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patrickb20259952
Participant
June 30, 2025
Answered

Previews of color DNG files are shown in Black and White in Lightroom Classic

  • June 30, 2025
  • 1 reply
  • 410 views

Hello , I am using Lightroom Classic 14.4 on a Mac to manage my photos taken on an digital camera.

- I am importing each time  a DNG color picture and a black and white JPG version.

- I am copying the files from a network drive on a external SSD drive of my Mac Mini M4.

- When synchronizing the pictures, the previews of the DNG files are shown black and white.

- I need to create manually the previews with the menu the previews 1:1.

This had worked before and stopped working after I changed the camera for another one that takes 40MPixels pictures instead of 24 MPixels.

Does anyone has the same issue ? Thanks

Correct answer patrickb20259952

Hi @Sameer K  I moved the Lightrooom folder from the SSD drive to the HDD of the Mac Mini and then deleted the preview file. The picture files remains on the SSD.

When I reopened LRC,  it updated the previews in color.

I just imported new pictures and unfortunately ut doesn't work again, the pictures are show in black & white. I need to manually create 1:1 previews. Any idea for a solution to fix this issue ? Thanks.


Finally I solved the issue:

  • Before synchronization of pictures I checked the import dialog to be opened. 
  • For the preview there was an option "Embedded and Sidecar" selected.
  • According to the documentation this is "Display the largest possible preview available from the camera. This option may take longer than a Minimal preview but is still faster than rendering a standard-size preview."
  • I changed the selection to  "1:1" and now the previews are created in color as expected.
  • I noticed this takes more time than before,  but at least it works.

 

1 reply

Sameer K
Community Manager
Sameer KCommunity Manager
Community Manager
June 30, 2025

Hey, @patrickb20259952. Welcome to the Lightroom Classic Community. I've moved your post to the discussions for now. 

 

Enable the option in Preferences > General > Treat JPEG files next to raw as separate Photos and check if this helps. 

 

 

Let me know how it goes. Thanks!

Sameer K!

(Type '@' and type my name to mention me when you reply)

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patrickb20259952Author
Participant
June 30, 2025

Hi @Sameer K  thanks for yoru quick reply. I did the configuration change and imported 5 new photos. In LRC the colored DNG files appeared beside the JPG black and whiie pictures. For 2 of thems the colors appeared when displaying the picture on the screeen (a message apperead "loading" , for 3 of them the color did not appear. Please note I have also a Macbook Pro with LRC and don't have the issue. The difference is that I use the Import function from LRC insted of copying the files on the disk and doing a synchronisation. I tried the same procedure on the Desktop Mac (Mac Mini M4) but the pictures remained all black and white. So the issue is not resolved.

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patrickb20259952Author
Participant
June 30, 2025

Hi @Sameer K  could it be that there is a perfomance issue with the SSD drive where the pictures are stored ? The DNG file are about 40 MB - 50 MB big.  The older camera produced file approximately  50 % smaller. Thanks.

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