Lightroom creating duplicate raw file on import

[gauravarengchakraverti]

Hi there! Been facing this issue out of the blue (no software changes, and LR is up to date). A single image on my memory card gets imported and duplicated into two identical (as far as I can tell) fully raw files on import. For example, two ABC1111 and ABC1111-2 files are created in my catalog upon import of just the ABC1111 image. I don't seem to have had this issue earlier and it's suddenly begun over the last couple of days for seemingly no reason. 

How do I fix this? 

OS - MacOS Big Sur 11.1

Version - LR Classic 10.1

Thanks!

[JohanElzenga]

Are these files just in the catalog, or do they both really exist on disk?

[gauravarengchakraverti]

Hi John.

The duplicate images don't exist on the camera/card. I double-checked whether the cameras were creating two files themselves, but they don't. However, the duplicate is being created within both Lightroom's catalog as well as on the drive where the catalog is located. 

Additionally, I went back to see when this started happening, and it's been happening only since the newest 10.1 update. I somehow just never realized until yesterday when I knew I had not taken multiple images 😛 

Any idea what's happening? I can't find the issue reported anywhere else, so feel it's not a full-fledged LRC bug. 

Thanks!

[gauravarengchakraverti]

And sorry for the typo! I meant "Hi Johan".  My mistake. 

[dj_paige]

In your Mac Finder, are the dates/times File Created and File Modified identical for both copies of an image?

[gauravarengchakraverti]

Yes, both are identical in every way. Including size and metadata info. 

[Jon-M-Spear]

Do you have 2 cards in your camera? 

Exactly this would happen when I imported directly from the D850, rather than importing from a card reader.  Lightroom would import images from both cards - which were recording identical files.

For different issues, several people are rolling back to v10.0 - myself included.  I'll wait for 10.2

[gauravarengchakraverti]

I do have 2 cards, the D850 in fact, and the Z6, but for both I use the card reader always and not the cable to the camera directly. I've never had this issue, and have never changed anything with regard to how I import my images into LRC. So it's pretty weird to happen out of the blue. And yes, may be better to roll back, because I don't seem to have had this issue prior to the 10.1 update. It just started literally the day I updated. 😛 

[JohanElzenga]

Don't make hasty decisions. The update could have reset some settings, that's all. See my comment below.

[Just Shoot Me]

Are you using a Card Reader or Connecting the camera Directly to the computer?

If you are connecting the camera to the computer try using a Card Reader.

Or use Finder (or some other process, program) to Copy the image files from the memory card to your hard drive into the folder structure you want. Then Impoirt the images into LrC using the Add option at the top of the import dialog window.

[gauravarengchakraverti]

Yes, using a card reader. 

But I did try the other method you suggested and first copied the images into a separate folder off the card and then imported and they imported fine. So, so weird!! 

[JohanElzenga]

First thing to check is if you still have 'Do not import suspected duplicates' checked in the import dialog. The update may have reset that. These may be old images that have been imported already but are still on the card.

[gauravarengchakraverti]

I tried that. They don't show as duplicates, and they aren't any actual duplicates on the memory card. But when they import into Lightroom for some reason a second identical file (name appended with a "-2") is created alongside each image in the catalog. Super strange! 

[kentdesign]

Try importin with a card reader and not directly form the camera. Also, please check your import settings in the import dialog box.  There is a section you can select to make a duplicate to.... and it may be checked.

[Just Shoot Me]

this same type of thing was report a year or so ago wit an older version of Lr/C. No resolution was found IIRC.

It has something to do with the OS, Card reader or Camera and the connection from that to your computer.

IIRC it mostly happened on Mac computers.

Check the power saving settings, or all the System Properties settings, for any options to put USB ports to sleep and or to limit power to them.

If you are using a Built In, internal, card reader try an External type.

[GoldingD]

Please post a screen shot of your Import screen

[WobertC]

Are you converting to DNG?

I encountered (long ago!) the duplicate files when I attempted to import in a second Import procedure after a first Import was interrupted or terminated early.

As I understand what happened (in simple terms!) and not confirmed by anyone!!

1) Import proprietary files from the camera card (NEF, CR2, etc)

2) LrC copies and saves these raw files to a designated folder (as the proprietary raw)

3) LrC then follows the direction to convert them to DNG file-type (now are .DNG in the folder)

4) Next Import the proprietary raw files from the camera card are once again imported (they are not seen as duplicates to the existing DNGs.)

5) LrC copies and saves these raw files to a designated folder (as the proprietary raw) so now there is a 'raw' and a 'dng'!

6) Only now does LrC recognise that to convert the raws to DNG other DNG files already exist and the conversion renames the new DNGs with the -2 added.

🙂