P: Photos imported twice every time

[marct22284924]

Somehow when I import photos from my camera, Lightroom duplicates all of them and creates a "...-2.jpg" file for every single photo.

Both sets of photos show up in the library and in "develop". I have to sort them out and delete all the "...-2.jpg" files.

How do I stop this function? Thank you.

[Pablo5CB1]

Same problem here.

4 Items in the card, 8 in the import menu. Names are identical.

[MindStormPhoto]

Lightroom bug of duplicating import images???

I have a Sony 7R3 and 7R4. I shoot only RAW, and import into LR Classic 11.3 with RAW import 14.3. This has worked well for years.

However, recently, SOME imports (not all, sometimes on the 7R3 and sometimes on the 7R4, with no pattern I have discerned), every image is duplicated in LR...?

That is, one image will be xx_001, then the exact same image will be xx_002. The next image (second on the SD card) will be both image xx_003 AND xx_004, etc.

When this happens, I have to scroll through all the images, rejecting every second image, then deleting all rejected images. Needless to say, on an import of 1000 images, that is a RPITA... 

Is this a known bug on the current version of LR? I think this started with the latest update, though I cannot be absolutely sure of that. We are now traveling in Albania, so I don't have all my tools from home to investigate further.

Oh yes, this is on a 2019 Macbook Pro, fully maxed out, running OSX 12.3.1.

Also, there are about 4000 images in the current catalog. This started happening on my main catalog of 400,000 images, so I broke off, started a new catalog, and have 4000 from the past week of traveling (Turkey, Bosnia, Montenegro, Albania, Kosovo). Same behavior in both catalogs.

[Walt Thirion Photography]

Not sure what you mean by RAW import 14.3. I assume you mean Camera Raw v14.3 but that has nothing to do with import.

I've done several imports over the past week and have not seen this problem but I'm not a Sony shooter so it may be something specific with how Sony is storing the files on the memory card.

When you say you "shoot only RAW", are you sure you haven't somehow enabled storing both raw and jpgs on the memory card. When I updated the firmware in my GFX camera one time, it reset that setting to "Raw + JPG" and I ended up with both on the memory card.

If you do have both raw and jpgs on the card, there is a setting in LrC under General -> Import Options on whether LrC should treat JPG files next to raw files as separate photos. Make sure that option is NOT checked.

Also, during import, if you haven't removed previously imported photos from the memory card, make sure you check the "don't import duplicates" option in the import dialog.

[MindStormPhoto]

1) Yes, Camera Raw 14.3.  Info given to be as complete as possible, and not need to answer "what version of xxx do you have?" type of questions.

2) Yes, I shoot only RAW. No JPG.  I just verified the Sony menu again, and it shows RAW as the format.  (not RAW+JPG)

3) I format my cards after every import, once Time Machine has run for a backup.  Regardless, I am talking about the exact same image showing up in the "current import" collection twice.  First SD image shows up in LRC as xxx_image01 AND xxx_image02, second SD image as xx_image03 AND xx_image04, etc.  That would not be the behavior if I was importing old images again due to a non-formatted card (I have done the re-import rarely when forgetting to format the card -- very different behavior).

When I posted this question on Facebook, there were almost immediately 5 other people who said they had the exact same problem occasionally.  Thus, this is not "just me."  It does not happen every time for me either. Last night's import was fine. The day before had both cards (My 7R4 and my wife's 7R3) do this "every image twice" problem.

[Walt Thirion Photography]

Only other "easy" thing I can think of is in the import dialog there is an option to make a second copy of the imported images and, if that is somehow getting set and is pointing to the Sam folder, it may explain the second copy but I don't think the second copy is renamed. Long shot but wanted to mention it. 

LrC, like most Adobe products is getting more complex over the years and I've seen "interesting" behavior usually caused by a bug/unintended consequence of Adobe's attempt to improve some feature. 

Best bet would be to take screenshots and note settings when you import to try to narrow down what may be causing the anomaly. Intermittent issues are the hardest to debug so the more info the better

[TheDigitalDog]

1) Yes, Camera Raw 14.3.

Sorry but very confusing. You are in the Lightroom forum and speak of importing then say you're using Camera Raw v14.3. 

What product are you using? If Camera Raw, what do you mean by importing? 

[MindStormPhoto]

Nope. Not second copy. I am pretty thorough in checking LRC import settings.  I did that (make second copy) a few years ago when traveling, to a second SSD as a means of backup.  Now I just make one copy to the internal drive (my current laptop has 8TB internal SSD), and then use Time Machine to a SSD when traveling (as I am now in Albania).

This behavior is recent, and sporadic. That is, a month ago it never happened. This past week it happens more often than not, but still not on every import.

I posted this identical question (in fact, this is copied from that post) on Matt Klowkowski's Facebook forum.  Within a couple hours, 5 others said it sometimes happened to them too, and nobody had any solution.  One person claimed that Adobe is aware of the issue but has no fix.  One person on a PC claimed he has never seen the problem.  Matt just said (paraphrase) "something ain't right. LRC should not do that. Contact Adobe."

[Walt Thirion Photography]

Another long shot. Are you importing from the camera or are you taking the memory card out of the camera and using a card reader. I have a vague memory of an issue where images could be duplicated when importing directly from the camera. Don't remember the details but it was something like seeing the camera as a device and the camera's memory card as a separate "drive" and importing from both. It was addressed by selecting the memory card in the files section of the left side import dialog rather than the device

as I said, a long shot but just trying to help narrow it down

[MindStormPhoto]

Not sure why it is confusing at all?  I am importing into Lightroom Classic.

I merely listed the Camera RAW version for completeness.  Way too many questions get responses of "what version of xxx are you using?"  I simply listed every software that could conceivably be involved.  Though I do not know that Camera RAW is involved in importing, I do not know that it is not either, since my Sony RAW are converted to Adobe RAW (aka DNG) in the import process.

[Rob_Cullen]

"converted to Adobe RAW (aka DNG) in the import process."

This 'rings a bell' for me! Duplicates happened for me (Some time ago) with Windows OS.

Noted that others are reporting the duplicates esp with Mac systems.!

The situation was this as I undertand how it happened to me-

1) I Imported a partial selection of images on the first occassion by [Copy as DNG]- So the files were written to hard-drive once (as NEF) and converted to DNG (automatically by the LrC import process).

2) IIRC I may have interupted the import, or

3) Opened a second Import of the same SD card containing the same Nikon NEF files, in order to Import the remainder of images.

4) [Copy as DNG] once Again. And I created duplicate files!

I believed that the first Import created DNG files on disk. The Second Import LrC identified the NEF camera files as different (ie NOT duplicates) so it Imported them a second time (as NEFs.! so there is now temporarily both DNG and NEF files) and as LrC then converts the second import to DNG- Windows OS recognises them as duplicates and renames them (NEF > DNG) with the -2 (or -002) suffix on the filenames.

Can I suggest- Convert to DNG (if you must) from the Menu after Importing the raws to a folder. Import all files from the camera card and Format in the camera before the next use and import to LrC.

Perhaps a trial of my suggestion with a few files will tell me I am wrong.

[MindStormPhoto]

This is definitely a "first import" situation, where the card is taken from the camera, put into a USB reader, and then imported.

I will try to just import though, and do the DNG conversation later, and see if that helps/

Thx for the suggestion!

[DdeGannes]

At Rob and the MindStorm, I can repeat what Rob stated above but to see that I had to deselect " Don't import suspected duplicates" in the file handling in the import dialog.

At MindStormPhoto, I think you can avoid what you experience by selecting the option Don't import suspected duplicates.

[TheDigitalDog]

ACR has nothing to do with importing.
Be useful to see a screen capture of the import dialog.
In the meantime, worth trying:

Reset the preferences.
https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-classic/help/setting-preferences-lightroom.html

[DdeGannes]

The author stated in his original post. "import into LR Classic 11.3 with RAW import 14.3. This has worked well for years."

Things can be a little confusing, About Lightroom Classics shows the following in the popup dialog, see the screen capture.

I know that indicates the equivalent Camera Raw that is built into the LrC application,

That is not the Photoshop Camera Raw plugin. I take his post to mean he is using LrC import.

[MindStormPhoto]

I did not realize that LRC used its own internal RAW converter.  I thought it also used the Camera RAW app, which is why I gave the version of that app.

If LRC does not use the Camera RAW, then just ignore that versiion number in my post. Everything else stands alone as a true description of the issue.

[TheDigitalDog]

Lightroom Classic has it's own raw processing engine. You can process raws without having Photoshop and thus ACR anywhere on your computer. However, when you use the Edit In Photoshop command, the raw and instructions are sent to ACR to process and then that rendering opens in Photoshop proper. The two (ACR and Lightroom Classic) must be on version parity for this to work. If not, you'll see an error to update ACR. You can bounce back and forth editing the raw and instructions in the two products again, if on version parity. 

[MindStormPhoto]

Fine, but totally irrelevant to my post...

[TheDigitalDog]

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@MindStormPhoto wrote:

Fine, but totally irrelevant to my post...

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Really?

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@MindStormPhoto I thought it also used the Camera RAW app, which is which is why I gave the version of that app.

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Now you know.

Oh, the product (the plug in) is Adobe Camera Raw.

[MindStormPhoto]

Yes, really. The post is about LRC importing two images for every image on the SD card.  The RAW version was only to prevent people from asking what version I was using.  Since it does not impact importing into LRC, any comments relevant to Camera RAW are no relevant to my post.

[TheDigitalDog]

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@MindStormPhoto wrote:

Yes, really. The post is about LRC importing two images for every image on the SD card.

I did not realize that LRC used its own internal RAW converter.  I thought it also used the Camera RAW app, which is why I gave the version of that app.

If LRC does not use the Camera RAW, then just ignore that versiion number in my post.

 Lightroom Classic uses ACR. Except when it doesn't. Now you know. 

IF the post is about LRC importing two images for every image on the SD card AND you want help, at least provide the information requested to help you sir. The screen capture of your import dialog. 

....if I am pretty sure it is an Adobe bug to create them.

An assumption. But if you are so certain, you can report it and see what transpires:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/photoshop-ecosystem-bugs/how-do-i-write-a-bug-report/idc-p/12932310#M...

Or if you really want help, provide the information many of us here have asked for to assist you. 

[DdeGannes]

At MindStormPhoto, I think you should ensure you have, Don't Import suspected duplicates, selected in the import dialog.

See the screen capture.

 

[TheDigitalDog]

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@DdeGannes wrote:

At MindStormPhoto, I think you should ensure you have, Don't Import suspected duplicates, selected in the import dialog.

See the screen capture.

 

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Exactly why I requested he/she post a screenshot (5 hours ago)  of which I'm still waiting for.

[MindStormPhoto]

Interresting. I stopped using that setting years ago, since I always import ONCE at the end of a session, then format the disk. Thus, I never "should" have duplicate images.

When I import from my wife's iPhone (which has 30,000 photos dating back to 2014, and I can't get her to get rid of crap...), having that "ignore duplicates" means LRC literally takes hours before I can press the import button.

It is a point that these are dups though, even if I am pretty sure it is an Adobe bug to create them.  That setting might keep it from importing those dups...

[Walt Thirion Photography]

@MindStormPhoto I thought I'd asked you about this setting earlier. It may be a "bug" in your workflow as you're importing Sony RAW files and converting them to DNG so it may be a LrC timing issue on as it won't pick up the converted DNG as a duplicate so another cpu thread in the import process may import the raw file again. This is one of those cases where I think it is an unintended consequence of the dev team trying to improve performance.

I would also recommend always having the "Don't import suspected duplicates" option enabled. Even if you always format the camera's memory card after an import, there may be circumstances where you don't format the card and you won't lose photos. If the option is selected, any duplicates will still show in the import dialog but will be 'grayed' out.

[MindStormPhoto]

Actually, this does resolve the problem!  I had turned that box off a year or so ago since it made importing my wife's iPhone (26K photos dating back to 2014.. 😞 ) take forever, and I never found I needed it in my normal workflow (shoot, download, format).

Interestingly, I found if the "do not import suspected duplicates" was checked when the card first showed up, it DID NOT WORK.  That is, I could see every image twice in the import dialog, and LRC continued to import both copies.  However, if I unchecked the box, then checked it on again after all images were visible in the dialog, LRC proceeded to remove the duplicates from the actual import, and what was on my computer was correct.

Thanks for suggesting this!  There is still clearly a bug in LRC, though Adobe seems unable to reproduce it, but with your suggestion, I can now work around it much better than before. s