Can you put a .CR3 file BACK onto a card and have the camera read it?

[Hali]

Hi all, long time no be here, not been doing much photography until lately. I hope everyone is doing well!
I had a question, I am working with a friend on multiple exposures - she wants to use an image that she has taken before and is on the computer back onto the card to use it as a base image. The image is in .CR3 format and she is using a card reader to put it back on the card from the computer. When she puts it back on the card it doesn't show up when she uses the playback button. I've tried it with my R5 and it is the same. The image is from the same camera and the same card originally.

Any ideas would be of great help!
Thanks
Hali

 

[PKM-UK]

Hi Hali,

Trust all is well with you and yours.

A raw file can be put back onto the camera (well, kind-of - with a major caveat!), but I have no idea about working with multiple exposures, so I can't help there.

The workflow to put the file back onto the camera so it can be found/ read would be this -

1. Take an image with the camera in question, this produces a raw file, e.g. '_Phil-001.CR3'.
2. Remove the memory card from the camera and put it in the card reader.
3. Copy the original file (the one you want to put onto the card and have the camera read), e.g. '_Phil-Original.CR3', onto the memory card.
4. Using the computer rename '_Phil-001.CR3' (e.g. to '_Phil-001-old.CR3') and the original file (i.e. '_Phil-Original.CR3') to '_Phil-001.CR3'.
5. Put the memory card back into the camera, make sure this card is the one being read, and press [Play] and it should find/ read the new '_Phil-001.CR3'...

(Caveat: This copies the original/ renamed raw file '_Phil-Original.CR3' to the camera. The camera would not be able to read any associated sidecar files, so the raw file will be 'as shot', i.e. without any edits. Hopefully this won't interfere with the intended next stage of the multiple exposure process).

Phil

(Note I only tried this one method, there may well be others).

 

[AntonLargiader]

Yeah, I also have in the past tried to put images back on a card and they were totally not visible to the camera. I assume the camera keeps a list of its own images in a file somewhere on the card. The file swap idea sounds plausible to me.

I do wish I knew exactly what the issue was, just for curiosity's sake.

 

[Hali]

Hi Hali,

Trust all is well with you and yours.

A raw file can be put back onto the camera (well, kind-of - with a major caveat!), but I have no idea about working with multiple exposures, so I can't help there.

The workflow to put the file back onto the camera so it can be found/ read would be this -

1. Take an image with the camera in question, this produces a raw file, e.g. '_Phil-001.CR3'.
2. Remove the memory card from the camera and put it in the card reader.
3. Copy the original file (the one you want to put onto the card and have the camera read), e.g. '_Phil-Original.CR3', onto the memory card.
4. Using the computer rename '_Phil-001.CR3' (e.g. to '_Phil-001-old.CR3') and the original file (i.e. '_Phil-Original.CR3') to '_Phil-001.CR3'.
5. Put the memory card back into the camera, make sure this card is the one being read, and press [Play] and it should find/ read the new '_Phil-001.CR3'...

(Caveat: This copies the original/ renamed raw file '_Phil-Original.CR3' to the camera. The camera would not be able to read any associated sidecar files, so the raw file will be 'as shot', i.e. without any edits. Hopefully this won't interfere with the intended next stage of the multiple exposure process).

Phil

(Note I only tried this one method, there may well be others).

Hi Phil!

I have been well, I hope you and Karen and the family are doing well too!

Thank you for the detailed instructions-I will pass it along to my friend and see how she does with it. I am interested to find out because this project we are working on together (and 3000 miles apart) will be interesting if she can make it work.

Thanks again!!
Hali

 

[Jake Shoots Birds]

The above should work. The main thing is it has to be a file named so that it fits within the current file list maintained on the card otherwise the camera will not recognize it.