CF Express Card treated like Hard Disk

Report · Sep 29, 2020

Recently started using CF Express cards (with USB card reader) and LR Classic seems to treat them differently from the CF and SD cards I've used previously:

LRC no longer remembers my last-used Import Preset (please note: bottom of Import dialog, NOT "metadata preset"). Unlike CF or SD cards, I have to re-select this every time.
It also doesn't pre-highlight the newly-inserted card on the left side (Source) panel of the Import dialog. I have to manually click on the drive letter for the CF Express card.
Once highlighted, it doesn't see any subfolder of the CF Express card (unlike CF or SD). I have to manually click the "Select Subfolders" button every time.
Finally, the option to Eject when finished is not available for CF Express cards.

Besides just being annoying - these differences are making my import workflow slower and more error-prone.

Basically, I think this is all due to Windows 10 seeing the CF Express card as a removable Hard Drive - NOT as a memory card. I will continue to research this issue on the Windows side. In the meantime - any workarounds on the LR Classic side? Thanks!

Report · Jul 08, 2021

Photo Mechanic auto ejects the card so it is possible. Adobe just has to figure it out.

Report · May 13, 2024

It's not os as lightroom can import in photos and sees as normal I've gone through screen share with Apple it's Adobe and I went through screen share with them and they are stuck and said you move not add that way the cards work they are fast ssd storage devices so it's not system errors but a program in lightroom that need updating to load same was as sd card

Report · Jul 28, 2021

Hi.

I have the same problem except my memory card is a CFast 2.0 card and a SanDisk USB-reader.

For what it's worth, my workaround is to connect the camera to my mac and import directly from the camera. When doing this LRC works the way I want it to. It remembers my last used settings, chooses the correct import-folder and applies the correct settings. And I don't have to worry about DCIM and subfolders and all that stuff.

Given, it is not my preferred solution, but it works. And it is as fast as my card reader as my camera has a USB 3.0 connection.

Report · Jul 28, 2021

As a fellow community member, I would ask you to post your own discussion. Normally I would point out that the original posting is a year old, so many might not notice your addition. Also, I would point out that many members see adding to another persons posting as bad behaviour (especially if old, and very specifically if not absolutely identical) (note: in thefeedback site, the opposit would be true, add add add, get attention) Now the above discussion does not yet have a solution, but had it so,then many members would not see your addition at all.

BUT

But, as of today, I will ask you to post your own discussion because as of recently, as in the last two week, actual Adobe Employee interaction in these community pages has picked up, it used to be very rare, and it used to be a canned reply (something like what version of LrC, what OS, have you tried resetting the preferences file)

As of today (or is that last night) a huge improvement occurred as an actual Adobe team leader got involved with the site and gave actual pro reply.

So, if you post your own discussion, you might actualy get a reply by Adobe.(cross fingers)

Report · Jul 28, 2021

When you post your own discussion, include LrC version, OS version, memory card Mfg, and how you are using that card (in card reader basically)

Report · Apr 16, 2022

Any updates on this? I have 2 Lexar CF cards, one deletes the images after import and one doesn't. They were bought only a couple months apart, cards are supposed to be the same.

Report · Feb 23, 2023

Thank you for sharing, as I have found your comment helpful and thoughtful. Ignore the h8ers. lol

Report · Sep 05, 2022

Add me to the list of people waiting for a solution. I'm running macOS Monterey 12.5.1 on Mac Studio and Macbook Pro. Just bought a Nikon Z7 II so this is my first experience with the CFexpress cards. Can't believe this has been going on for 2 years with no solution from Microsoft, Apple, or Adobe.

Report · Sep 06, 2022

It has nothing to do with your Mac or Windows operating system—CFExpress cards have a chip that do not render them recognizable as a memory card, only as a drive. Connecting your camera directly with a cable should work around this issue. Hassle that it is.

Report · Sep 06, 2022

thanks for the info

Report · Sep 06, 2022

Connecting directly through a USB card adapter (you don't need a card reader for XQD/CFExpress as they have a direct interface that you can bridge over USB) is many (typically 4x at least) times faster than the USB interface even on recent cameras (they all skimp on the chips they use in their USB interfaces). So that might be a reason to still use the direct card connection and just make sure you always have copy selected instead of add.

Report · Sep 06, 2022

Jao vdL wrote:

(you don't need a card reader for XQD/CFExpress as they have a direct interface that you can bridge over USB)

What does this mean - not needing a card reader? How else would you connect a CFExpress card to your computer?

In my case (Windows 10, ProGrade Digital dual card-reader) - the CFExpress card identifies itself to Windows as a SCSI Disk Device, while the SD card identifies as a USB Device. Presumably this is the fundamental difference that causes Adobe to treat the CFExpress card as a disk drive, not a memory card. Screen snip from Windows Device Manager:

I wonder if this is always the case with CFExpress cards and readers, or whether this is just how ProGrade Digital has chosen to implement their reader.

EDIT: just checked with a different card-reader (Unitek CFExpress) - and it also identifies to Windows as a SCSI Disk Device.

Report · Feb 23, 2023

I missed this reply earlier. XQD and CFExpress don't need a bunch of specialized chips to connect through USB. the protocol is part of the USB standard and Windows and Macs have this support built in. So CFExpress and XQD card readers can be made extremely cheaply. I use a simple Sony USB adapater on my XQD cards (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BV2V77K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) that is crazy fast easily doing 500 Mbytes/s and contains barely any electronics and was only $10! Works great even ingesting images to my iPad with USB-c and way faster than directly using USB-c to my Nikon Z-series camera. The same is true for CFExpress cards although manufacturers just call them card readers instead of adapters to not confuse people. Bottom line is that these look to the operating system like directly attached disk drives because of this. This makes everything faster but it does lead to Lightroom not recognizing them as removable.

Report · Feb 23, 2023

I missed this reply earlier. XQD and CFExpress don't need a bunch of specialized chips to connect through USB. the protocol is part of the USB standard and Windows and Macs have this support built in. So CFExpress and XQD card readers can be made extremely cheaply. I use a simple Sony USB adapater on my XQD cards (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01BV2V77K/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) that is crazy fast easily doing 500 Mbytes/s and contains barely any electronics and was only $10! Works great even ingesting images to my iPad with USB-c and way faster than directly using USB-c to my Nikon Z-series camera. The same is true for CFExpress cards although manufacturers just call them card readers instead of adapters to not confuse people. Bottom line is that these look to the operating system like directly attached disk drives because of this. This makes everything faster but it does lead to Lightroom not recognizing them as removable.
By @Jao vdL

No debate that CFExpress is so much faster & better in most regards. But it's still a royal pain (almost 3 years later) that Lightroom cannot remember my previous import settings with CFExpress cards, like it does with "real" removable cards. Just remembering the last-used Import Preset for each device would go a long way - whether that device is considered "removable" or not.

Report · Feb 23, 2023

In general the inability of Lightroom Classic to remember import settings is a royal pain. Not just with CFExpress XQD cards. It regularly forgets my import destination and I always have to remember to check that. It never forgets about the copy setting for me though. It is always the destination it forgets. This is just badly programmed overall.

Report · Nov 11, 2022

I'm having a similar issue. CF type B is appearing as an external drive so when I click "Import" it leave the files on the memory card and when I remove it the files are no longer available. I.e. the normal 'import' feature doesnt work. Did you ever find a work-around? I can plug in my camera, but I'd prefer not use the reader.

Report · Nov 11, 2022

I'm having a similar issue. CF type B is appearing as an external drive so when I click "Import" it leave the files on the memory card and when I remove it the files are no longer available. I.e. the normal 'import' feature doesnt work. Did you ever find a work-around? I can plug in my camera, but I'd prefer not use the reader.

By @Africadunc

Workaround is to import using COPY.

Report · Dec 10, 2023

Great, thanks. I will give that a try.

Report · Dec 09, 2023

I did some research, and this worked. When importing, you will have to locate where the files are first (obviously). When importing, at the very top of the screen "add" will be highlighted. Change that from "add" to "copy". Here is the link to the article I found. I hope it helps. Lightroom Classic and CFexpress Cards - Lightroom Killer Tips

Report · Dec 10, 2023

I just get LR to convert all images to DNG on import and I have no problems importing direct from the card.

Report · Dec 10, 2023

The problem isn't importing. The problem is - after importing the CFexpress card WILL NOT eject from the system.

Report · Dec 10, 2023

I was having the same problem with LrC treating my CFExpress card as an external hard drive, however, I just purchased a new macbook pro (M3 max) and no longer have the problem. Obviously not a solution to the problem in general, but interesting that the upgrade in Mac (previously working on an imac 27" 2020) solved the issue for me.