Is Adobe Camera Raw 6.6 a 64bit plug-in?

[Tim Lookingbill]

I've been trying to find the answer to this online with no luck.

I'm on a 2010 Mac Mini with OS 10.6.8 with 64bit enabled from its default 32bit by way of a code entry in Terminal found on Apple's support document site.

I just want to know if ACR 6.6 can access as much of my 8gigs of Ram installed when opening several 6MP Raw PEF's at once which 64bit enables.

I know Bridge CS5 isn't 64bit aware but Photoshop CS5 is and just wondered about ACR. There's no way to find this out using Apple's System Profiler and/or Activity Monitor as I can with other apps whether opened or not.

[Schewe]

If you have Photoshop set to open as a 64-bit app and you open Camera Raw hosted in Photoshop (instead of Bridge), then yes, it'll be using the 64-bit binaries...

[Tim Lookingbill]

Thanks for the confirmation, Jeff.

I think I remember you saying that in an Adobe Forums thread a while back but wasn't sure which version of Photoshop.

I was hoping that wasn't the case with my setup. Oh well.

So I'ld have to go through Mac's Finder and directly drag and drop the Raw's in bulk on Photoshop app icon or open through the "Open" menu option within Photoshop as an efficient workflow option sans Bridge.

I guess this is another reason to buy LR4 which is now 64bit. LR3 isn't 64bit, right?

[Schewe]

No, you misunderstand...you can still open Camera Raw hosted by Photoshop from within Bridge. Command O (assuming you haven't changed the prefs in Bridge) will open the image "hosted" by Photoshop not Bridge. If you do a Command R, then it'll open the image in Camera Raw hosted by Bridge...that way you can open and edit images from Bridge without having Photoshop even running. But when hosted by Bridge, it'll be the 32-bit binaries of ACR.

Remember, both Bridge and Photoshop can host ACR...but that doesn't mean you CAN'T open images from Bridge into Photoshop. Check he ACR dlog, if "Done" is the highlighted button then it's being hosted by Bridge. If "Open" is the highlighted button then it's being hosted by Photoshop.

[Tim Lookingbill]

Boy, am I glad I posted this topic. I would've never remembered such complexity even if I'ld asked and had it answered back when these apps were first issued.

Thanks for the clarification, Jeff. I don't know how you keep all that in your head.

I'm going to dig around Bridge's and ACR's prefs to see which check box to check/uncheck that changes whether Photoshop or Bridge hosts my Raw images. I just want to see if there's a performance boost using 64bit ACR.

I'm just getting around to understanding CS5 Bridge's caching of previews and thumbnails and why it keeps updating  Raw previews every time I quit, relaunch Bridge and click on the same folders of Raw images. I keep getting that "extracting of thumbnails/preview with spinning ring icon" activity indicator in the lower left corner of Bridge's pane as the thumbnails keep updating again.

Wonder if it's the fact I haven't switched to the newer 2010 process.

[Schewe]

Thanks for the clarification, Jeff. I don't know how you keep all that in your head.

I've got a big head...

With regards to the Bridge caching, don't know. That's different than the Camera Raw cache (yeah, more complexity). You might want to check whether or not you've got your Bridge preferences set to for Cache. I've got my cache size set to about 100,000 items. I don't see a lot of cache building except for folders Bridge has never visited...

I use LR and ACR pretty much interchangeably (but always resort to LR for image searches). That get's complicated cause you constantly have to remember to update the metadata settings in LR :~(

[Tim Lookingbill]

OK, I wasn't quite sure about the Bridge preference change issue, so I just followed your "Command O" instructions and Photoshop launches instead of my regular double clicking thumbnail routine in Bridge where only ACR loaded.

The thing is I still get the "Done" button instead of the "Open" in the lower right corner in ACR.

In Bridge CS5 "General" prefs panel "Double-Click Edits Camera Raw Settings In Bridge" is checked.

OK, correction...

The "Done" button isn't highlighted in blue, but the "Open Image" is when Photoshop is hosting through "Command O" and vice versa opening through double clicking on the thumbnail in Bridge, my regular way of opening Raws.

And to think I finally sorted this out without any coffee. Will wonders ever seise? I know a good night's rest helps as well.

Can't help wondering the folks using mobile apps to edit images on their iPhones are having an easier time.

[Tim Lookingbill]

Now I'm going back and report my experience here on the "Google Sucks" thread over at Photo.net and tell them why I couldn't find this answer in a Google search when I now know for sure Mr. Schewe gave these same instructions a year ago or so now that my memory has been jogged.

It's Google's fault, not my 52 year old brain.