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Question

Raw files - using external storage on mobile devices

Forum|Forum|3 years ago
October 18, 2022
8 replies
3141 views

Been using Lightroom Classic for years. And as far as I know, it creates previews and when I disconnect the drive (or move the folder) where the original raw files are, I wont be able to either continue editing or export.

I am now learning how to use Lightroom CC on an iPad. And something is driving me crazy: I had the wifi disconnected (so no sync to the cloud), I connected my SSD that contains Raw images to the iPad and opened Lightroom. Now I told Lightroom what images to import. I then tried something..I disconnected my SSD to see if, just like Lightroom Classic, It would give me a warning that the original files were missing. But it didn't. Lightroom CC allowed me to continue my editing and even to export the file into my iPad. So the thing I don't understand is where are those Raw files stored on the Ipad? I checked the File folder but nothing is in there. Then how can I continue to edit and even export?

Hope it makes sense and thanks in advance for your help.

(Thread title edited by Moderator)

iPadOS

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JohanElzenga

Community Expert

Lightroom for iPad cannot use external storage. It uses its own storage (with for iOS apps is part of the app package) for as long as the image has not been uploaded to the cloud.

-- Johan W. Elzenga

A

andreac1450472Author

Participant

Thanks JohanElzenga

So when I import the images from an SD card or SSD drive, the app copies the full res raw files into lightroom "hidden" catalog, then once I'm connected to the internet it'll upload the raw files to the cloud and what I'll see is the smart preview? Freeing some space on the iPad storage? Is that correct ?

JohanElzenga

Community Expert

Thanks JohanElzenga

So when I import the images from an SD card or SSD drive, the app copies the full res raw files into lightroom "hidden" catalog, then once I'm connected to the internet it'll upload the raw files to the cloud and what I'll see is the smart preview? Freeing some space on the iPad storage? Is that correct ?

By @andreac1450472

Yes, provided that you have turned on the option in Lightroom for iPad to only download smart previews. You may have to manually clear the cache to free up the space (that's in the Lightroom for iPad settings too).

-- Johan W. Elzenga

selondon

Community Expert

The Lightroom Cloud Based Ecosystem (Desktop, Mobile, Web) works in a different way to Lightroom Classic.

When using Classic, the photos are stored on HD with only references to the location, and edits stored with Classic's Catalog ( a Classic user can explain this better).

When using the the Lightroom Cloud ecosystem, photos get imported into the app and uploaded to the Cloud http://lightroom.adobe.com/.

Lightroom Mobile (Phones/ Tablets) and Lightoom Desktop automatically clear space by removing full resolution files from its internal 'invisble' Catalog when required (as they should have synced safely to the Cloud) whilst keeping Smart Previews or Thumbnails on the device.

A

andreac1450472Author

Participant

Thanks selondon.

But when I uploaded the raw file, I was not connected to the internet, so the raw file was not uploaded to the cloud. And I also disconnected my SSD from the Ipad. I then edited and exported a jpg file anyway. Does that mean that I was editing a lower resolution of my raw file, or I was actually editing the raw file that it was stored in the 'invisible' internal Catalog? How is that possible?

How would I then use Lightroom Cloud based on an Ipad if I am somewhere without an internet connection?

Thanks

selondon

Community Expert

Yes, the RAW would have been imported into the App

itself (thus the App taking up

more space on your device), so you were editing and exporting from that.

When travelling for instance, every photo you import into Lightroom Mobile will take up more space on device, until the photos can sync to the Cloud, when it will use its own space management (or you can manually clear cache once synced).

It doesn't work like Classic where photos are 'linked to the Catalog'.
When using Lightroom Mobile or Desktop they are imported into and are physically part of the Catalog, prior to uploading to the Cloud.

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