Skip to main content
J
jeffs20
Participant
September 1, 2018
Answered

RAW photos convert to JPEG when imported from camera

  • September 1, 2018
  • 14 replies
  • 27327 views

Brand new to Lightroom.  On a free trial.     i just imported RAW photos (shot as RAW only, not RAW + JPG)  from my Canon EOS T3 and when I pull the thumbnails up they show as jpegs.  This certainly could be user error but not sure how that can be.   Do I need to convert them somehow? Thanks for any help possible. 

    This topic has been closed for replies.
    Correct answer JP Hess

    All I can say is that what you are describing is not a normal and natural process in Lightroom. There isn't a process that will change a raw image into a JPEG. Something else is happening in this instance. Are you really using the cloud version of Lightroom?

    14 replies

    Show previous replies
    A
    angelicat89165221
    Participant
    February 11, 2020

    I am having the same issue. Unfortunately, I have saved all my RAW photos in my external drive and deleted them from my memory cards already. They are shot RAW, but when imported to Lightroom Classic (updated cloud version) they automatically turned to JPEGS. It sucks as I always edit my photos from RAW. Any help? suggestions?

    L
    lctide
    Participant
    February 12, 2020

    I am having the same problem and it's driving me crazy!!

    A
    Amanda273624238g0p
    Participant
    January 30, 2023

    I will say it again. Lightroom does not, will not, cannot convert raw files to JPEG. It cannot and does not happen. I don't know what your workflow is, but YOU are doing something wrong. It would be a good idea at this point if you would start a new thread fully describing what you do when you import your images. State your platform, operating system, exact version of Lightroom, and as much information about the steps you take during import. There is no process anywhere, not from Adobe, not from Apple, not from Microsoft that will convert a raw file to JPEG. It doesn't happen.


    Help please, as I know it's me doing something wrong, but I don't know what that something is.

     

    I was shooting in Raw+L, but discovered after editing my photos in Lightroom that they'd only export in jpg files.  Went into Lightroom Preferences & made sure that the box that says, "Treat JPEG files next to RAW files as separate photos" was not checked.  Went into my EOS R6 & checked to shooting in only RAW.  Took a new image, saved the RAW image to my SD card, plugged that SD card into my USB C Hub for my Macbook.  Opened up Lightroom and imported that new photo from just a few minutes ago.  Went to File, then Export, in Lightroom, and under file naming, it still appears to be attempting to export as a jpg.  Went ahead and exported to my email anyway, checked it, and sure enough it exported as a jpg.  

     

    PLEASE help.  In tears, as I have no clue what I'm doing wrong.  

      T
      TimA346+
      Participant
      November 28, 2019

      The same thing is happening to me! It was fine on my Lenovo but since I've switched to Mac I've had this issue. 

       

      K
      karlthefirst
      Participant
      April 12, 2019

      FYI, I know this post is a couple months old, but I'm having same problem right now with Lightroom CC on Mac. I'm shooting in RAW only and can import them to lightroom cc from iOS Photos app on my iPad Pro no problem. But for some reason when I import from Photos on the Mac, Lightroom converts them to JPEG before importing. They show clearly as the full RAW files in the Photos app. Utterly crazy. Sorry, I know it's an old thread but anyone out there with any thoughts/help?

        S
        svetlanay9829926
        Participant
        May 24, 2019

        Don't import from Photos on Mac. Import directly from the camera. I had the same problem. All you need to do is when you import photos to Lightroom, connect the camera to Mac and click on camera when importing. That way it imports in RAW.

          JP Hess
          JP HessCorrect answer
          Inspiring
          September 1, 2018

          All I can say is that what you are describing is not a normal and natural process in Lightroom. There isn't a process that will change a raw image into a JPEG. Something else is happening in this instance. Are you really using the cloud version of Lightroom?

          J
          jeffs20Author
          Participant
          September 1, 2018

          Jim

          The trial version is the cloud version. When/if purchase I would not need

          this. Yeah, I don’t get it. Shot everything in Raw only and all of the

          thumbnails have a jpeg suffix. Perhaps my camera is malfunctioning

          somehow. Hmmm? I double checked the camera quality setting and it has

          been on raw only. Thanks anyway for responding. I wonder if I somehow

          imported directly from the card (not in the camera) if that might be a

          solution. Not sure that’s even possible or how I would do it, but a crazy

          thought. I’m a novice at this stuff.

          J
          Community Expert
          Jao vdLCommunity Expert
          Community Expert
          September 2, 2018

          Importing directly from the card is always a better idea. Card readers are generally cheap and many computers include a sd card reader and sometimes you will find them on displays too. If your camera shoots SD cards, USB readers can be had for less than $10.

          When you import, make sure you don't use some software utility that came with the camera as some of those convert to jpeg for you. Make sure you only directly import in Lightroom whether it is through a USB cable to your camera or through a card reader.

          Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
          Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices