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touheyphoto
Inspiring
May 2, 2022

P: (Mac) Direct Camera Connect fails to show previews in Import Dialog

  • May 2, 2022
  • 75 replies
  • 12537 views

My system has worked perfectly for many years, but I’m encountering strange issues on import in Lr Classic that have recently plagued me. 

 

When importing via a plugged in thunderbolt cable into my R5s:

- image previews no longer load into the thumbnails, or will load dramatically slower and one at a time. (Whereas they used to snap into each empty thumbnail cells immediately)

- sometimes it will show no photos to import (which was frightening the first few times to see). I’ll cancel and reopen the import prompt which usually works after the second or third try.

- sometimes import window will show photos from other shoot days but not my most recent images. I’ll cancel the import prompt and reopen. Often it’ll all load in after a few tries.

- If I get through these issues, the most difficult part is actually importing. Import can take 5 minutes before starting, if I’m lucky. (It used to start within 10 seconds.) Two out of three times the import completely fails to start. 

 

 

Other details: 

- This seems to happen with all three of my Canon R5s

- I’m encountering this issue on my Mac Studio running Ventura 13.3.1

- My Lr Classic (v. 12.3) catalogues and previews are stored on my internal HD

- My photos are stored on a 70TB OWC Thunderbay. (I switched from Drobo 8D fairly recently)

- The same R5 and imported photos load like normal on my MBP when imported. 

- This is happening with multiple LrC catalogues

- This issue started happening for a few weeks, prior to updating to the latest Lr Classic

 

 

Since this issue is happening with multiple catalogs and cameras, I was thinking it was either with my Mac Studio that stores the catalogues, or my OWC Thunderbay external since it stores the photos. However since this issue seems to happen before I technically need to select the destination drive, now I’m thinking the issue is my computer where Lr is running. 

 

Could this be a RAM problem? Has anyone encountered this issue before? 

 

Any ideas based are greatly appreciated since importing after a shoot has gone from taking 10 minutes of my times to 2 hrs. Hopefully this can help others too.

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    75 replies

    Show previous replies
    B
    BillB9811817
    Participating Frequently
    July 21, 2023

    When importing photos to LRC the thumbnails

    are not visible until actually imported so I have to import all photos and cull when they are actually imported.

      F. McLion
      Community Expert
      F. McLionCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      July 21, 2023

      Please share the exact version you are using, the exact version of the OS, as well as the source and format of the photos.

      --- Got your issue resolved? Please label the response as 'Correct Answer' to help your fellow community members find a solution to similar problems. ---
      johnrellis
      johnrellis
      Legend
      July 15, 2023

      "I am wondering if LR still needs to do a few updates to the Z8."

       

      As you can see from this merged thread, there's a general issue with importing via USB cable in LR 12.4 on Mac OS.

      G
      greg14
      Inspiring
      July 15, 2023
      I am having a minor issue with the Z8 transfer of images to LR.
      When I use a card reader the thumbnails (Previews) show.
      If I transfer the images directly to LR from the camera the Thumbnails are blank (Gray).
      I generally use the card reader for a large batch, if I only have a few pictures I transfer them directly.
      No big deal, I am wondering if LR still needs to do a few updates to the Z8.
      I have the current version of LR, 12.4

      Thoughts
      johnrellis
      johnrellis
      Legend
      July 15, 2023

      While waiting for this bug to be fixed, see this post for workarounds:

      https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-classic-bugs/p-mac-direct-camera-connect-fails-to-show-previews-in-import-dialog/idc-p/13900636#M44781

      K
      Kulturforum5FFD
      Participant
      July 15, 2023

      I have a new Nikon Z8 and when I start "Import" the jpg Previews are greyed. I import without seeing them and the import works as usual. The jpgs can be seen now.
      The Software is up to date.

      J
      jcchuang
      Participant
      July 13, 2023

      Am experiencing the same bug (and have been for just under a month). No thumbnails show up when I try to import photos from either my iPhone connected via USB cables or memory cards (SD and CF cards belonging to Nikon Zs). Running LR 12.4 on Mac OS 13.4.1

      johnrellis
      johnrellis
      Legend
      July 8, 2023

      @samuelm64545694, as you can see in the merged thread, Adobe has acknowledged this bug. It may be a bug in LR 12.4, or it may be a bug in Mac OS triggered by a code change in LR 12.4.  Regardless, see these less-convenient workarounds:

      https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-classic-bugs/p-mac-direct-camera-connect-fails-to-show-previews-in-import-dialog/idc-p/13900636#M44781

        samuelm64545694
        samuelm64545694
        Participant
        July 8, 2023

        I last imported photos from my camera to Lightroom a couple of months ago; it has always worked fine. Today I tried again and it failed as follows:

        - The import screen appears and the little cards in the main area indicating the filename of each image on the camera appear - maybe slower than usual.

        - None of the image cards display an actual image preview, they're all blank as if not loaded

        - If I go ahead and select images (or just one image) to import, then the import screen goes away as normal and there is a progress bar in the top of the application, but this progress bar never progresses. If I eventually try to exit Lightroom, it does not fully exit (the program stays running and has to be killed).

         

        Using Lightroom 12.4 release (is on an Mac Mini (M1), connected to Fujifilm X100V using the Fujifilm-supplied USB A-to-C cable.

         

        I tried:

        * Using a different cable

        * Restarting computer

        * Deleting some of the pictures (that were already transferred) from the camera before connecting it

        * Checking for camera firmware updates (none)

         

        None of this helped so I'm wondering if this might be a bug introduced in 12.4 or another recent update. (Presumably, using an SD reader to get the data from the camera would work; I haven't actually tried this because I've lost mine, might have to get a new one.)

         

        System info pasted below

         

        Lightroom Classic version: 12.4 [ 202306052221-b70c0975 ]
        License: Creative Cloud
        Language setting: en-GB
        Operating system: Mac OS 13
        Version: 13.4.1 [22F82]
        Application architecture: arm64
        Logical processor count: 8
        Processor speed: NA
        SqLite Version: 3.36.0
        Built-in memory: 16,384.0 MB
        Real memory available to Lightroom: 16,384.0 MB
        Real memory used by Lightroom: 1,524.7 MB (9.3%)
        Virtual memory used by Lightroom: 409,452.9 MB
        Memory cache size: 84.2MB
        Internal Camera Raw version: 15.4 [ 1508 ]
        Maximum thread count used by Camera Raw: 5
        Camera Raw SIMD optimization: SSE2
        Camera Raw virtual memory: 225MB / 8191MB (2%)
        Camera Raw real memory: 226MB / 16384MB (1%)
        Standard Preview Size: 1440 pixels
        Displays: 1) 1920x1200

        Graphics Processor Info:
        Metal: Apple M1
        Init State: GPU for Export supported by default
        User Preference: Auto

        Application folder: /Applications/Adobe Lightroom Classic
        Library Path: /Users/sam/Pictures/Lightroom/Lightroom Catalog-2-v12.lrcat
        Settings Folder: /Users/sam/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Lightroom

        Installed Plugins:
        1) AdobeStock
        2) Aperture/iPhoto Importer Plug-in
        3) Flickr
        4) Nikon Tether Plugin

        Config.lua flags: None

        J
        jmorg65
        Known Participant
        July 4, 2023

        Since using Lightroom Classic, when I plug in my iphone and select the Import window in LrC, a preview of all photos on my iPhone appears, the same way it does with memory cards when I'm important photos from my other cameras. Recently (not sure when or why), LrC has stopped showing any previews of photos on the iPhone in the Import window (attached photo). So, I have no idea which photos I would be importing. If I double click any item, it opens the photo and I can see it. But, obviously this is not a practical way of determining which photos to import. I'm using an iPhone 14 Pro on iOS 16.5.1 and LrC 12.4 with Camera Raw 15.4. Creative Cloud indicates I'm using the latest version of all Adobe products and the iPhone firmware is the latest as well.

         

        I've quit LrC, rebooted my Mac, rebooted my iPhone. Nothing fixes it.

         

        Anyone know why this is happening and how to make previews appear again as they do when I insert an SD or CF Express or any other card?

        B
        Biscut
        Inspiring
        July 5, 2023

        This has been happening to me as well. Except that I can occasionally see some previews.

         

        Sometimes clicking on another input source, then back to the iPhone brings up a few dozen previews. Sometimes cancelling the import, then trying to import again brings up a few previews. Sometimes scrolling up and down the import window or waiting 10s of minutes or hours helps. But for the last week or two, I haven't been able to load all of the previews.

         

        Unlocking the phone doesn't do anything. My phone "trusts" my computer.

         

        I also have tried other media cards and Lightroom can load the previews from them fine. I also am using an iPhone 14 Pro on a Mac, fully updated Lightroom Classic app.

         

        Any ideas?

        J
        jmorg65
        Known Participant
        July 5, 2023

        Same issue. I notice the intermittency the past day or so since posting. Very frustrating. I assume a bug introduced in latest iOS or adobe LrC.

         

        Interested if anyone has found a fix to the iPhone photos and videos not showing previews in the Import window?

        C
        charlieh6415140
        Known Participant
        July 3, 2023

        I can confirm, connecting my Z8 by cable the previews in LR are blank. Click "cancel" and then click "import" on the file menu (top LH of the screen on my Mac) and the previews now come up as they should. Thanks Dieter2aRider that's sorted the problem for me.

         

        Chaz

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