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Billy Vervain
Known Participant
May 18, 2021
Answered

Preview unavailable for this file

  • May 18, 2021
  • 2 replies
  • 3371 views

Got this common problem with my phone.

 

Using latest LRc (10.2, Camera Raw 13.2), phone is a Google Pixel 4a taking JPGs.  The phone model was new in August last year.  It's certainly been out for over 90 days.

 

The files do import, once imported the thumbnails are visible, but it's very irritatin as I don't want all my phone pictures in LRc and I'd rather choose the ones I want at import rather than later.

 

ADDITIONALLY

 

LRc wants to re-import photos already in LR, they appear in 'New Photos'.  Not having the previews available makes sorting these out even harder than it need be.  I've deleted most of them, but I do want to keep some on my phone.

 

 

 

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer johnrellis

I import direct from the phone using PTP and a USB cable.  


I think the likely cause: The Pixel isn't inserting thumbnails into the JPEGs like most cameras do, and thus the protocol isn't able to supply them when LR asks for a list of available photos. 

When you import from a card reader or local disk, LR has access to the full photo and can generate the thumbnails on the fly.

 

2 replies

johnrellis
johnrellis
Legend
May 18, 2021

Please copy here the first ten lines from the menu command Help > System Info.

B
Billy VervainAuthor
Known Participant
May 19, 2021

Lightroom Classic version: 10.2 [ 202103041821-226a1211 ]
License: Creative Cloud
Language setting: en
Operating system: Windows 10 - Business Edition
Version: 10.0.19042
Application architecture: x64
System architecture: x64
Logical processor count: 8
Processor speed: 3.6 GHz
SqLite Version: 3.34.0
Built-in memory: 14284.3 MB
Real memory available to Lightroom: 14284.3 MB
Real memory used by Lightroom: 884.2 MB (6.1%)
Virtual memory used by Lightroom: 967.0 MB

johnrellis
johnrellis
Legend
May 21, 2021

As I suspected, that sample imports just fine with my LR 10.2 / Windows 10 and Mac OS 11.3.1, showing a thumbnail in the Import window and then after import in Library.  There are Mac-specific solutions for "Preview unavailable", but I didn't find any for Windows.

 

Are you importing via a card reader, a USB cable, or some workflow that first copies the photos to an attached disk?


Also, Exiftool shows that the sample. jpg doesn't have a thumbnail stored inside it.  This might interact badly with the particular workflow path used to import in LR.

B
Billy VervainAuthor
Known Participant
May 18, 2021

PS phone is Android 11.

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