What are some reasons/cost for saving Lightroom 'Library Previews' to a larger size?

Question

I needed to resort to using Lightroom Library Previews when the original images had gone missing: " Thankfully I had been saving as a medium size jpeg. Now, as a result, I am saving my Library Previews, set in Preferences, as 1:1 or full size and also saving the RAW image as a choice in Preferences.

Question: Does it double the disk space needed to save files with the Library Previews set to full size or 1;:1 and what about also checking the 'Save RAW' also? What is the consequence and also the potential benefit to saving everything as big as possible as insurance, just in case original images ever go missing again?

Ken Nielsen · Accepted Answer

This whole thread has been going off in the wrong direction, and it is only now that I realize I was looking in 'preferences' under 'file handling' to find out where to set my library screen preview size WHEN IN ACTUALITY I needed to be looking in 'Catalog Settings' under 'Screen Previews' to set the screen preview size. It has been a long learning curve because I was looking in the wrong place for this. I will mark this as the correct answer as there is no correct answer here other than what I have now discovered as the RIGHT PLACE to be looking.

Rob_Cullen · Answer

Your preview files are stored in a cache of .LRPREV files (mine are mostly in the range 500KB- 2MB), so quite small, definitely not "doubling"!. They will never occupy as much space as the original raws. I believe them to be similar to compressed JPG files, and if you have created 1:1 previews then they will have the full pixel dimensions of the original.

A benefit of 1:1 is that when you zoom to 100% you get an instant result. If you only have minimal or standard previews then LrC has to 'load' a 1:1 view by reading the original file. (On a fast system you may not even notice "Loading" when you zoom to 100%)

I would not be worried about Previews (of any kind) -let them be a working cache for the Catalog- just make reliable backups of your original 'out-of-camera' files and backup the Catalog regularly - TO ANOTHER physical separate Hard-Drive!!! or two!

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