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Why can’t Lightroom Classic sync RAWs to the Lightroom cloud

Community Beginner ,
Apr 29, 2022 Apr 29, 2022

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I just got into the adobe ecosystem and I use Lightroom and photoshop a lot. I love using both applications they are almost perfect. But, why can't you upload RAWs from Lightroom Classic to Lightroom Cloud for mobile editing instead of smart previews.

There is many times where I will come back from a shoot upload all my pictures via Lightroom classic onto a hard drive. Then I will sync a collection of photos to Lightroom cloud and then I will cull, edit and sometimes export on a mobile device since as an iPad Pro. I want my RAW files sync not smart previews, so I can export full quality pictures on my mobile device and post. I pay for the storage so I don't get why I can't choose what gets sync to it.

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LEGEND ,
Apr 29, 2022 Apr 29, 2022

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Because that is the way Adobe has designed Lightroom Classic. If you want raw images in  the Lightroom cloud then you have to import them directly into that program and not in Lightroom Classic. By doing it that way, they will synchronize back down to Lightroom Classic, and you will have the raw files in both applications.

 

Remember that you can edit the smart previews in Lightroom cloud, and those adjustments made on the smart previews WILL have an effect on the raw files. You just wouldn't want to do critical adjustments such as fine tuning focus on the smart previews.

 

Also, remember that the smart previews have no impact on your allotted cloud storage space.

 

After considering my answer AND the initial question, it occurs to me that I may not have fully answered the question. There are two versions of Lightroom, Lightroom Classic and Lightroom (for the cloud). Both versions are included in the photography plan. The interface for Lightroom is quite different from Lightroom Classic. It IS possible to use both programs on the same computer. It IS possible to synchronize images back-and-forth between the two computers. It has been recommended in the past that both programs should not be used on the same computer, but I have done it for quite a while. I suppose it's a matter of personal preference.

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Community Beginner ,
Apr 29, 2022 Apr 29, 2022

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I am talking from a tech point of view. I want to get a response from a software engineer from the adobe Lightroom team. As a software engineer it makes no sense why the feature is not available. I believe most professional photographers use Lightroom Classic to organize their photos and also want the ability to sync their RAWs on the go from one application and not a hacking way of using two. 

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LEGEND ,
Apr 29, 2022 Apr 29, 2022

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Rarely do software engineers comment here, and even more rarely do they explain their decisions about why to include feature A and not include feature B.

 

From a customer point of view, and from a design point of view, it makes perfect sense to me for a company to separate some of the functions of Lightroom from Lightroom Classic. Software engineers do what the designers want.

 

Lastly, there are probably thousands of features that are possible to add into the software, and wouldn't be that hard. No software can include every possible feature, and the designers and product team have to draw the line somewhere. It's fine if you think the line should have been drawn somewhere else, but it is what it is.

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Community Beginner ,
Apr 29, 2022 Apr 29, 2022

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How exactly does it make perfect sense for you? If Classic already has the ability to sync photos to the cloud. The applications are no completely seperate, they are integrated with cloud sync feature. I am literally asking why it only uploads smart previews and not RAWs it could literally be an option in the settings. 

 

Not sure if you getting what I am saying.

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LEGEND ,
Apr 29, 2022 Apr 29, 2022

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Yes! It could work the way YOU are suggesting, but that isn't the Adobe model. It hasn't been from the inception of Lightroom cloudy. Lightroom Classic is designed to work the way it does, and I suppose you will have to petition Adobe as a company if you want to change that model. You can edit the smart previews, and those adjustments will affect the raw images in Lightroom Classic and vice versa.

 

Frankly, I quite like the way it works now because the smart previews don't impact the allotted cloud space. I can literally have millions (although I don't) of smart preview collections synchronized to the cloud and still have all of my allotted cloud storage still available. And any editing I do in the cloud version of Lightroom will affect the master images. Not trying to sell you on how it works, just telling you why I like the way it does work.

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LEGEND ,
Apr 29, 2022 Apr 29, 2022

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"I want to get a response from a software engineer from the adobe Lightroom team."

 

Very unlikely.  When the upgraded Lightroom Cloud was introduced and traditional Lightroom rebranded as Lightroom Classic five years ago, Adobe stated that there would be no more improvements to sync between Lightroom Classic and Lightroom Cloud. They said more generally that they would be focusing most of their efforts on improving Lightroom Classic's Develop (i.e. incorporating changes from Camera Raw) and deemphasizing efforts on Library and the other modules.

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Community Expert ,
Apr 30, 2022 Apr 30, 2022

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quote

"I want to get a response from a software engineer from the adobe Lightroom team."

 

Very unlikely.  When the upgraded Lightroom Cloud was introduced and traditional Lightroom rebranded as Lightroom Classic five years ago, Adobe stated that there would be no more improvements to sync between Lightroom Classic and Lightroom Cloud.

 

True.

 

quote

They said more generally that they would be focusing most of their efforts on improving Lightroom Classic's Develop (i.e. incorporating changes from Camera Raw) and deemphasizing efforts on Library and the other modules.

 

I do not remember this being said and can find nothing where they did. One might however infer it from the pace of improvement in Library and other modules which seems as pedestrian as it had been before, with occasional minor leaps forward.

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LEGEND ,
Apr 30, 2022 Apr 30, 2022

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LATEST

From the Future of Lightroom, posted by Victoria Bampton 10/18/2017:

 

"Today, during the Adobe Max conference, Adobe announced the future of Lightroom. ... Future development of Lightroom Classic is being refocused on improving performance and enhancing the editing tools. It’s become a bit of a jack-of-all-trades over the last few years, so this new focus is great news for serious Lightroom users."

 

I recall similar posts from Adobe in the old feedback forum (now gone) and/or in some permutation of their old "blog" posts (a lot of which have been deleted), but perhaps I'm misremembering that.

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Community Expert ,
Apr 30, 2022 Apr 30, 2022

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Ask the question from a marketing point of view - the tail doesn't wag the dog, does it? The answer would be wide-ranging, including for instance Adobe's need to offer a dumbed down Lightroom-branded application to attract mobile-only photographers and minimize seepage to Apple, Google etc. Would Cloudy Lightroom even be viable if Classic Lightroom could sync raw files? I'd also question if there's enough demand for syncing raw from those who make their living from photography. But there will be a variety of reasons, some which persist, others which are new. It's the choice Adobe made, and they aren't budging.

 

Maybe you already know this, but you can import into Cloudy Lightroom or Lr Mobile, either instead of importing into Classic Lightroom or in addition (so a double import). This will put the raws in the cloud and make them available on connected devices, and Classic Lightroom is smart enough to associate them with the raws imported into the catalogue.

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LEGEND ,
Apr 29, 2022 Apr 29, 2022

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You can probably wait and see if one of the engineers will answer your question, but the short and simple answer is that Lightroom Classic isn't designed to save original full-sized images to the cloud. That's what Lightroom (the cloud version) has been designed for. That's why there are two separate versions. Yes, I'm sure if Adobe chose to do it the way you are suggesting it would be a simple thing to do. But that isn't the model. And from what I understand (which is very elementary), that model isn't going to change. If you want your raw images in the cloud then you'll have to use the right version of Lightroom. They will Synchronize to Lightroom Classic automatically, so you can use Lightroom in the field To start your editing, and then finish when you get back to the computer with LrC if that is what you prefer.

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