 model, assuming that the RAW support would be the same as the R3? The R10 is not yet supported in Sonoma 14.5 and may not be supported until Sequoia (or never).

Did you change to a different flavor of raw, like mraw?

Go to the photos board, and often folks there will be glad to get a drop-boxed raw file from you and try it on their system.

I tried the same R3 RAW image again this morning (7/20) on Sonoma 14.5 with the same rebuked results from Preview.

I then downloaded a different R3 RAW image from Imaging Resource and that image would not open in Preview, but did so in Quick Look. This was a camera with older v1.0.1 firmware.

I have the same issue in attempting to open CR3 raw files from the Canon R3. I receive the same message when attempting to open CR3 files. I have talked with Apple support a number of times. Canon EOS R3 has been updated to firmware version 1.7.1 the My iMac has been updated to latest Sonoma 14.6.1

If I attempt to export Raw CR3 files I now receive error message. What I have been informed is that the more people that voice a problem with this issue the more likely it will be looked at by Apple. In June of 2024 I could open Raw CR3 files from my Canon R3. But suddenly stopped working. I receive the same message it is an unsupported format. I have tried to work in the safe mode and have re-installed the operating system twice in my iMac. It will work with JPEG files.

The latest Sonoma update appears to have fixed this.

The Photos community on this board:

Photos - Apple Community

Same here. All of a sudden, I cannot import RAW files from the Canon R3 into my MacbookPro. And when I try to edit old R3 files, I would get an error message (format not supported). Even accessing iCloud from browser, the recently imported photos are there but cannot be opened.

Hi mtpg1, I also spent countless hours speaking with Apple tech-support trying to resolve the problem. They recently told me that the engineers were working on it and thought that it would be resolved soon. I’m so glad that they took care of this problem because it was becoming a huge nightmare. All good!!