Expert RAW photos on new Samsung S24 Ultra not open Affinity Photo v2 on Windows 11

[WyvernBlue]

I have just started using the new Samsung S24 Ultra and Expert RAW images saved as DNG. These images will not open and I get the error message that DNG files not supported.

Previously, I was using the Samsung S23 Ultra and Expert RAW images, saved as DNG, opened fine. I have gone back to some of these earlier images and they still open fine.

Has anybody come across this issue?

[firstdefence]

You will have to process the Raw files (16bit linear) in The Expert RAW app can be downloaded from the Galaxy Store until support for the S24 is added to Affinity's Serif RAW. 

Just out of curiosity can you take a Expert RAW image and add it to the post.

[Alfred]

5 hours ago, WyvernBlue said:

I have just started using the new Samsung S24 Ultra and Expert RAW images saved as DNG.

 

5 hours ago, WyvernBlue said:

Previously, I was using the Samsung S23 Ultra and Expert RAW images, saved as DNG, opened fine.

 

2 hours ago, firstdefence said:

You will have to process the Raw files (16bit linear) in The Expert RAW app can be downloaded from the Galaxy Store until support for the S24 is added to Affinity's Serif RAW.

The Affinity apps can open DNG files, of course, but it seems that not all DNGs are created equal! An S23 DNG is a JPEG in a DNG container; S24 also uses JPEG for its RAW files, but it’s JPEG XL.

https://eu.community.samsung.com/t5/galaxy-s24-series/don-t-upragde-to-s24-ultra-if-you-do-raw-photography/td-p/9207233

[Mahbub93]

On 2/24/2024 at 4:18 PM, Alfred said:

 

 

The Affinity apps can open DNG files, of course, but it seems that not all DNGs are created equal! An S23 DNG is a JPEG in a DNG container; S24 also uses JPEG for its RAW files, but it’s JPEG XL.

https://eu.community.samsung.com/t5/galaxy-s24-series/don-t-upragde-to-s24-ultra-if-you-do-raw-photography/td-p/9207233

So what now then? I am also not being able to open expert raw dng from s23, no solution? will affinity not support it?? even if someone doesn't update to s24, the app will be updated which I did and now dng on my s23 is not supported, isn't jpeg xl better? wont affinity release support for this?

Edited June 28, 2024 by Mahbub93

[walt.farrell]

On 6/28/2024 at 8:10 AM, Mahbub93 said:

So what now then? I am also not being able to open expert raw dng from s23, no solution? will affinity not support it?? even if someone doesn't update to s24, the app will be updated which I did and now dng on my s23 is not supported, isn't jpeg xl better? wont affinity release support for this?

As you know from your other topic, Samsung apparently broke the output from S23 in a recent update they made, and affected other applications, too.

Perhaps Samsung will fix this, but the Affinity team did log a bug report for further investigation: https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/search/&tags=AF-3679

Affinity should get supportt for S24, but the earliest I (as a user) would expect they might support it would be in the 2.6 beta. In part, though, that will also depend on when the LibRAW team adds support for it.

[Andrew Pugh]

I have received some entertaining replies from Samsung Support concerning this issue. 

I would like to post it here so others can gain some feeling for how "on the ball" Samsung is about this problem.

            On Fri, 01 Nov 2024 at 06:37 AM <ANDREW> wrote:

                Name: Andrew
                Last Name: xxxx
                Email: xxx@xyz.com
                Phone Number: +abc-123-qrst
                Postal Code: V6P x8x
                Product Type: Mobile Device
                Model Number: S23
                Serial Number: QRSTUVWZ
                Purchase Date: 1706774400000
                Purchase Date: 1706774400000

I am very upset! Older DNG files from Expert RAW will load into my PC graphics programs with no issue. Today I took some photos with Expert RAW and none of them will load into Affinity photo, Photoshop CS6, Topaz gigapixel. I am a pro shooter and I NEED to process images with my software. Others are having similar issues after your update. Here is one link that gives examples.. https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/207501-samsung-expert-raw-dng-files-are-not-supported-after-expert-raw-app-update-300628-help/page/2/#comment-1302441 Updates are supposed to make things BETTER!!!!! Please tell me how to remedy this problem! Andrew xxx

----------------

        From: "Samsung Canada Customer Service Product" <product@supportmail.samsung.ca>
        To: "icarus59" <ANDREW>
        Sent: Friday, November 1, 2024 5:11:20 PM
        Subject: Re: Expert RAW app

        Hi Andrew,

        Thank you for contacting Samsung Canada customer care.

        We understand your frustration as the Expert RAW photos won’t load into your software after the latest update. We regret the inconvenience.

        In this case, please try the below troubleshooting steps which might fix the issue.

        1. Perform a soft key reset on the phone and check the issue. This will refresh the internal circuit of the phone.

        Press and hold the Power button and Volume Down buttons for 10-15 seconds. The phone will reboot.

        2. Clear cache files for Expert RAW app.
        Open settings >> apps >> tap on three dots >> show system apps >> Expert RAW >> Force stop >> storage >> clear cache.

        If the issue persists, please write back to us with a short video clip showing the exact issue, so that we can review it and help you further.

        Thank you for your time.

        Sincerely,
        Sylvester.
        Samsung Electronics Canada Customer Care.

-----------------
On Sat, 02 Nov 2024 at 02:56 am <ANDREW> wrote:

        Hi Sylvester,

        I did as you recommend. The problem persists.

        I do not think you understood my message describing the problem.
        Photos taken BEFORE the update that are in the expert RAW folder on my phone will load into my PC processing  software without any issue.
        I can transfer them from the phone to my PC, then open the files in graphic processing software on my PC without issue. I did this yesterday. No problem.

        Photos taken AFTER the update will transfer to the PC without problem.
        BUT all my graphic processing software complains that the files are not recognizable. I also did this yesterday. Newer photos are not recognized by my software. Older ones have no issue.

        The update did something to the file format that renders them unrecognizable to several graphic software apps on my PC, and I am not the only one.
        I sent you a link to ONE website where others complain of the same issue.

        Clearing the cache does nothing to solve the issue.
        uninstalling the software and reinstalling the software does nothing to solve the issue.
        It is a file format problem.
        The way the photo data was changed and now several people find that their graphic processing software will not recognize the files.

        If there were a way to undo the update, reverting to a previous version and prevent the update from occurring again....  the problem would be solved, I am sure.
        The file format has been altered and now many apps will not recognize the new format.

        Thank you!

        Andrew

------------

    From: "Samsung Canada Customer Service Product" <product@supportmail.samsung.ca>
    To: "icarus59" <ANDREW>
    Sent: Saturday, November 2, 2024 3:38:39 PM
    Subject: Re: Expert RAW app

    Hi Andrew,

    Thank you for describing the issue in detail.

    We understand that photos taken after the update can't be recognized by graphic software, while older ones work fine.

    In this case, we request you change the format of a RAW file to check if that is recognized by the software.

    To convert a RAW file to a JPEG image file, open your RAW file in your chosen editing software. From there, simply make a copy of the file, save, and export it as a new JPEG image file.

    Thank you for your time.

    Sincerely,
    Sylvester.
    Samsung Electronics Canada Customer Care.
--------------------
On Sun, 03 Nov 2024 at 02:41 am <ANDREW> wrote:

    Thank you for the reply.

    You said.. quote...
    In this case, we request you change the format of a RAW file to check if that is recognized by the software.

    To convert a RAW file to a JPEG image file, open your RAW file in your chosen editing software. From there, simply make a copy of the file, save, and export it as a new JPEG image file.

    I am writing you because I am unable to open RAW files for photos taken after the app update, right?
    I cant open them on my PC with the software I use for graphic processing.

    So how can you ask me to open a RAW file and convert it to JPEG?
    I cant do that. My software will not open the RAW files taken after the update, The software complains that the files are not recognized/incompatible/cannot be opened.

    This is why I am writing you.

------------------

    Andrew
Hi Andrew,

Thank you for writing back to us.

In this case, we recommend checking for software updates on your PC/laptop or using alternative programs that support these files.

We also suggest you try to access the RAW expert files on different PC software to isolate the issue.

Please write back to us if the above steps don't fix the issue.

Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,
Sylvester.
Samsung Electronics Canada Customer Care.

-----------------
Hi Andrew ,
Thank you for writing back to us.
Apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused you. As you performed a few troubleshooting steps regarding your issues in the above email. We request you to perform "wipe cache partition" steps to see if that clears the issue.
1) Turn off the device.
2) Press and hold the Volume Up key and the Power Key
3) When the Android logo displays, release all keys ('Installing system update' will show for about 30 - 60 seconds before showing the Android system recovery menu options).
4) Press the Volume down key several times to highlight “wipe cache partition.”
5) Press the Power key to select.
6) Press the Volume down key to highlight “yes” and press the Power key to select.
7) When the wipe cache partition is complete, “Reboot system now” is highlighted.
8) Press the Power key to restart the device.

After performing the above steps, we request you to follow the below link to see if that clears the issue.

Here is the link:
https://www.samsung.com/ca/support/mobile-devices/professional-photography-with-galaxy-expert-raw-app/
If the issue still remains the same, please get back to us.
Thank you for being a valued Samsung customer.
Kind regards,
Bella,
for additional support, please call 1-800-SAMSUNG
-------------------
On Mon, 04 Nov 2024 at 05:20 pm <ANDREW> wrote:
    Here are some links so you may discover that many others have the same issue. Your Expert RAW app used to generate files that many graphic processing software could open and process.   After the Expert Raw update,  they no longer find the DNG files open in the same software.

    https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/207501-samsung-expert-raw-dng-files-are-not-supported-after-expert-raw-app-update-300628-help/page/2/#comment-1302441

    https://community.topazlabs.com/t/samsung-expert-raw-files-no-longer-supported/74751/4

    https://eu.community.samsung.com/t5/galaxy-s24-series/opening-raw-files-in-snapseed/td-p/9521364

    https://discuss.pixls.us/t/rawtherapees-support-dng-of-my-samsung-galaxy-s23-ultra/44951
    I will post the advice you gave me.
    Other people may find it entertaining.
---------------

Hi Andrew ,
Thank you for writing back to us.

Apologize for the inconvenience this may have caused you. As you performed a few troubleshooting steps regarding your issues in the above email. We request you to perform "wipe cache partition" steps to see if that clears the issue.

) Turn off the device.
2) Press and hold the Volume Up key and the Power Key
3) When the Android logo displays, release all keys ('Installing system update' will show for about 30 - 60 seconds before showing the Android system recovery menu options).
4) Press the Volume down key several times to highlight “wipe cache partition.”
5) Press the Power key to select.
6) Press the Volume down key to highlight “yes” and press the Power key to select.
7) When the wipe cache partition is complete, “Reboot system now” is highlighted.
8) Press the Power key to restart the device.

After performing the above steps, we request you to follow the below link to see if that clears the issue.

Here is the link:
https://www.samsung.com/ca/support/mobile-devices/professional-photography-with-galaxy-expert-raw-app/

If the issue still remains the same, please get back to us.

Thank you for being a valued Samsung customer.
Kind regards,
Bella,

for additional support, please call 1-800-SAMSUNG

 

 

[mopperle]

I'm nearly 100% sure that "Sylvester and Bella" are bots hanging in a loop. 😆

TBH, most customer service departmens, especially at big companies, have been outsourced to anywhere around the world, to people with poor skills and poorly paid.

Following the motto: "The only thing that is annoying is the customer".

😉

[R C-R]

8 hours ago, mopperle said:

TBH, most customer service departmens, especially at big companies, have been outsourced to anywhere around the world, to people with poor skills and poorly paid.

And all too often all they can do is read from scripts suggesting things that the reported issue makes impossible to do.

[tonghong]

I recently got a new Galaxy S24 Ultra. The same issue exists with photos in DNG format not being able to open in Affinity Photo, Topaz, DxO PhotoLab, Irfan View. Surprisingly, Windows Photos can open the DNG photo files.

[mopperle]

10 hours ago, tonghong said:

I recently got a new Galaxy S24 Ultra. The same issue exists with photos in DNG format not being able to open in Affinity Photo, Topaz, DxO PhotoLab, Irfan View. Surprisingly, Windows Photos can open the DNG photo files.

I assume that Windows just opens the embedded jpg. DxO since years refuses to support DNG files of modern smartphone.

For the others: they rely on the LibRAW project and as long as they do not use the latest libraw.dll or LibRaw does not support dng files eg. from the S24 Ultra, they can not open it.

[Belmont]

I was able to open the DNG from my s23 in AF Photo as long as I set the s23 to only save the raw file, not the raw and jpg. This is with both version 2.5 and 2.6 of AF Photo.