Recognize Original from SSD on Ipad.

[xPredaz]

Hi,

I recently got myself an Ipad Pro and am trying to set-up a proper workflow for my lightroom classic to the lightroom app. I have enable the sync functions, which makes me have control in the app over my already edited photo's from Lightroom Classic. I understand that when I open these photo's in the app these will show as Smart-Previews. But I would like to edit on Originals if possible. I also would like to export higher quality of files and not exports based on smart previews.

I was wondering if it is possible, when I connect my SSD with the stored RAW files to the ipad, for the lightroom app to now show the Originals. I would like to acces all my previous and new edits in Original quality on the Ipad while also being able to export these images to the highest quality / original quality on the ipad.

Hopefully my question is clear,

Thank you 🙂

[Conrad_C]

The only really practical workflow between an iPad and Lightroom Classic is Adobe syncing.

The only way for Lightroom on iOS to edit originals is if the originals are present in cloud storage or locally cached from cloud originals, but as you already know Lightroom Classic doesn’t upload originals.

You can connect an SSD to the iPad, that part works fine. You can use the iOS Files app to browse files on any connected volume, as long as the volume format is something the iPad can read such as APFS or ExFAT.

In Lightroom, the problem is that the only way the iOS version of Lightroom can edit images is by importing them. But in iOS Lightroom, importing always means copying them to iPad internal storage to queue them for uploading to the Lightroom cloud, and then treating the cloud files as the originals. 

In other words:

You can use Lightroom to browse the images on an SSD connected to the iPad…but only in the preview window for Add Photos From / Files. 

If you want to edit an image you see in the Files window, you must select and import it. There is no “edit in place.” (For one thing, Lightroom on iOS does not support sidecar files…edits are always stored in the cloud.) After importing, Lightroom will not refer back to the external SSD again because it can’t work locally like Lightroom Classic. 

If the SSD stores originals that a Lightroom Classic catalog already refers to, and you use Lightroom on iPad to import them, then they will be copied in from the SSD and synced up to the cloud, where Lightroom Classic will later download them. But…if those were already referenced by the open Lightroom Classic catalog, then the versions downloaded from the iPad could become duplicates in the catalog.

[xPredaz]

So just to make it that I completely understand. There is no way of exporting original quality images in lightroom on the ipad, when those images have been edited and imported via Lightroom Classic. Having it on the SSD wont help the case at all right?

[Conrad_C]

Not directly, since Lightroom Classic only uploads Smart Previews.

There may be workarounds that I might not know about; we can wait and see if others suggest them.

[selondon]

@xPredaz 

As Conrad says the Originals files have to be in the Cloud for you to view and export at full quality from the iPad.

One way to get the Originals in the Cloud (if it still works), is to drag/import them into Lightroom Desktop.

This should overwrite the Smart Previews in the Cloud, retaining any edits (but will obviously use up Cloud Storage).

You can then prompt Lightroom Mobile to Get this Original (tap the Cloud Icon)when editing.

[Conrad_C]

Thanks…I think this is one of the workarounds I couldn’t remember!