How do I sort photos from multiple cameras by capture time?

[Arktog]

So on my last wedding photography project we had almost 4 different cameras shooting. One D750, one Z6II, One Mark IV and one 6D Mark II. When I import all of these photos in a single catalogue and hit "sort by capture time" what lightroom does is sort the photos by capture date from each camera separtely. That means First It'll sort by capture time the photos from my D750 and then My Z6II. So If I click 500 Photos from my D750 and 500  from my Z6II, Then Two photos taken at the same time from both of these cameras will so far apart in the catalogue. I hope I was able to explain the situation. Please suggest a fix for this in the latest lightroom classic.

[JohanElzenga]

This is not how it should work. Sorting by capture time is sorting by capture time, regardless of the camera. Did you perhaps stack the photos by camera? In that case the stacks are sorted, not the individual photos.

[Arktog]

All the RAW files are in their own folders. For example D750 Files are in a Folder marked D750 and so on. And then I drag all these folders into Lightroom. And then whichever photo I need I mark it as 5 star. And then create a smart collection of 5 star photos. Are you saying that all of the RAW photos need to be in a single folder only and then only it'll show photos taken at the same time next to each other regardless of camera?

[JohanElzenga]

No, I am not saying that. If you look at the photos in a (smart) collection, then it is irrelevant where they are stored. Just set the sort order of the collection to capture time and all the images should be sorted by capture time, regardless of the camera. Mind you: each collection or folder can have its own sort order, so you do have to set that sort order for the smart collection. Perhaps you did not do that yet.

[Arktog]

All of the photos in every folder is set to sort by Capture time. Especially in my smart collection. Still It is sorting by capture time camera by camera.

[tmickow]

Some screenshots of what you're seeing/doing might help.

[johnrellis]

[This post contains formatting and embedded images that don't appear in email. View the post in your Web browser.]

To build on tmickow's suggestion, a screenshot would quickly clarify exactly what you're seeing and what's going on, so we don't have to play 20 questions. Please do exactly this:

1. Do the menu command View > View Options.

2. Set Show Grid Extras to Compact Cells.

3. In Compact Cell Extras, check Index Number and select File Name and Capture Date/Time, as shown below:

3. Go To Library Grid view and scroll until you see the photos from one of the cameras. Post here a full-resolution screenshot of the entire LR window.

4 Scroll until you see the photos from another of the cameras. Post here a second full-resolution screenshot of the entire LR window.

[richardplondon]

Collections, and Smart Collections, in effect disregard whatever folder any image lives in. And the sorting order you may have chosen when viewing that folder .

They have, as explained, their own distinct sort-order options - for you to select.

It is still worth veryifying these various cameras' clocks were sychronised, and also that there are not timezone-related offsets shifting what time and date is reported.

[Arktog]

I will definitely check the camera times next time we shoot. It may have been this issue.

[richardplondon]

If it does turn out that these cameras' times were not synchronised, you can apply a correction to all the photos from one camera after the fact, to bring them into coincidence with another camera's photos. The tool inside LrC works well for this: you highlight a lot of images and then correct the time and date for whichever is the active one. The other images highlighted are NOT all changed to this same date and time - they all receive the same amount of corrective offset, either forward or backward in time.

[redsonya66@yahoo.com]

Arktog, did you ever get this issue resolved? I'm now having the same issue where LR Classic is sorting by camera, not capture time. And I synced both camera clocks prior to shooting.

[Aleke]

Hi redsonya66@yahoo.com! Welcome to the community! 
Since this thread is a bit old, it might be best to start a new one with all the details of your issue. That way, your comments won't get lost and you'll get the help you need more quickly. Thanks a bunch!
Cheers, Alek

[ManiacJoe]

The way I get around the multi-camera names is by renaming the files using the format

yyyymmdd_hhmmss_nnnn

where the timestamp is the EXIF creation date and nnnn is the original file number.

(I don't do this in LR, but LR knows how to do it.)

When shooting only one camera, I will leave out the hhmmss.

Prior to the shoot I sync the clocks on the cameras to within 1 second.

Prior to the shoot I format all the cards in the cameras and reset the file numbers to 1.

This gives me unique file names across all shoots and gives me sorting by name = sort by date, which can be helpful when sort by date may not be working for all file viewers.

[JohanElzenga]

I rename too, but that does not answer the question. You should be able to sort images by capture time, regardless of the camera. And regardless of the file name.

[Bob Somrak]

The cameras probably have the clocks set differently.