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Inspiring
May 2, 2022

P: (Mac) Direct Camera Connect fails to show previews in Import Dialog

  • May 2, 2022
  • 75 replies
  • 12537 views

My system has worked perfectly for many years, but I’m encountering strange issues on import in Lr Classic that have recently plagued me. 

 

When importing via a plugged in thunderbolt cable into my R5s:

- image previews no longer load into the thumbnails, or will load dramatically slower and one at a time. (Whereas they used to snap into each empty thumbnail cells immediately)

- sometimes it will show no photos to import (which was frightening the first few times to see). I’ll cancel and reopen the import prompt which usually works after the second or third try.

- sometimes import window will show photos from other shoot days but not my most recent images. I’ll cancel the import prompt and reopen. Often it’ll all load in after a few tries.

- If I get through these issues, the most difficult part is actually importing. Import can take 5 minutes before starting, if I’m lucky. (It used to start within 10 seconds.) Two out of three times the import completely fails to start. 

 

 

Other details: 

- This seems to happen with all three of my Canon R5s

- I’m encountering this issue on my Mac Studio running Ventura 13.3.1

- My Lr Classic (v. 12.3) catalogues and previews are stored on my internal HD

- My photos are stored on a 70TB OWC Thunderbay. (I switched from Drobo 8D fairly recently)

- The same R5 and imported photos load like normal on my MBP when imported. 

- This is happening with multiple LrC catalogues

- This issue started happening for a few weeks, prior to updating to the latest Lr Classic

 

 

Since this issue is happening with multiple catalogs and cameras, I was thinking it was either with my Mac Studio that stores the catalogues, or my OWC Thunderbay external since it stores the photos. However since this issue seems to happen before I technically need to select the destination drive, now I’m thinking the issue is my computer where Lr is running. 

 

Could this be a RAM problem? Has anyone encountered this issue before? 

 

Any ideas based are greatly appreciated since importing after a shoot has gone from taking 10 minutes of my times to 2 hrs. Hopefully this can help others too.

This topic has been closed for replies.

75 replies

Participant
October 10, 2023

@touheyphoto You likely have a different issue than what this thread describes. This particular bug was fixed in 12.5. If you had this bug, the method of downloading didn't matter. (There would have been no preview regardless you're connected by a cable or via a card reader.) The speed didn't matter. (There would have been no preview. Ever.) If you're slowly seeing previews, then it's likely a different issue. Hope you can get it sorted out soon.

Inspiring
October 10, 2023

Just want to follow up. It's been over 4 months since my original post and I'm still encountering this issue. 

 

I've had to resort to a workaround that, well, works, but has greatly affected my producitivty. 

 

I'm running LR Classic 12.5 and was hoping the issue would be address, as some users made it seem it had. For me, LrC is still not loading preview thumbs (before imrport) at the normal speed, if at all. The import I'm testing right now has 12 images I'm importing at the recent end of a card with 1000 images. The first chunk of previews loaded, then eventually all after quiting out re entering the import window and waiting 5 minutes. Eventually they loaded and now that the import is started, it's hanging as I write this. I've been waiting 12 minutes for something that takes my CF card reader 8 seconds. 

 

That's been my workaround: using a CF card reader connected via thunderbolt cable. It takes longer, I have to actually handle the cards now and not confuse them between my 3 identical camera bodies. And then I have to pop the batteries out too since I'm not getting the charging capability that importing via thnderbolt to camera gives you.

 

What's the status with others here? 

Inspiring
September 11, 2023

Just a note that I'm updated to 12.5 and still encountering this issue with all of my Canon R5s. My only workaround is still using the card reader, adding extra steps. 

Matthias24031869la1o
Participant
September 1, 2023

I had the same problem with LRC 12.5 and MacOS 13.5.1: No previews on import from SD card or camera.    

Try this: Check if your system settings allow LRC to access removable volumes (e.g. SD card or camera) too.

 

johnrellis
Legend
August 31, 2023

"I insert my SD card directly into my imac. Previews are not created on import. Only workaround I have found is to go to develop module and click on individual grey boxes to find images which then show up. Very frustrating."

 

I think you're experiencing a different problem than described in this thread. I recommend you start a new thread in Discussions with more detail about what you're seeing, and include full-resolution screenshots (not phone pics) of the entire Import window and then Library after the import completes.  Also do the LR menu command Help > System Info and copy/paste the entire contents here so we can see exactly which versions of hardware and software LR thinks you're running and important LR options that are set.

Participant
August 31, 2023

This is not just a cable connect problem. I insert my SD card directly into my imac. Previews are not created on import.

Only workaround I have found is to go to develop module and click on individual grey boxes to find images which then show up. Very frustrating.

dw24154351
Known Participant
August 17, 2023

Following the Help menu link, What's new is still showing June 26, 2023 12.4 details at the top. Nothing for 12.5 yet.

 

https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-classic/help/whats-new.html

markusa95411370
Participating Frequently
August 17, 2023

Confirming that Lightroom Classic 12.5 fixes the import preview bug on my machine running macOS 13.4

Participant
August 17, 2023

Confirming that Lightroom Classic 12.5 fixes the import preview bug on my machine running macOS 13.4 (Ventura).

dw24154351
Known Participant
August 17, 2023

I can confirm that the LrC 12.5 update fixes the Import preview bug on Mac (Monterey).

Also fixes the Photoshelter upload plugin bug that appeared along with LrC 12.4.

Double "Yay!"