Raw to Jpeg?

Do not import your raw images in to the Photos app. Those files are going into a hidden directory, and what you are taking out to import into Lightroom aren't the originals. That's why you are getting jpegs. Lightroom is not doing this, Photos is.

I recommend manually copying the raw files from the SD card to your computer's hard drive, then import the images into Lightroom Classic using the Import Add method. Do not move the photos on your hard drive or rename them after you do this.

This is a single memory card (SD).  I have been importing them into "photos" on my Mac. Then tried to import them into Lightroom5.  They are in Raw in "photos" but when they go into Lightroom they are Jpeg.  I only shoot Raw. Never Jpeg.  Lightroom is new to me.  Thanks for any help.

Two things

1. Please share with us your workflow of what yo are doing. step by step.

2. Alternate method (this makes an assumption, that this is not what you are doing)

In LRC, in the Folders Panel, create a folder (if it does not already exist) for your RAW files. This can be on any hard drive, it does not need to be in the same local as the catalog. You might not want to just use your existing Photos folder, I am not sure on that.

Exit LRC

Copy the RAW images in the Photos directory to the directory/folder you selected/created in LRC. Make sure only RAW files are in this directory. Verify that they got copied. Oh, and make sure you see the file extensions.

Launch LRC, bring up the Import dialog, Up top select ADD, In Source/Files navigate to the folder from above, select the photos, import.

Some additional thoughts

1. Single memory card or dual? Dual would allow you to save RAW to one card JPEG to the other. Separation is helpful.

2. Does this happen to all the photos? If some, were those involving special filters, in camera pano, in camera multi exposure, etc, that would have saved to JPEG not RAW.

Go and double check your camera IQ settings. Make sure you are currently shooting RAW, not RAW+JPEG, but most importantly not just JPEG

Also, just in case, in LRC, in preferences, in the General tab, a setting "Treat JPEG files next to RAW files as seperate photos" is checked, just in case you are shooting RAW+JPEG.

Nothing wrong with shooting RAW+JPEG, I always do that, but do not import them stuck together.

Crazy thought ... are you sure the photos are now JPG and not DNG? If they are DNG, Lightroom does convert RAW to DNG at import if you select that option ... could that be it?

Lightroom does not change RAW to JPG. This simply isn't a capability of LR, if the photo was RAW, then it will import as RAW.

Thus, the most likely explanation is that you (accidentally?) set your camera to shoot JPG and not RAW.

Mac or Windows? Which version?

Which exact NUMBER version of Lightroom?

Which camera?

Are you shooting raw+JPG (two files for each image)?