LR Mobile image quality/resolution

[MrhoniKeith]

- I import images to my LR desktop and set the collection to sync to LR Cloud

- On my ipad the images show up

- I'm assuming what I see on the ipad is not the full resolution

- I'm assuming the full resolution goes up to the cloud

- Now from LR Mobile when I share to Facebook or camera roll, I assume its not a very good resolution compared to me exporting from LR desktop as a jpg to a size appropriate for Facebook.

Please help correct my assumptions and if you know of a link that details answers to my questions.

[Sahil.Chawla · Accepted solution]

Hi there,

The collection that you sync from Lightroom desktop are just image previews, and those previews are synced to the cloud then downloaded on the mobile device.

When you export from Lightroom desktop version the image looks better because the is the full resolution image.

Regards,
Sahil

[MrhoniKeith]

Ok.  I just realized I could do a test.  I exported to LR Mobile directly to my desktop via Airdrop. I chose maximum resolution.  The resulting file is 831kb and is 2560x1701.  I repeated this with the Small 2048px choice.  That file is 557kb and is 2048x1365.

I then viewed both on my desktop and they both look good for sharing.

[Michael J. Hoffman]

Hi MrhoniKeith,

Exactly as expected - the size of a Smart Preview is 2560 pixels along the longer edge, so that’s what you get when you export in maximum resolution. Alternately, the smaller version export is fixed at 2048 pixels (it says so in the export dialog).

The difference will be, if the original image is still stored locally or in the cloud, and hasn’t yet synced to LR Classic CC on the desktop. In that case, you could request the original image on your mobile device, and maximum available would be the size of the original file. Once the original syncs down to the desktop, all that’s left in the mobile cloud is the Smart Preview at 2560 pixels.

Mike

[MrhoniKeith]

When you say "original image is stored locally", you mean taking the photo on iphone and ipad and that's the original image and then  importing into LR Mobile. 

At the time of import LR Mobile has the original, it will push up to the cloud and then that original will come down to the desktop LR, correct? 

Then, per what you wrote, the original in the cloud is replace with the Smart Preview, correct? 

Then does the LR Mobile still contain the original or is that replaced with the Smart Preview?

[Michael J. Hoffman]

Once the full resolution originalnis copied into the cloud, the local copy on the mobile device will be replaced with the Smart Preview automatically. At that time, the original is still in the cloud, so you can “download original” later if you want. But the default is to save room on the mobile device and replace cloud backup originals with smart Previews.

As as soon as you fire up LR Classic CC desktop and sync there, the original is transferred to your desktop. Once verified, the cloud original is removed and only the Smart Preview remains in the cloud. Therefore, once that happens, you can no longer “download original” from your mobile device.

This is is a “feature” of working with LR Classic CC, where you take responsibility for managing the originals. It’s an advanced workflow and a little complicated for beginners.

For more casual users, or those who don’t need or want the LR Classic capabilities and workflow, a LR CC only workflow always leaves the originals in the cloud.

I hope that is helpful.

Mike

[MrhoniKeith]

Thanks. Good detail that can help people if they have this question in the future