P: Import only pictures with "lock" from camera

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

Hi,A tool frequently used by photojournalists is to use the lock to flag pictures for import and filing. This allows you to review and flag on the camera as you are shooting a lot of frames, rather than taking the time to import and review hundreds of pictures while you're on a tight deadline.PhotoMechanic allows the photographer to only import the locked images. Would it be possible for Lightroom to have this feature?From what I understand, all that happens is that the file system flag for "read-only" is set and that is how PM recognizes it. Why can't Lightroom?

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

This is a great idea that I really miss and it should not be so hard to implement!

[areohbee]

One way to import only read-only photos is to use a plugin for importing.

e.g. RC Importer, but it would take a lua tweak to get there. Lemmeno if you want to go that route but lack the know-how to make the customization.

Another thing that might help:

ChangeManager - has a menu function to select all read-only photos, post-import.

Rob

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

On most makes / models of digital cameras there is a way to "lock" an image. For most people the point is to lock their favorite images from being deleted -- thus what you have is essentially a selection of picks. When I show a client an image on-camera and they tell me they like it, the first thing I do on my Nikons is hit the lock button. Then after import, I review all the images for any locks and mark it as a Pick in LR.

The lock flag is set in the image metadata, but LR does not (as far as I've found) expose this portion of the metadata. I found a 3rd party plugin that does, but it's cumbersome so workflow is not improved by using it.

What I'm asking is for (A) Adobe to expose the flag setting in the metadata and taking it a step further (B) offer an option to automatically set an LR flag -- pick, star rating, or color -- during import of any "locked" images.

Seems like it should be simple and would save a lot of time for some peoples' workflow. Well, mine at least. 🙂

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

Seems with LR there's always a 3rd party tool to get you what you need!

One problem with LR is the RAW-to-DNG conversion process does not respect the "read-only" status of the file. So Adobe would have to address that issue as well.

I'll look into RC Importer; never heard of that one before. ChangeManager sounds like it would work -- if I didn't use DNG! Oh well.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

I'm glad somebody merged these topics. Funny the one above never showed up in my searches, though...I kinda figured I wasn't the only one with this idea!

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

I just found another plugin that might help someone, I have not tried it yet myself though.

http://www.beardsworth.co.uk/lightroo...

[areohbee]

Hi Jeremiah,

Yep. - often plugins are not as seamless as native, but where there's a will there's a way...

Either JB's Locktastic or ChangeManager's feature to select read-only files will allow you to distinguish the read-only files from the others, pre-DNG-conversion anyway (thanks for bringing that aspect to my attention).

I am in the process of re-doing RC Importer right now (code name: Otto Importer). It will support extended importing functionality available for manual as well as auto-importing. I'll make sure I respect the read-only attribute when converting to DNG - please standby...

In the mean time, if you do want to modify RC Importer to get you through the week, consider these lua tidbits:

local file = photo:getRawMetadata( 'path' ) -- to translate photo object to file path


fso:isReadOnly( file ) -- e.g. to determine if pre-converted raw file is read-only


fso:makeReadOnly( file ) -- e.g. to set read-only attribute of converted DNG.


photo:setRawMetadata( 'rating', 1 ) -- see SDK/API doc for other options.

- place strategically in ImportAndCopy.lua module, and you'd have just what you want. But as I said, I'll be releasing OttoImporter in a week or so, which will have read-only handling features built-in, if you can wait...

Please feel free to contact me outside the forum for details or further discussion...

Rob

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

Oh I can wait! Just had our 3rd baby and I'm weeks behind in photo editing as it is. This has been an LR niggle since I started (with LR2). Hehe. Finally figured I would raise the flag and see what gets Adobe's attention.

Sounds like a great update Rob!

[areohbee]

Hi Jeremiah,

Otto Importer is up-and-running as I write (I've been using it for real), but it needs more polish and testing. It supports:
* Ability to import only protected (read-only) files.
* You can make all raw files read-only, or read-write after importing.
* Files that were read-only on card, can have metadata set, e.g. pick flag.
* DNG handling...

Anything else you can think of along these lines?

Let me know if you want to sneak a peek before final release.

Rob

[areohbee]

OttomanicImporter
---------------------

* Supports special handling for read-only files (e.g. import protected files only, set pick flag if protected, ... )

[Guest]

I import all files from my camera but mark those that are locked. Here is a workaround that allows me to do this in Windows:

1. Use Windows Explorer create a folder on your hard drive named TEMP and another folder named TEMP READ ONLY. (The second folder should be next to the first, not inside it.)

2. Copy all files from your camera card to the TEMP folder using Explorer.

3. Use Explorer to view the files. Change Explorer to show the Details View, then right-click on the top bar and add a column to show Attributes. Unlocked files will show “A” in that column and locked files will show “RA.”

4. Click on the Attribute column to sort by that column, select all the RA files, and move (not copy) them to the TEMP READ ONLY folder.

5. Import the files from the TEMP folder into Lightroom using your normal import procedure.

6. Import the files from the TEMP READ ONLY folder into Lightroom the same way but use the import dialog settings to add some keyword such as “locked” to all of those files.

I import all files into subfolders organized by date. This procedure ends up with all the photos together by date, but the marked files have the keyword “locked.” I can then sort or organize those files as desired.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

Walter,

Thanks for your suggestion, but I have come to the conclusion that I am better off changing my workflow to start in Photomechanic - which does have the ability to import only locked pics - and then import into LR.

Even though I am adding a complete application to the workflow, things are actually significantly faster than they will ever be with LR.

There are some interesting tips in these videos:

The Ingest tutorial:
http://youtu.be/fg00PF_F2GY

This one on setting them up to work together:
http://youtu.be/iO07PIIiRHM

And something that is really helpful for doing selective ingest:
http://youtu.be/4hEuIUN35mE

Not that there is anything at all wrong with LR, it just seems that Adobe has little or no interest in making it useful to Photojournalists that need a very quick workflow, rather than a workflow focused on efficiently managing inventories.

Even the most effective plug-ins have not brought LR close to the abilities to quickly ingest, caption and send in Photomechanic.

Cheers
Victor

[Guest]

Thanks for your suggestions! I'll take a look at the videos.
Walter

[TheFabFlo]

Since current Canon Cameras can lock pictures by pressing one button it would be WONDERFUL to import just those who were selected.
Just like Victor pointed out: It's possible in Photo Mechanic and I love it. But I would never use both software together just to achieve that.
Please guys... make it happen!

[Butch_M]

This is a pretty basic request and should have been implemented long ago. PhotoMechanic has had it for ages ... even Aperture 3 offers the feature ...

It's pretty sad that Adobe has seemed to take their eye off the ball from the original goal of Lightroom ... to be a more complete workflow solution from capture to finished product. By not addressing such issues, Adobe is further frustrating the efforts of many users instead of streamlining their workflow. Workarounds are NOT solutions ... just more work ...

Much of my work is in the area of photojournalism where I need to get my images posted to an FTP server or displayed online immediately following, or in some cases, actually during an event. Time is money in this situation. No matter how "superior" some may consider the IQ of Lr/ACR ... what good is that superiority if you can't make deadline? By Lightroom not offering this very simple feature, I am usually forced to employ a competing option ... which doesn't do much to increase the value of having Lightroom as part of my toolset.

In the end ... it shouldn't take until Lr5 for this feature to be added ... considering that I recall it being discussed for inclusion with the very first beta of Lr1 ...

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

Most of the time I know when I shoot the pictures wich picture I want, but by the time I'm going to cull the images I don't know it anymore. If Lightroom would see a locked image (locked in camera) as a picked one. it would speed up my culling process a lot!

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

IN BRIGE the option should be implimented 
SORT > Locked Files
Adobe please release this simple feature

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

Rob,

Is your plug-in still available?

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

This conversation started 7 years ago and Adobe has yet to implement this feature...ridiculous!

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

Photojournalist often tag/lock photos in camera when on assignment. It would be great if there were a way to import only locked photos into Lightroom natively without the use of buggy third-party plug-ins. Photomechanic has this capability, why doesn't Lightroom?

[DougCoulter]

Is there no way to select and import ONLY "protected/locked/tagged" pictures in Lightroom? I've been using photomechanic for this purpose, but I'm wanting to move to an ipad based workflow to import selected images on the go, then import all the rest on a laptop at a later time. I'm sure this has been talked about, but I can't find any decent info to go on. Much appreciation for any help.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

I often “lock” images as I’m shooting on my camera as a way to select keepers. I’d like the ability for Lightroom mobile to show which photos are locked on the import screen. This would greatly help with the ability to quickly import locked keepers, edit, and share to social media during events I’m covering for work.

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

8 years on and this is still something worth having.
As a photojournalist I have moved away from my Mac PowerBook and am using LR on my mobile or ipad. 
I have a 2 step process. Import into LR then send to Shuttersnitch which does the rest. LR is best because of the connected/wifi/card reader ease of import. 
The Protected image import would be a wonderful thing. Would have me stuck on LR and not looking for alternatives.

[wpgphotog]

I'm in the process of moving my sports photography workflow to an ipad pro. I've always used photo mechanic and am now looking for this solution. Does it still not exist?