Before View Issue

[gwsexton425]

The before view (\) no longer displays the original untouched image. Only changes after the initial import.

So if a preset ("Develop Setting") was applied when importing, the "before" view displays the preset already applied.

[Per Berntsen]

As far as I know, this is how the Before view always has worked.

It can only go as far back as the first step in History, and if this step includes applying a preset, it will be displayed.

Not exactly related to your question, but it is possible to right click any step in History, choose Copy history step settings to Before and use it for the Before view.

[richardplondon]

The editing History of the image begins with the first image state seen after import completes. By default, Before view will show you this as-imported image state (though Before can be set to show you some different image state instead). Anything applied during import (however that is done) was self-evidently not applied after import. Only edit steps carried out after import show as successive (recallable) image states, and the Catalog can do this only because those edits happened 'on its watch'.

All that said, one can see just the current default processing for a given image (the same as if a particular preset had not been chosen to additionally apply during import) by using Reset. The image remembers its edited state and provided this is your next action you can return straight to that using the History panel.

Alternatively you can make a Virtual Copy of the edited image, Reset all processing on the Virtual Copy, then compare and contrast these two versions side by side. 

[Bob Somrak]

Just using RESET may not get you back to the image without the import settings being applied.  RESET just resets the image to the imported state.  There are two  included presets in LrC and one sets the image to Adobe Default and is called ADOBE DEFAULT and is located in the Default preset section.  I placed this in Favorites and turned off the Default section.  The other is Zeroed and it is in the Classic-General preset section.  This sets all sliders to zero.