Lightroom CC and Smart Previews

[epaulus01]

Been looking through this forum and much like some other individuals, I am trying to get my head wrapped around the changes to Lightroom CC.  I was looking through the following link and had a question.

https://www.lightroomqueen.com/lightroom-cc-vs-classic-features

In the flowchart, it seems to indicate that if you don't want your photos backed up to the cloud but want to view and edit your photos on a laptop, tablet, etc., then you need the photography plan.  That was the plan I was leaning towards anyways.  The flowchart for workflow goes on to say that you would import your originals to Lightroom Classic and sync Smart Previews to the cloud to be able to access them in Lightroom CC.

If I am reading this correctly, is this a workaround for those that have more than 1TB of photos?  In other words, the Smart Previews are significantly smaller in size (I have around 1.5TB of photos but the smart preview file (YourCatalogName Smart Previews.LRData) is only 3.5GB) so if you are able to only sync the smart previews and still be able to edit via Lightroom CC, the 20GB in the Photography Plan would be sufficient.  Is this understanding completely off target?  Seems like it would work, but I am unable to test this as I still am working with Lightroom 5.

[selondon · Accepted solution]

Pretty much spot on in my opinion. It’s just like the previous sync from LrD to LrM. You would still have to create collections and sync them though I believe.

[Jao vdL]

Yes that's correct. Lightroom Classic only syncs files from collections that are marked to sync. Then it only syncs the smart preview and not the actual raw file. If you indeed have terabytes of images your REALLy do not want to migrate your catalog to Lightroom CC. It will cause you to first duplicate all images on your local hard drives and then duplicate again if you sync still in Lightroom Classic. Also note that Lightroom CC misses about 4/5 of the features in Lightroom Classic. There is no Printing for example, no advanced Develop features, only a flat keyword hierarchy and many more things that are essential for a full photography program. If all you do is iPhone images, never used Lightroom before, and have only a few images, never print, etc. Lightroom CC is easier to get started at. The reproduction of your catalog everywhere is neat. I am sure LR CC will get updated with features over time but it might take a while.

[sstretchh]

I am pretty new to lightroom. since I only work on photos pre lightroom CC on my local workstation I turned off smart previews. I am starting think I should use them.

How do I save the smart previews to lightroom CC ? I am reading all over the place to save on light room CC so I can do the edits remotely, etc... and read the link for the flow chart but stock on how to actually do this.

[selondon]

It sounds me you are using Lightroom Classic.

If that’s correct this may help....

How to sync Lightroom Classic CC desktop and the Adobe Photoshop Lightroom CC mobile app

[sstretchh]

That is correct.

I am using primary Light room classic. I started messing around with creating collections now and Syncing them to Lightroom CC

If I read up above correctly people are saying you can just sync the smartpreviews with lightroom CC vs syncing the full size photo and it doesn't go agaisn't your cloud storage limit.

I am trying to figure out how you do that ?

In the above link there is a comment that says posted at -OCTOBER 20, 2017 AT 6:47 PM- " Smart previews synced from Lightroom Classic don’t count toward that allowance though."

So how do I sync the Smart previews to the cloud ?

[Jao vdL]

sstretchh  wrote

So how do I sync the Smart previews to the cloud ?

All you need to do is create a new collection for your synced images and set it to sync with creative cloud. Lightroom will automatically create smart previews for any images in that collection and upload them.

[sstretchh]

ahhhhhhh ok, so its not uploading the entire RAW photo ? So for example I turned off smart previews when i import to save space because I only work off one computer.

Do I need to turn smart previews back on, or lightroom does it for me now as I start creating and syncing collections ?

[Jao vdL]

Classic can only upload smart previews. You do NOT have to turn them on in Classic. For every image you sync a smart preview will get created and uploaded. It will NOT get stored on your computer by default so you don't have to worry about disk space.

[sstretchh]

Sorry for repeating the question but its how I process to make sure I am understanding correctly.

so if you look at the attached screen shot, for all those collection I told to SYNC with CC, they will upload as albums per say, they will be smart previews and not go against my 20 gig storage ?

So in theory I can SYNC my entire collection and starting building out an online album here - https://lightroom.adobe.com/ and not go over the 20 gig storage and only the items from the phone will use that storage?

I am currently using 3 gig's and trying to figure out where that is coming from. I uploaded one video that is 1.7 gig, but not sure where the rest of the space is being used up on the cloud account

Summary of the question, now that you pointed on the smartpreviews I went back to lightroom CC online and looked at the file size, then looked at the filesize if I was going to download it.

1 . - if I sync from lightroom classic to CC, then it uploads smartpreviews. I could in go online and edit the photo there and it will edit the orginal RAW back on my computer in classic ?

2 - I have lightroom mobile backing up all my photos from my phone to CC. in this example its backing up the whole photo correct ? Hence why I am seeing some of the cloud storage get used ?

3 - If I wanted the entire sized photo uploaded to CC, would I have to do that from the CC program or manually doing it thru the website ?

The one's I highlighted are collections I created in lightroom classic, the one's that say LR mobile are coming from my phone.

[Victoria Bampton LR Queen]

sstretchh  wrote

So in theory I can SYNC my entire collection and starting building out an online album here - https://lightroom.adobe.com/ and not go over the 20 gig storage and only the items from the phone will use that storage?

You've got it.

[marcusp94616076]

Hi

I have a related question. Imagine the scenario:

• I take RAW pictures, add them to Lr Classic then put them in a Collection sync'd to CC. Lr Classic uploads Smart Previews to CC - Prefect, I've got my RAW files locally and I'm not using lots of cloud storage!
• But, if instead of this I add the pictures using my iPad with Lr CC it uploads the whole RAW file to CC.
• Next time I open Lr Classic it downloads the RAW files - Perfect again!

What I'd like to do now is replace those RAW files in the cloud with just Smart Previews as I've now got the RAW files locally in Lr Classic so don't need them in the cloud. Is there an easy way to do this in Lr Classic?

Thanks 🙂

[john beardsworth]

marcusp94616076  wrote

What I'd like to do now is replace those RAW files in the cloud with just Smart Previews as I've now got the RAW files locally in Lr Classic so don't need them in the cloud. Is there an easy way to do this in Lr Classic?

Unsync them in LrClassic. So go to All Synced Photos and remove them from there. You can then sync them again, and they will be smart previews.

Alternatively, delete them in LrMobile or LrCC.

[marcusp94616076]

Great, thanks for the super-quick advice!

[Jao vdL]

You should only do this (delete them in CC) of course when you are very sure Lightroom Classic has downloaded them all completely.

[john beardsworth]

https://forums.adobe.com/people/Jao+vdL  wrote

You should only do this (delete them in CC) of course when you are very sure Lightroom Classic has downloaded them all completely.

Yes, very important to emphasize that point.

It's a good reason for never deleting anything in LRCC and only ever using the All Synced Photos method.

[Jao vdL]

sstretchh  wrote

1 . - if I sync from lightroom classic to CC, then it uploads smartpreviews. I could in go online and edit the photo there and it will edit the orginal RAW back on my computer in classic ?

yes indeed. This is very handy.

2 - I have lightroom mobile backing up all my photos from my phone to CC. in this example its backing up the whole photo correct ? Hence why I am seeing some of the cloud storage get used ?

Yes that is correct. Your phone's photos will download fully to Classic and will be backed up to the cloud.

3 - If I wanted the entire sized photo uploaded to CC, would I have to do that from the CC program or manually doing it thru the website ?

Yes indeed. You can do this through the website or through CC.

[sstretchh]

Thank you Jao vdL​ and @Selondon and @Victoria . You have all been very helpful, thanks again !

[Leo1024]

Hello, I have a question about using cloud for backup files if I am away and do not have a computer with the LR classic. So travel with my camera and iphone with 200GB free space. I import photos to iphone, loed them to LR CC and after that remove from Photos-app. At the evening in hotel all photos are synchronized in cloud. At home I will later get this from cloud to my PC. But.. I have only 200GB free in iPhone. How can I replace originals RAW ba smart previews after sync with cloud was done without to sync cloud any second device?

As a workaround: I did remove Lightroom app from iPhone and installed them new. All raws are still present and not removed but only as asmart preview. But this is ... anykind dirty .

[Jao vdL]

Leo, after the files have synced up to the cloud, the phone should start automatically removing them from your phone's local storage and replace by  previews. By default it only keeps 20GB I believe. After that, if you need an image on the phone it will dynamically download from the cloud. You can also go into the app's preferences (in the Lr icon in the main screen->Local storage) and clear the cache.

[Leo1024]

Many thanks for a prompt response. It does not happened by me. I assume the app should opened, it is clear. But should it be in forerground to do this? Or this may/must happen automatically in the night if I do not close app? I will retest with more than 20 GB.

[Jao vdL]

It needs to be open and in the foreground and have stored more than the 20GB to do this. I am pretty sure it will not do this in the background as multitasking on iOS does not work like that. As I said, you can also manually clear the cache and any image that is already uploaded should have its full raw file deleted off the device.

[Leo1024]

Yes, thank you very much! I turned off WiFi and cleaned cache. After that I miss self the smallest previews. After I turned on WiFi, I saw all pictures. If I turn off WiFi again  and open a picture - I see only mini preview (not editable). It is fine to me now...

Only small remark: if I open a file with turned on WiFi original is loaded again. For raws, which was uploaded before new installation - smart preview is loaded. Why so? Settings are correct.

But this now really minor issue. After reinstallation of app only smart-previews are loaded. I assume this is a bug, because expect loaded previews according to the settings.

[colinsdds]

Thanks for posting this topic!  I will be honest, I found the new LrCC to be suspiciously stingy with expensive cloud space, seeming to force users to upload RAW files - hundreds and hundreds of which let's face it are trash.  Also, Classic is about, oh, 500% better, so what gives on not being able to sync at least my better photographs?!

Turns out you can, with this latest version (4/4/2018) you have to click on your name and then click "Start" by the "Sync with LRCC" option.

NOW I actually have the ability to sync collections, which has been causing me migraines and aneurysms for two days (not really).

The work flow makes better sense now: I can tweak on the road via laptop, choose my favorites to then go home and develop fully with Classic.  And not pay $6500/month for 38 TB of cloud space for all my photographic rejects!!

Yay.

[fantim008]

I have been using Lightroom CC since it was first introduced, and Lightroom Classic before that.
I used to upload all my images from Lightroom Classic, then on another laptop I would open Lightroom CC and Edit in Photoshop.  
Now this feature no longer works because it only allows me to edit Smart Previews.

I have spoken to Adobe support, and to the escalation ticket.  They inform me that Classic only uploads smart previews, however I have thousands of photos which were uploaded in Classic and were edited.  This seems to be something new that has happened.