Importing CR2 files ... Have I done it wrong?

[hgholtz]

Lightroom Classic on Win 11, 32GB RAM and a hobby photographer.

I see on my Catalogue I have been using LR since 2008. I mainly (±80%) shoot wildlife. Ever since then I have shot in RAW with my Canon cameras which saved photos as CR2. I've always imported them: Copy as DNG. I must have done a tutorial those days telling me to do it like this.

I now also have a Nikons Coolpix P950 and shoot in RAW as well.

What is the best/recommended way to import RAW photos so I can make fulle use of all AI and other presets? I only use LR Classic for photo editing.

Thanks.

[dj_paige]

There is no "best", and I don't think there is a "recommended" method either. However you have been doing things ought to work just as well with CR2 and work with AI.

[KR Seals]

Same as you do now. Just skip the convert to DNG part. That means, in the Import dialog, top of the screen, choose Copy, then in the panels on the right, Rename Files and Create/Choose the drive and folders where you want the image files to be saved to.

[hgholtz]

Thank you very much. Appreciate your reply. I will then in future not convert.

[fzmuhammad · Accepted solution]

Hey there, sounds like you’ve built a solid workflow over the years! Importing as DNG was a popular recommendation in the past, especially for smaller file sizes and compatibility. But nowadays, Lightroom Classic handles most native RAW formats (like Canon’s CR2 and Nikon’s NRW) just fine — even better if you're leveraging AI-based tools and masking.

For best compatibility with new AI presets and features, I’d suggest importing as original RAW files instead of converting to DNG. Adobe's AI tools now work seamlessly across most modern formats. You’ll also retain full metadata and camera profiles.

[hgholtz]

Thanks very much. I learn every day.