Participating Frequently

Answered

When will the conversion from RAW to DNG be an integrated part of Lightroom?

Forum|Forum|4 years ago
May 1, 2021
4 replies
539 views

When I discovered Lightroom one of the really big things was that everything was done from Lightroom. Import, Export, Storage, Cataloguing, renaming and Editing.

But here 5 Years after the release of the Canon 5D Mark IV. I still can’t import my Photos directly in to Lightroom. I have to convert my RAW files to DNG files first.

The one thing I don’t understand is why Adobe decides to make the conversion in a separate program. The whole concept of Lightroom goes down the Drain, when You have to do something outside Lightroom to be able to use Lightroom.
So. When will the conversion be an integrated part of Lightroom?

This topic has been closed for replies.

Correct answer JohanElzenga

@Jan Støiberg15B9 wrote:

When I discovered Lightroom one of the really big things was that everything was done from Lightroom. Import, Export, Storage, Cataloguing, renaming and Editing.

But here 5 Years after the release of the Canon 5D Mark IV. I still can’t import my Photos directly in to Lightroom. I have to convert my RAW files to DNG files first.

The one thing I don’t understand is why Adobe decides to make the conversion in a separate program. The whole concept of Lightroom goes down the Drain, when You have to do something outside Lightroom to be able to use Lightroom.
So. When will the conversion be an integrated part of Lightroom?

Conversion already is an integral part of Lightroom. If Lightroom supports your raw files, then you can convert them on import (or later) to DNG if you want to. However, if Lightroom does not support your raw files because you use an outdated version of Lightroom, then the only way to get them in Lightroom is to convert them using the free Adobe DNG Converter. That will never change because your outdated version will never change. It is no longer supported.

J

Jan Støiberg15B9Author

Participating Frequently

Okey.
I have of cause don a little research myself. And it looks like Adobe has stopped supporting my version of Lightroom (6.0).

It also looks like they only rent out there Programs now. And to a price that doesn’t match my use of Lightroom. So, I think it’s time for me to move on, and find someone else to play with.
Sadly because I really liked Lightrooms all-in-one concept.

Anyway Thank You so much for Your time and effort.

Take care.

JohanElzenga

Correct answer

Community Expert

@Jan Støiberg15B9 wrote:

When I discovered Lightroom one of the really big things was that everything was done from Lightroom. Import, Export, Storage, Cataloguing, renaming and Editing.

But here 5 Years after the release of the Canon 5D Mark IV. I still can’t import my Photos directly in to Lightroom. I have to convert my RAW files to DNG files first.

The one thing I don’t understand is why Adobe decides to make the conversion in a separate program. The whole concept of Lightroom goes down the Drain, when You have to do something outside Lightroom to be able to use Lightroom.
So. When will the conversion be an integrated part of Lightroom?

Conversion already is an integral part of Lightroom. If Lightroom supports your raw files, then you can convert them on import (or later) to DNG if you want to. However, if Lightroom does not support your raw files because you use an outdated version of Lightroom, then the only way to get them in Lightroom is to convert them using the free Adobe DNG Converter. That will never change because your outdated version will never change. It is no longer supported.

-- Johan W. Elzenga

J

Jao vdL

Community Expert

>But here 5 Years after the release of the Canon 5D Mark IV. I still can’t import my Photos directly in to Lightroom. I have to convert my RAW files to DNG files first.

This means you are using an outdated version of Lightroom. You should generally not convert to dng if you don't need the size advantages (usually saves around 25% disk space) as remaining with the native raw format retains maximum compatibility outside of the Adobe suite. Of course if you don't need to be compatible with anything else it's fine to convert but disk space is cheap and personally I don't care to sit around waiting for the dng conversion. Only reason to have to convert to dng first is if your camera is not supported by the version of Lightroom you are using. The 5D mk IV has been supported since 6.7 https://helpx.adobe.com/camera-raw/kb/camera-raw-plug-supported-cameras.html. The current version of Lightroom (now called Classic) is 10.2

R

richardplondon

Community Expert

DNG has been claimed to be very widely compatible, but logically it cannot be quite AS widely compatible, as the choice of either that DNG or else the original Raw with all the different compatibility which it enjoys. By keeping and using this original Raw for the meanwhile, you still could make a DNG later, if you ever had to. That is not the case in the other direction. There is no available route back AFAIK... yes one could be developed in principle, but this would be a solution to a problem that had never needed to arise.

The proposed benefits of routine DNG conversion, nearly all look more like DISadvantages to me. But regardless of that: why ever paint yourself into any inescapable corner with your precious data, when you have the option not to do so?

R

richardplondon

Community Expert

What version of Photoshop Lightroom / Lightroom Classic are you using?

Are you setting Dual Pixel Raw mode in the camera? If so, why - since AFAICT the specific advantages of that over normal Raw would not be accessible from within LR, which is where you say you want to do everything.

also see this page concerning DNG conversion and DPR. If (for example) you were using Lightroom 6.7, according to that page a free upgrade to 6.8 should then permit DNG conversion even when DPR was set - though the image would then process no differently, despite its larger file size - and the same in any more recent version - unless I am missing something.

Separately, when you say you "have to" convert your Raw files to DNG, what's wrong with using those Raw files as they are? If that conversion to DNG is problematic for whatever reason. Personally I find proprietary Raw preferable to DNG anyway, for practical reasons and for sheer data safety reasons - but would be curious to learn what is so important about DNG for you.

Sign up

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Sign in to Adobe Community

To post, reply, or follow discussions, please sign in with your Adobe ID.

Scanning file for viruses.

This file cannot be downloaded