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David C Anderson
Inspiring
October 13, 2022
Answered

Can you export CR2 raw files direct from Lightroom on an iPad to a Windows PC?

  • October 13, 2022
  • 3 replies
  • 3912 views

I am trying to find the slickest solution for backing up my photos on holiday without using a laptop and then restoring them (if my CF cards fail) when I return home.

 

My first step was to install Adobe Lightroom for iPad on my 2022 iPad Air. I then connected my Canon EOS 5D Mk III camera to the iPad using a USB 2.0 Type-B Mini to USB Type-A cable, plus an Apple USB Type-A Female to USB-C cable. I was then able to import all the CR2 raw images on my camera into Lightroom.

 

Syncing those photos from the iPad to Adobe cloud storage and then using the Adobe Lightroom Downloader app on my Windows 10 PC provides a way to download them to the PC, but it is a very tedious business. Is there any way to export Lightroom image files (and any associated XMP files) directly from an iPad to a Windows PC?

This topic has been closed for replies.
Correct answer David C Anderson
quote

The external drive is formatted as NTFS. It looks like I need to reformat it as exFAT for compatibility with iOS devices.


By @David C Anderson

NTFS is not well-supported outside the Windows world.


After copying the contents of my old LaCie external drive to another location, I reformatted it as exFAT and now all is well. I have copied the contents of a CF card to that drive via the USB-C hub attached to my iPad. 

 

The 9-in-1 USB-C hub I got from Amazon is very capable. It provides 3 x USB-A ports, USB-C port, USB-C charging port, 3.5mm audio jack socket, 4k HDMI port, micro-SD card socket, and SD card socket. 

 

Thanks are due to all here (especially Jim Wilde) who helped me find this simple solution for backing up my photos via an iPad while away on vacation. I will now go ahead and get myself a small portable SSD (my old LaCie drive is heavy and slow). 

 

 

3 replies

J
Community Expert
Jao vdLCommunity Expert
Community Expert
October 15, 2022

Lots of good answers here already but I didn't see yet the simple solution of using a cloud service such as dropbox or OneDrive. You can export as dng to those using the "files" item in the export thingie in mobile Lightroom if you have dropbox or similar installed on your phone as they are all available through the files item. Using"original" unfortunately does not give you the xmp metadata file bt only saves just the raw file. DNG works perfectly.

Jim Wilde
Community Expert
Jim WildeCommunity Expert
Community Expert
October 16, 2022
quote

Lots of good answers here already but I didn't see yet the simple solution of using a cloud service such as dropbox or OneDrive. 


By @Jao vdL

 

Jao, earlier in the thread the OP stated that he wanted to avoid using any cloud service, hence the subsequent posts have concentrated on how best to be able to copy new images taken in the field for backup purposes (which was the requirement from the original post) in a way that simplifies subsequent ingestion to LrC on returning home.

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David C AndersonAuthor
Inspiring
October 16, 2022

  

Michael J. Hoffman
Community Expert
Michael J. HoffmanCommunity Expert
Community Expert
October 13, 2022

If you are using LR Classic on the Windows PC, and have the catalog set to sync, all originals from the cloud will be transferred down to the PC, which becomes the owner of the "master" copy. It's all automated, so it's easy, but it's important to understand the difference between using LR Classic with sync compared to using the LR app with cloud-based data. 

D
David C AndersonAuthor
Inspiring
October 13, 2022

Hi Michael,
If you re-read my OP you will see that I'm trying to the avoid the rather tedious process of syncing hundreds of raw images to the cloud from my iPad and then downloading them (by whatever method) to my PC. I don't have a fast broadband connection and my normal workflow avoids cloud storage. 

D
David C AndersonAuthor
Inspiring
October 15, 2022

I don't have a problem copying items on the CF card but cannot find a way to paste them into the LaCie external drive. I suspect this external drive has been attached in read-only mode, as the icon in the Files app for adding a folder disappears as soon as I select that drive. However, I don't know how to check access permissions for an external drive on an iPad (running iOS 15.5).


I think I may have found the cause of my problem. The external drive is formatted as NTFS. It looks like I need to reformat it as exFAT for compatibility with iOS devices.

JohanElzenga
Community Expert
JohanElzengaCommunity Expert
Community Expert
October 13, 2022

Lightroom for iPad can export 'as original', but I do not think that will include an XMP file with the edits.

 

-- Johan W. Elzenga
D
David C AndersonAuthor
Inspiring
October 13, 2022

I tapped on the Share icon at the bottom of the Lightroom page on my iPad and then tapped the Export As... option. This then let me select a file type of 'Original' but I have yet to discover the next step in the process of exporting to a Windows PC. Please clarify. 

JohanElzenga
Community Expert
JohanElzengaCommunity Expert
Community Expert
October 13, 2022

You can export to the Camera Roll, and from the Camera Roll you should be able to transfer the image over the iPad cable to the PC. I do not have a PC however, so that is something you'll have to find out yourself. 

 

-- Johan W. Elzenga
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