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Question

Lightroom Classic slowing down while using until it requires a restart (M1 Macbook Pro)

Forum|Forum|3 years ago
October 16, 2022
3 replies
707 views

Hello,

I've been struggling with slow Lightroom Classic performance since I started using it - so at least 2-3 years now. Since then I already changed twice the laptop (now Macbook Pro 16 inch, M1 and 16 GB RAM), reinstalled the system totally new etc.

I know that there are many topics about different performance issues in Lightroom, but none of the advices help and also the problem that other users experience seems a bit different.

Here is how I use the Lightroom Classic:

1. I usually take around 2000-3000 photos in one day (sports events)

2. I copy all the photos on my local SSD drive, in one folder
3. I open Lightroom and import all the photos into my Library, while applying some basic presets to all of them (adding some sharpness/shadows/contrast/clarity etc.).

4. Then I wait until the previews are built (usually I pick standard) and go one by one in Developer mode - flagging the photos I want to keep and making some adjustments like cropping/brightness/dehaze etc.)

5. Usually already at the very beginning I get messages from CleanMyMac X app that my memory and swap are getting full and it recommends me to quit Lightroom which I ignore.
6. Usually going through photos at first is acceptable, but after some time (let's say 100) it starts getting slower and slower. At some point changing the photo takes 5-10 seconds, zooming it or applying some effects as well. More and more I see the "spinning ball".

7. Finally I decide to quit Lightroom (usually it takes so long (with again spinning ball icon) that I'm asked whether I want to force quit unresponsive app).

8. When it finally quits and I restart it - it's again okay for 10-15 mins and the whole process repeats...

I tried really everything I found online - changing the acceleration mode (on/off), selecting much bigger cache for Camera RAW (even 90 GB), optimising catalog, giving the Lightroom full disk permissions - no change. Also tried to generate 1:1 previews, but it hardly helped.

At the same time - all the photographers I know are extremely pleased with how fast Lightroom is and nobody has any issues.

Can anyone help me? I have a very strong laptop, enough of free disk space, what can I do to make it run smoothly? I would be super grateful for any ideas/tips, because it ruins my work performance...

This topic has been closed for replies.

Ian Lyons

Community Expert

Open LrC Help and click on 'System Info'. Copy all of the text and paste to the forum.

How much free SSD space do you have on your MavBook Pro?

T

tadziak2Author

Participating Frequently

Hello Ian,

Thank you for your kind help. Here is the info you requested. I have now available around 190 GB of SSD space.

Lightroom Classic version: 11.5 [ 202208080927-8a575c91 ]
License: Creative Cloud
Language setting: en-PL
Operating system: Mac OS 12
Version: 12.6.0 [21G115]
Application architecture: arm64
Logical processor count: 10
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: 1 302,1 MB (7,9%)
Virtual memory used by Lightroom: 416 872,6 MB
Memory cache size: 577,8MB
Internal Camera Raw version: 14.5 [ 1177 ]
Maximum thread count used by Camera Raw: 5
Camera Raw SIMD optimization: SSE2
Camera Raw virtual memory: 1624MB / 8191MB (19%)
Camera Raw real memory: 2341MB / 16384MB (14%)
Displays: 1) 3456x2234

Graphics Processor Info:
Metal: Apple M1 Pro

Init State: 5
User Preference: 1

T

tadziak2Author

Participating Frequently

Concerning this CleanMyMac memory/swap message - I assume it happens because Lightroom really takes full use of all available resources - especially when building previes, right after import. It's obvious that all RAM is used plus some swap file (usually a few GB). I only used internal SSD, so it's blazing fast and this should not be a problem. I try to keep around 200-300 GB free out of 1TB.

I was determined enough to have best possible performance in Lightroom that I even first ordered two machines - with 16 and 32 GB. However the 32 GB did not show any significant performance improvement over the 16 GB version. So I returned the more pricy 32 GB machine.

Not sure about other apps and general memory/swap/cache matters. I attach a screen from activity monitor (while exporting 2000 images in Lightroom). Doesn't seem to be anything extraordinary.

My personal suspicions are the following:

- maybe folders with 2000-3000 pictures are a bit too much for Lightroom (but it shouldn't be the case)

- maybe the effect I apply on important are contributing to the whole slowing down issue
- since I'm using Canon R5 (45 Megapixel) camera - the photos are quite big (but only JPG)
- maybe because each of those 3000 files are getting some effects applied already on import and then I edit them even more - the history of changes of each photo grows too much and it slows down the whole Lightroom?

dj_paige

Legend

Assuming your performance problems are in the Develop Module:

- maybe folders with 2000-3000 pictures are a bit too much for Lightroom (but it shouldn't be the case)

No that's not it

- maybe the effect I apply on important are contributing to the whole slowing down issue

Could be, what "effects" are you applying? please be specific

- since I'm using Canon R5 (45 Megapixel) camera - the photos are quite big (but only JPG)

larger photos could stress your CPU/GPU to the point where you see this slowdown. What is your CPU? What is your GPU? How large are your monitor(s) in pixels, width and height (do not tell me inches)?

- maybe because each of those 3000 files are getting some effects applied already on import and then I edit them even more

No, that's not it, the number of photos previously edited is irrelevant to develop module speed

- the history of changes of each photo grows too much and it slows down the whole Lightroom?

No, that's not it

T

tadziak2Author

Participating Frequently

Sorry, I somehow don't get how to nicely quote/answer each part of your message - so I will just make a list:

1. Yes, most of my problems are related to develop module

2. I have Apple M1 Macbook Pro 16 inch, which means 10 cores, hard to tell what speed are they clocked. GPU is 16 core (also hard to tell what clock/speed).

3. I'm using now the native retina screen at default resolution 3072 x 1920 at 226 ppi

4. I'm attaching the XMP file that I'm using on the import. Maybe you can analyse if any of those settings/preset could affect performance so much?

SKIJUMPING_NIGHT.zip

GoldingD

Legend

5.  Usually already at the very beginning I get messages from CleanMyMac X app that my memory and swap are getting full and it recommends me to quit Lightroom which I ignore.

Why are you ignoring that? What is the cause? What particular swap area is it referring to? etc.

Where do you keep your Camera RAW CACHE used by LrC? ~~How large do you allow it to get, what limit?~~ Look in /preferences/performance, might want to post a screenshot of that. Is the hard drive it is on an issue? (available space and/or drive speed)

What about other CACHE files? Ones used bu other apps, ones used my MACOS? Are they getting cluttered, not flushed? Have you used CleanMyMAC to clean them?

Where do you keep your catalog? What hard drive? How much free space in percent does that hard drive have? Looking for greater than 20% some saw at least 25%.

A question for other M1 users, the 16GB of memory. Is this too small under the MACOS Unified Memory between CPU and GPU? Is their a way to improve allocation?

/followup/ But would turning off use graphics processor mitigate that?

~~A inquiry to the author, In LrC /preferences/performance I assume that use Graphics Processor is on, what if you turn that off?~~

/note/ my bad, struck thru some items after a re-read, clearly stated in your post that you had addressed them.

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