Lightroom 2018 CC - Import of photo extremely slow

[katem38098643]

I've been using Lightroom for years, ever since this latest update of the Lightroom 2018 CC, importing photos has become painfully slow. I have not changed anything about my workflow, hardrives, settings, etc. It used to take 10 mins to import a 32GB card, now it takes over an hour or more for only around 60 photos... Is anyone else having this issue? I have not changed any settings for import. Please help Adobe.

[linasjustice]

Try checking the standard preview size in Catalog Settings, mine changed from 2048px to 3840px.
Also when importing try a new feature - "Embedded and Sidecar previews"

[adventure_photo]

Very slow for me too. Also having issues with the current import not showing thumbnails and files as it imports. Shows a few after a bit of time but requires all files to be imported before I can see most of the images. Seems to really slow everything else in lightroom too and there seems to be a delay in doing other things in LR until import is complete. I've been using LR since version 1 and never have seen this issue with importing before. It really becomes painful when importing many images from something like a time lapse sequence with thousands of images.

[Sean Molin]

Same here. Abysmal import speed and it doesn't show more than a couple previews until the entire import is complete.

[bhousto90 · Accepted solution]

I have the same slow import but is most apparent when there are over 50 photos. (under this amount everything seems normal)

Imported 887 photos in LR CC2015.12 in 14 min vs 59min for LR Classic.

Today, I tested an import of the same photos on my laptop running Win 10 that has a slower i7 processor but with more RAM than my desktop PC and it finished the import under 15min. So not sure what is going on with the desktop?

Looks like too many processes are running in parallel and they all get blogged down until the files finish copying then things catch up, but still slower than what previous version of LR could accomplish on the same PC.

I created a bug report on the feedback site a week ago:

LR Classic Problem with previews during import for large volume/slower than LR CC2015.12 | Photoshop...

Add your vote/comments to this report.

[oregonworld]

I have the same problem.  Since Upgrading to LIghtroom Classic this program is almost not usable as a professional tool.  I bought a canon 5d mk iv and the imports take 5x - 10x longer than before.

This is really a set back. 

I sent adobe a bug report and heard nothing.

[katem38098643]

Yep I am still having this problem too, it took 6 hours to upload one card with about 600 images. And still no word from Adobe I contacted them about a month ago. HUGE setback. Hopefully if enough people contact them they might listen. For such an expensive tool we all pay for monthly this is unacceptable.

[jakeegbert]

I experienced the same thing on my PC laptop in late November 2017. It was so slow (approx. 4 seconds per photo) that I bought an iMac thinking it would give me relief from the abysmally slow import process. Nope! Even the iMac is terrible. As it imports the entire folder tree blinks after every single photo download (and this was the same thing that happened on the PC). At the bottom of the hard drive root directory a 'Lightroom' folder now appears briefly and then disappears with each and every photo downloaded. This is new with one of the most recent CC updates and I am convinced it is related to the increased import time. Anyone else noticed the blinking file tree with the new and much worse import process? What used to take a couple of minutes now takes a looong time. We're getting much less efficient work streams, and we need the opposite!

[davidb69914925]

Exceptionally slow for me too. Never used to be like this. Thumbnails in the import dialogue take an absolute age to appear (if they ever do). Sort it out Adobe - we pay you for this product to work!

[pio-foto]

I have the same problem. Hopefully Adobe will respond soon. Otherwise LR is not my preferred tool anymore. Unacceptable performance, if you pay at least 12€/month...

[elcormier]

I am experiencing the same issue. So frustrating. Imports are impossibly slow and at times fail. I am spending hours on work that had Taken a fraction of that time in the past. This issue must be addressed- sooner rather than later.

[Just Shoot Me]

From where and from what are you importing.

Card reader, Camera connected directly, Hard drive?

Start by changing the hardware you are using to get the images from the memory card to the computer hard drive, Cable or card reader.

If connecting the camera to the computer try a card reader or Copy the images from the memory card to the computer hard drive using the File Manager for the OS on your computer then import them.

[elcormier]

I’m importing the images directly from the Sd card via the card reader in my IMac- the exact same way as I have in the past.  nothing in my end has changed other than it now takes an inordinate amount of time. I have had my system gone over by an Apple tech and there is nothing wrong on that end.

[jbinco]

This is absolutely a Lightroom bug.  I have checked all aspects of my own hardware and there is nothing causing the slowness outside of Lightroom. 

[liz_bg1]

I agree. I have a brand spanking new iMac and same hardware I've used in the past and this process has become painfully slow. The import will take HOURS. It will import some files and not others. This NEEDS to be fixed.

[PosadaPhotography]

As I read this.thread on slow import.....I just launched an "Import files at their current location" on a disk with 1.2TB of photos. I hope its done by Monday. 🙂

[jbinco]

This issue has been acknowledged officially by Adobe.  Lightroom Classic: Import is slow after updating | Photoshop Family Customer Community

I was recently informed (in another post regarding a separate issue) that Adobe support does not monitor this forum and all bug reports need to go to https://feedback.photoshop.com/photoshop_family/

[santiagob25545808]

This update destroys my workflow... It work until I import only 274 photos then stops importing all together and super slow. What happened? can you fix this Adobe?

[Rytis Seskaitis]

Same here. Import from card reader is super slow. Importing from HDD is normal I would say.

[Just Shoot Me]

https://forums.adobe.com/people/Rytis+Seskaitis  wrote

Same here. Import from card reader is super slow. Importing from HDD is normal I would say.

Then you may have a faulty card reader or if it is connecting to the computer by a cable a faulty cable.

What option are you using in the import dialg? Copy, Copy as DNG?

[Rytis Seskaitis]

I use copy. Card reader works fine on laptop. But desktop suddenly became extremely slow.

[Just Shoot Me]

Have you tried a different USB port?

If it is a USB 3 reader are you sure you have it connected to a working USB 3 port?

I use one of those direct USB 3 card readers, little thing you stick the card in and has a USB male plug on one end, and imports don't take long at all.

[paulp2355277]

Are you a fanboi?  The issue is real.  It's taking me all night to download 300 images every time.  I have to stop and restart it as it stops after 8 images, then it will do 20. 

[Just Shoot Me]

Then I suggest you start by checking your hardware.

Also try looking at this for a possible solutions.

Issues after updating to Lightroom Classic CC 7.2

You do realize you will catch more flies with Honey than you will with Vinegar.

[gregb80683807]

I came to this forum since I'm having the same import issues. I have tried the work-around to copy directly to my hard drive and importing from there - with the same experience of slowness that all the respondents in this forum have shared.

I have tried the remedy as suggested in the blog post Issues after updating to Lightroom Classic CC 7.2 ... with a slight change in performance - yet buggy - so it appears to be an import glitch with Lightroom classic. It just took 40 minutes to bring in 118 images  - I am accustomed to better than half that time - still not good as it should be.

I am looking forward to a bug fix for this issue.