How to download full resolution image to laptop?

[Tristan Hess]

Dear Community,

I just switched from Lightroom 4 to Lightroom CC. I read countless threads to get familiar with how the cloud works but I am still left with one big question. I can't figure out how to download full resolution photos from the cloud to my laptop. But first some information on my setup:

I uploaded my entire library (about 70GB) to the cloud. I ticked the "Save Smart Previews on Macintosh HD" option. That works perfectly. I have all the Smart Previews on my laptop (MacBook Pro). I also chose to store the originals on an external hard drive as I don't have enough free space on my laptop to store them all there. That also works very well. Now to my question:

When my external hard drive is not connected to my laptop, I can look at and edit the Smart Previews. I get that. However, I would sometimes like to edit an image in full resolution and I can't figure out how to tell Lightroom to download the full resolution image from the cloud. There are some tips I found in other threads and things I figured out myself:

- When I decide to save a Smart Preview in full resolution to my laptop, Lightroom downloads the original. That is one way I can "force" Lightroom to download the full resolution image. But it is a bit silly having to export an image first before I can see it in full resolution.

- When I click "edit image in Photoshop", Lightroom downloads the full resolution image.

- Someone suggested to use the "store album locally" function by right-clicking an album and selecting it. First of all, I cannot find that function. Might that be because I already decided to store all Smart Previews on Macintosh HD? I can see the little blue check icon that tells me that the album is stored locally. However, only the Smart Previews are stored locally but I want to have the full resolution images available for some images.

- Some people said that their Lightroom would automatically download the full resolution image once they zoom into it to 1:1. That is not the case for me.

- In Lightroom CC on my iPhone I have a button that allows me to download a single image in full resolution. That is basically what I would like to be able to do on my laptop, too.

I hope I made myself clear. To summarise: I have a laptop with Smart Previews of my entire library on it. I can't figure out how to download full resolution images from the cloud when I want to edit them. Some people suggested that this should happen automatically when I start editing an image but it doesn't for me. Did I maybe make a mistake in my setup?

I would be glad if someone could help me.

Cheers,
Tristan

[99jon · Accepted solution]

Hi Tristan

LRCC does provide an original on the fly when zooming 1:1

It does this from the cache or by updating the cache from the cloud server.

As you have elected to replace the default cache with local storage I think it can only provide an original or local album originals while the external hard drive is connected.

[Tristan Hess]

Hello Jon,

Thanks for your answer!

I am not sure I understand you correctly. You said:

99jon  schrieb

Hi Tristan

LRCC does provide an original on the fly when zooming 1:1

It does this from the cache or by updating the cache from the cloud server.

As you have elected to replace the default cache with local storage I think it can only provide an original or local album originals while the external hard drive is connected.

Does that mean that Lightroom will provide an original on my MacBook when I untick the option to store my originals on an external drive? I was suspecting that and am happy to try it. However, I chose that option to have a non-cloud backup of all my photos. As I don't have enough storage on my laptop, I need to have this backup on an external drive. If I now untick that option – is there another way how I can tell Lightroom to keep a backup of the entire library on an external drive?

Also, Lightroom DOES download the full res images when I want to open them in Photoshop or when I want to save them to my desktop (and that with the "store backup on external drive" option activated). It seems odd to me that Lightroom is capable of doing this but then denies me to both have on the fly originals and a backup on external drive. Or am I getting something wrong here?

Thanks a lot for your help. It is much appreciated!

Tristan

EDIT: I unticked the option "store a copy of all originals at the specified location". Now Lightroom does indeed provide 'on the fly' originals when I zoom in. So thanks for your help up to this point! As by doing this I have disabled my non-cloud backup, I now however wonder how I can fix that in an elegant way.

[99jon]

First of all, you need to have an independent backup for all files added to LRCC unless you are happy to rely entirely on the cloud.

Electing to store a copy locally only keeps it available at all times for off-line editing. It is not a backup copy. In fact if you delete the local copy you also delete the cloud original. Both are linked.

The default cache is managed dynamically. So after a short period from import, originals drop out automatically so as to use disk space efficiently. This is the method I prefer but I do keep a separate backup copy of all files as soon as I’ve finished importing from my camera.

P.S. Photoshop is different since a new document is being created in the form of a tif file.

[Tristan Hess]

I see. I thought of the "store a local copy on an external drive" as backup. But if that is not what it is intended for then it all makes sense.

Thank you for your help! This solved the problem.

Have a nice day!

[Jim Wilde]

99jon  wrote

It is not a backup copy. In fact if you delete the local copy you also delete the cloud original. Both are linked.

That's not quite correct, John. Yes, if you delete the cloud original then the local copy will also be deleted, but not when you do things in reverse, i.e. if you delete the local copy it will have no effect on the cloud original (in fact the local copy should be restored again when you next access the image in LRCC if the appropriate settings are applicable).

[99jon]

OK Jim. Accidentally deleting the cloud original is the real problem which is why the local storage preference setting should not be regarded as a backup.

[phototocanvaspdx]

This is crazy. Is it still like this? I liked having a local copy so I dont have to download when editing, but I need to be able to download an original on my laptop when im away from the external (traveling I don't want to lug around a giant raid drive). I can do it on my ipad for christs sake why can we not do it on a laptop?

[99jon]

You can always log-in using a web browser and any editing would automatically sync to all devices.

https://lightroom.adobe.com/