UPLOADING RAW PHOTO FILES TO DROPBOX

[senator12]

Why does Dropbox not upload RAW photos from Mac Photos. It seems to alter them to JPEG

[310EI]

Hello, @senator12...

Dropbox doesn't convert your RAW files... you're probably looking at the preview via the web interface.  If you upload a RAW file then it remains a RAW file.

Try using the Desktop Client.

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[senator12]

Just tried to upload a RAW photo. Shown as JPEG in Dropbox. When downloaded back to my Macbook it came back as a JPEG. Anyone got any ideas??

[Mark]

You've downloaded the preview from the website.

To redownload it in its original version make sure you use the Dropbox download options and not right click -> save as or that you are downloading from www.dropbox.com/home

[senator12]

I downloaded the image from Dropbox "download" and it still arrived as a JPEG in my Macbook.

[Mark]

Can you post screenshots of how you are doing it as there is something going wrong in the workflow somewhere.... Dropbox doesnt have the capability to alter files. In fact its only in the past few weeks that its started previewing RAW files.

Note that if you've imported from Apple Photos what you are probably seeing is Apple Photo's previews that it generates for the App. So somewhere in Dropbox will be the RAW file and you will see the previews.

[310EI]

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@senator12 wrote:

Just tried to upload a RAW photo. Shown as JPEG in Dropbox. When downloaded back to my Macbook it came back as a JPEG. Anyone got any ideas??

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Hello, @senator12...

Just to clarify, what specific file extension does your file have... is it .raw or something else (view other examples)?

I uploaded a .raw file into my Example Folder via the Desktop Client and it remained a .raw file for me (take-a-look).

Click on the file named, "000.DBx_RAWuploadExample.raw" and then click on the download button. You should see that Dropbox says it cannot preview a .raw file (it did for me at this time anyway).  You can reference the screenshot in the Example Folder, "001.DBx_RAWuploadExample_UseDownloadButton.jpg".

After the file is downloaded to your device, see if it remained with the .raw extension for you.  If so... then do as @Mark suggested by posting screenshots of what you're doing specifically so we can see what you're viewing.

We need specifics so that we can better assist you and screenshots help us a lot.

[senator12]

The file extension is the Canon one of .cr2 within Photos.

[Mark]

So somewhere between Photos and the Dropbox folder on your computer something is converting it to Raw. The preview will be from the Photos folder I imagine.

[310EI]

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@senator12 wrote:

The file extension is the Canon one of .cr2 within Photos.

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Okay.

I uploaded a .cr2 file into the same Example Folder and it remained with a .cr2 extension after uploading it (take-a-look).

Please take screenshots of your procedure when you have time.