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Karawr92
Participant
August 22, 2017
Answered

Lightroom 6 loses files during DNG conversion

  • August 22, 2017
  • 3 replies
  • 415 views

I haven't found an answer to this yet but my current issue is with Lightroom 6's DNG conversion. I have had this issue in the past and it stopped but has recently started again. I did update Lightroom so it is completely up to date and still giving me issues.

So here's what it's doing:

I go to import my Nikon raw files from a folder on my laptop. I have it so Lightroom converts them to DNG while adding them to my library. For whatever reason, during the conversion Lightroom "loses" my files. While it is trying to convert each file will have the dreaded exclamation point in the corner where it says it is missing. I have not moved my files or changed their names, nor have I moved or changed my catalog name. I then go into my catalog to find all the new DNG files are there, as if Lightroom has created them, but they appear as NEF in my Lightroom catalog. If I try to reimport the files into Lightroom a second time, it somehow is able to but makes a SECOND DNG file with a -2 on the end, similar to "DSC_000-2". If I delete the DNG files from my catalog and try the process again it still does not work.

I am getting super frustrated with this. i did update my laptop last night but have yet to see if that made a difference, because it hasn't in the past. I am running a MacBook Pro 2015 model i7 16GB ram 256GB flash storage. I find that Lightroom doesn't do this every time I try to import, but only every so often. I have restarted the program and my computer to no avail.

Is there a reason my Lightroom seems to lose the files as it is importing them?

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer Karawr92

Okay, I figured it out.

Apparently because I'm using the same catalog, the older photos I have from my 750 have the same name as my newer photos I am importing off my 7500. The images were not converting to .DNG because they're already in my catalog.

Guess I just have to make sure to rename all my files from my 7500 so this doesn't happen again!

3 replies

Karawr92
Karawr92AuthorCorrect answer
Participant
August 22, 2017

Okay, I figured it out.

Apparently because I'm using the same catalog, the older photos I have from my 750 have the same name as my newer photos I am importing off my 7500. The images were not converting to .DNG because they're already in my catalog.

Guess I just have to make sure to rename all my files from my 7500 so this doesn't happen again!

Karawr92
Karawr92Author
Participant
August 22, 2017

Update: I am currently running the conversion process to see if it works.

So far, it has only converted part of the photos, and the rest are showing the exclamation point in the corner. It seems the photos aren't like, linked....as far as changing the .NEF to .DNG. I can see that it did convert them all to .DNG's, but they do not show in LR as .DNG, but still show as the raw file.

I clicked the exclamation point on the .NEF file, found the .DNG file in my catalog, and tried to click that to see if it would recognize that that is the .DNG file it had converted the .NEF file to, but LR says that the filename I am trying to click on is associated with a different photo.

I am super frustrated and need to edit these photos in the next day or so....SOS

JP Hess
Inspiring
August 22, 2017

Are you aware that Lightroom first imports the NEF files and then begins the conversion to DNG after the import is complete? It's a two-step process, so if you try to import again, that is why you are getting a second DNG with that -2. You need to slow down just a bit and give Lightroom time to get the job done.

Karawr92
Karawr92Author
Participant
August 22, 2017

Yes, I know it is a two step process. I only try to import a second time after I wait for it to complete the first import but none of the photos show up as DNG in Lightroom.