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zalanmeggyesi
zalanmeggyesi
Participant
May 3, 2026
Question

Lightroom Classic fails to import HEVC (hvc1) video from DJI cameras — hev1 tag works

  • May 3, 2026
  • 3 replies
  • 45 views

Summary: Lightroom Classic throws a generic "unknown error" when importing HEVC video files tagged as hvc1, which is the default output format for DJI cameras (tested with DJI Osmo Action 6). The same file remuxed to use the hev1 codec tag imports without issues. No re-encoding is performed — the video bitstream is identical.

Steps to reproduce:

  1. Record video on a DJI Osmo Action 6 (or likely any DJI camera outputting HEVC). Or use attached input file.
  2. Attempt to import the resulting .MP4 file into Lightroom Classic via File → Import
  3. LrC throws "unknown error" and fails to import

Workaround: Remux the file using ffmpeg with no quality loss:

ffmpeg -i input.mp4 -c copy -tag:v hev1 -map 0:v:0 -map 0:a:0 output.mp4

The resulting file (attached) imports correctly.

File properties (ffprobe):

  • Codec: HEVC / H.265
  • Profile: Main 10
  • Resolution: 3840×2160
  • Codec tag (original, failing): hvc1
  • Codec tag (remuxed, working): hev1
  • Color: yuv420p10le, bt709

Expected behavior: Both hvc1 and hev1 are valid, spec-compliant HEVC container formats per ISO 14496-15. Lightroom Classic should import either without error, as macOS itself (QuickTime, Finder preview) handles both correctly.

Impact: Any footage recorded in HEVC on DJI hardware is unimportable without manual intervention. This affects the Osmo Action series and likely the full DJI drone lineup.

      3 replies

      johnrellis
      johnrellis
      Legend
      May 3, 2026

      [View this post in your web browser. It contains formatting and images that don't appear in email.]

       

      Another curiosity: The Mac Quicktime app chokes opening output.mp4 (created by “ffmpeg”):

       

      Clicking Continue will open and play just the audio tracks. 

       

      This is now beyond my limited understanding of  video formats -- I refuse  to pay hundreds of dollars to the ISO for the privilege of helping apps conform to their standard.

      johnrellis
      johnrellis
      Legend
      May 3, 2026

      Moderators, ​@Rikk Flohr_Photography, please consider moving to Bugs -- I see the same misbehavior importing the DJI .mp4 on LR 15.3 / Mac OS 26.4.1 but not on Windows 11.  (This suggests the problem is with a Mac OS library.)

        johnrellis
        johnrellis
        Legend
        May 3, 2026

        Note that this problem is likely more involved than simply not recognizing the Compressor ID “hvc1”.  All videos produced by Apple devices and software use “hvc1”, and LR handles those. So there must be something more specific about the DJI encoding that LR chokes on.

        zalanmeggyesi
        zalanmeggyesiAuthor
        Participant
        May 3, 2026

        AFAICT, that was the one thing the ffmpeg command changed, and the file imported correctly afterwards.

        Of course, there might be other things happening under the hood in response to that, but in this case, that one change could have been isolated as the critical cause.

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