How to import RAW files to iMac

I assume that you shoot in RAW (cr2) + JPG.

When you use Photos to import from camera, such duo's (cr2+jpg) will be represented in Photos by a J at the top right of the thumbnail.

If you only import JPGs, you will not get this icon.

If you then go to Edit Photo, you will be able, in the following window, to select "Use RAW as original" from the Image menu.

Does this help?

I'm having the same problem. I've tried all kinds of suggestions and nothing seems to work for me either. My older Photoshop Elements 10 doesn't recognize .cr2 raw files from my Canon Rebel, and I've tried installing plugins but they don't work. Photos only seems to want to open .jpegs. I'm going to look at that preference thing in Photos, maybe that would help. I really want to use my Elements 10 software, though.

Success, but only showing what appears to be Jpegs (J).

When you open a photo in Photos in Edit Mode you can switch between the RAW file as original master file and the JPEG from the Image menu:

Image > Use RAW as Original.

I can maneuver RAW files to Finder and do a workaround, but please tell me PHOTOS has a better way. I'm new to Mac. HELP!

What exactly do you want to do?

In Photos ypu can select the Photos and use "File > Export" to export the photos to a folder in the Finder.

But you do not need to import the RAW files to Photos, if you do not want to use Photos. You can use Image Capture and import from your card or camera to a folder in the Finder and then to Lightroom. And Lightroom has probably an option to directly import into LIghtroom but I never used it.

With the previous iPhoto is was possible to only import the jpgs. Since Photos makes no distinction on import and stacks jpg+raw, I had to change my workflow. Personally, I use Adobe Bridge to copy all my image files from camera to external HD. Then I separate the RAW from the JPG files, and only import the JPGs into Photos.

The RAWs remain on the external HD in a yyyy/mm/dd folder structure. Although I'm using Lightroom 6 more and more these days, I use other RAW developers as well. As for LR6: I do not import the RAWs into the catalogue, but only "add" those files to the catalog that I wish to develop with Lightroom. I do the same for Aperture, DxO OP, etc. The term is "referenced files", I believe.

OK, Please just answer my question, I don't want speculation or questions as to why another way is better. When you use a MAC and download from your camera, it loads JPEGS, I do not want this, I do not want to delete JPEGS, I want only the RAW file that are on the camera. I save as a JPEG when I am done editing, but all shots and edits are done in RAW first. The JPEGS that are created by MAC when transferring from the camera to the hard drive are totally worthless, waste all my time deleting them and is absolutely insane, after having a MAC for 3 months, I wish I would have stuck with a windows based computer, they do exactly what you tell them, they don't change your format, add extra JPEG copies or put your files in a cloud unless you ask it too. There must be a way to transfer the files exactly the way they are on the camera directly to the hard drive, why would anyone think you would want copies of raw files as jpegs before they were edited up in the cloud where you have to "pull" each one down to edit and not just edit directly from the hard drive. Some one please tell me how to make the MAC work like it's price tag insinuates it should. Right now what I do is download to a windows computer transfer to an external and then use the external on the MAC with the raw files, but this is ridiculous. Hopefully someone will have the answer, but from reading the last question no one did.

OK, Please just answer my question, I don't want speculation or questions as to why another way is better. When you use a MAC and download from your camera, it loads JPEGS, I do not want this, I do not want to delete JPEGS, I want only the RAW file that are on the camera

If your camera is set to shoot RAW&JPEG, Photos for Mac will download the RAW file and the JPEG. Set your camera to shoot only RAW files, if you want only to import RAW files.

As I have stated in my previous post, you will have to separate JPG from RAW before importing into Photos. You can do that with Image Capture.
I myself will process my RAWs with anything but Photos, but like Photos to store my JPGs.

I will export RAW and Jpegs to Lightroom, delete photos from PHOTOS and work from external hard drive(s)

Why are you using Photos at all - Use LightRoom to import the photos (if it can to that) or use Image Capture (in your applications folder) to import the images directly to the desired location and never import them to Photos at all - you are making a very simple task extremely difficult for no reason

LN