Geographic Imager: Using Photoshop Info panel to explore elevation values

After importing a DEM file, you can always check the elevation value of a specific pixel in the Georeference dialog window. When you hover your mouse over the DEM image in the preview windw, you can get the image XY coordinate, latitude and longitude values, eastings and northing values (if the map is projected), as well as the elevation value.

When a DEM dataset is imported as raw data, you can check the elevation value in the Info panel.

Step 1: Import a DEM data as Raw Data.

Select the "Raw Data" in the Select Schema option.

As opposed to the stretched dataset, raw data tends to be very dark when the file is opened in Photoshop. From the header of the opened DEM file, you can see that the file is in the gray scale and it is in 16 bit mode.

Step 2: Open the Info Panel

Open the Info penel from the top menu bar (Window > Info).

We are interested in one section of the Info panel. Take a look at the "K" section of the Info panel. The Info panel is in the 8 bit mode. We will change it to 16 bit.

Step 3: Changing the Info panel to the 16 bit mode

Click and hold the option menu icon right below the "K" . You will see the option menu for the Info panel. Select "16-bit" option from the list.

Now, hover the mouse over the DEM raw-data image. The elevation value will be displayed in the Info panel in the K section. The example shows that the pixel elevation value at the pixle where the mouse is hovering is 92 metres above sea level.