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vcina
Participant
July 2, 2017
Answered

Lightroom Mobile Import and convert to DNG

  • July 2, 2017
  • 5 replies
  • 8230 views

I use a Nikon DSLR and iPad Pro with Lightroom CC.  When I import my RAW (.NEF) files using the iPad Camera Connection Kit, it creates the .NEF and associated .xmp files.  If there a way to tell Lightroom Mobile to convert the RAW files to .DNG files upon import, as I do in the desktop version of Lightroom?

      This topic has been closed for replies.
      Correct answer Akash Sharma

      Hi vcina,

      Being a mobile this feature would take a lot of system resources.

      You get the raw files into LR Desktop, sync the collection, and LR Desktop then sends smart previews to the cloud, which is what the iPad reads. Lightroom mobile is not designed to directly import raw files and then convert them into DNG.

      Thanks,

      Akash

      5 replies

      S
      sidaths
      Participating Frequently
      September 4, 2022

      This is the last issue left before I move my mobile editing process over to Lightroom. I can't believe that this hasn't been resolved after being requested many years ago. It's bad enough that  Adobe missed out such a basic use case at requirements capture...

      DdeGannes
      Community Expert
      DdeGannesCommunity Expert
      Community Expert
      September 5, 2022

      Post an idea request on the Lightroom ecosystem forum, this is Lightroom Classic Forum.

       

      Regards, Denis: iMac 27” mid-2015, macOS 11.7.10 Big Sur; 2TB SSD, 24 GB Ram, GPU 2 GB; LrC 12.5,; Lr 6.5, PS 24.7,; ACR 15.5,; (also Laptop Win 11, ver 24H2, LrC 15.0.1, PS 27.0; ) Camera Oly OM-D E-M1.
      D
      defaultk8bxr2pfm9fk
      Participant
      May 16, 2022

      And there is still no solution.

       

      Come on Adobe! Why do we have still have to wait for this feature?

        Bob Somrak
        Bob Somrak
        Legend
        May 16, 2022

        Ipad Pros now can be purchased with 2TB so storage space in Lightroom Mobile for large photo files is no longer an issue if you really need it.  

        M4 Pro Mac Mini. 48GB
        davidl35781049
        davidl35781049
        Participant
        June 5, 2021

        This is even more of an issue for Sony, which only supports uncompressed 85MB-120MB files if you want lossless. Imagine the time it takes to upload those to the cloud at a hotel, and the storage they take on your iPad. Then divide that in half with onboard DNG ccoversion.

          J
          Community Expert
          Jao vdLCommunity Expert
          Community Expert
          April 25, 2021

          Conversion to dng is a trivial recompression that iPad Pros can easily handle. 

            Akash Sharma
            Akash SharmaCorrect answer
            Legend
            July 12, 2017

            Hi vcina,

            Being a mobile this feature would take a lot of system resources.

            You get the raw files into LR Desktop, sync the collection, and LR Desktop then sends smart previews to the cloud, which is what the iPad reads. Lightroom mobile is not designed to directly import raw files and then convert them into DNG.

            Thanks,

            Akash

            M
            M O J O
            Participant
            July 25, 2017

            Well I disagree ... new iPad Pro is more desktop than mobile, so I miss DNG conversion too - I'm moving to use iPad only. System resources is not a problem when iPad is on power supply - you could warn your users.

            Please do not hold back on features for Lightroom for iOS - before you know it, Affinity have overtaken you (as they did with Photo/Photoshop) with their version of Lightroom ... and then I will reconsider my Adobe subscription.

            I want Adobe to be king of both desktop and tablets - so please begin being serious on tablets! I can buy full version of Affinity Photo and Affinity Designer (when it comes out) for what a single month of Adobe CC cost me add a 2TB iCloud subscription and all I'm missing is a powerfull iPad Lightroom kinda app ... then I'm no longer an Adobe customer ... so please do not underestimate the power of tablets (or mobile devices as you call it).

              V
              vcinaAuthor
              Participant
              July 25, 2017

              I must agree with M O J O.  The more I thought about the answer by Akash Sharma on Jul 12, 2017 8:21 AM

              … the less I liked it.

              My Nikon D7100 is set to store only RAW (.NEF) files.  I import them into my iPad Pro via the Apple SD <-> Lightning USB3 adaptor (via Photos).  I'm not sure if this import, via Photos, keeps the files in RAW format or converts them to JPEG.  In either case, I was able to edit them via Lightroom mobile and that edit operation produced .NEF and their associated .XMP 'side-car' files. The results of the Lightroom mobile edits were sent to the Adobe creative cloud as .NEF / .XMP raw file pairs and appeared in Desktop Lightroom CC as RAW files.  Thus, Lightroom Mobile produced RAW files as a result of it's edit operations.

              If Lightroom mobile can create RAW files, there is no reason it does not have enough processing / memory capability to import RAW files directly and, optionally,e convert them to DNG format during import.

              I agree with M O J O, "Please do not hold back on features for Lightroom for iOS". 

              Please add the ability to directly import RAW photos in Lightroom mobile, and optionally convert the to DNG during import.

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