Lightroom 6.3 - no automatic dng conversion upon import

[julien080]

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I recently upgraded to LR6.3 and realized that Lightroom no longer convert my M9P uncompressed DNG files to Adobe compressed dng as it used to. I do select "copy and convert to DNG" in the import panel, but the original files simply get copied from my SD card, and I get the message "some files were not converted and left as raw files" (or something like that...).

 

I did not experience this in LR6.0, nor in LR3.6. I can still convert manually to Adobe compressed dng from the library menu though.

 

I could not find any discussion about this in the forum... am I the only one seeing this ?

 

Should I stop using adobe lossless compressed DNGs and use the in-camera compressed DNGs ?

 

I am very interested in reading your thoughts on this subject.

[hoppyman]

Hi Julien. There are a couple of different parts to your question there. Does your M9P offer a menu option for (lossless) compression or uncompressed DNG files? Sorry I haven't had an M9 for a couple of years. 
Separately to what options there are in cameras  the compression of DNG files by the Adobe programs is also lossless. In all of the recent versions that lossless compression is always applied. There is no longer an option to select otherwise. Once it used to be the case that the Adobe lossless compression was optionally applied to the first copy that you import using (now) copy as DNG and no additional compression was done to a second copy made on import. That is no longer the case either. Both copies on my system are the same size.  

Also the note regarding  'some files were not converted..." indicates that you also had some non Raw files on the memory card. For example id you had both DNG and JPEG on the same card.

 

You could do an experiment if you want but for importing DNG files now I think that copy and copy as DNG do exactly the same thing now? From habit I have just continued using Copy as DNG for all of my Raw files on import, I must say.
The copy as DNG option is primarily intended to change other raw formats to DNG of course.


 

Edited December 30, 2015 by hoppyman

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[julien080]

Hi Geoff,

 

Yes the M9 let us choose between compressed or uncompressed DNG. My default setting is uncompressed DNG (not DNG+JPEG). I remember following some advice found on this forum back in 2011 when I got my M9: shoot as uncompressed DNG, then import in LR with "copy as DNG" which converted the camera DNG to Adobe lossless compressed DNGs. At the time, I think it was unclear whether in-camera compressed DNGs were lossless or not.

 

Anyway, the issue that I encounter today is that unlike what you suggests, LR 6.3 does NOT apply the lossless compression to my DNGs but instead leave them untouched. I never experienced this in LR3.6 or LR6.0, which I used for a couple of days before upgrading to 6.3.

 

So for me "copy as DNG" and "copy" is indeed equivalent but I expected "copy as DNG" to apply the compression.

I assume this is a change in LR6.3 compared to previous versions?

 

In addition, the message I received saying "some of the imported files are non raw files" is a little confusing since it should in fact be interpreted as "some of the imported files are DNG files and will be copied with no compression applied"... even though the imported uncompressed DNG files from the M9 are not considered as "valid" DNG files by LR6.3! At least that's what the menu "validate DNG" says!

 

I will soon be shooting a M262. Would you choose compressed DNG or uncompressed DNG in the camera menu ?

 

Thanks for your feedback.

[hoppyman]

Hi Julien, when I was shooting primarily with the M9 and then the M I used the (lossless) compression option in camera AND Adobe's (lossless) compression on import via copy and convert to DNG. The key word in each instance is lossless. There is no disadvantage to using lossless compression. As I recall the Adobe program shrunk the files further and I have 120,000 of them so it matters ;-)
 

However out of curiosity I shall experiment with the M and confirm what happens with 6.3. The software version used info is available in library too so I shall look in detail at M( files in two locations as well.

I have used M8, M9, M (typ 240) S2 and S (Typ 007) and every version of LR since 2 so my recollection may be muddy on occasion! 6.2 introduced a number of problems to the import process as you are very likely aware. I thought that those were resolved now.

I think that you are mistaken regarding the non-conversion though. I have only ever seen this when there were also JPEG or (accidental) movie files on the card. The S has an irritating habit of insisting on writing DNG and JPEG to the same card.

[hoppyman]

I just went back through my image copies in Lightroom to check if I understood correctly.

 

The last M9 DNG's I have are from early June 2013. I was using NO COMPRESSION in camera and copy and convert to DNG on import with LR4.4

I also use Make a second copy on import . The primary copies have been losslessly compressed by LR and vary around 18~22MB. The second copies that LR made on important are all same as originals, that is 34.75MB each.

I just tested now with my M (Typ 240) using both COMPRESSION ON and OFF in camera. Every file is losslessly compressed on import whatever the camera setting and very close to same size. That includes the second copy made on import. All of mine are in the range 22~23MB.

 

So as far as I can see whatever settings you have with your M9P, LR6.3 will alway use its own lossless compression on import whatever import options that you use anyway.

[julien080]

Thanks Geoff for testing this. It all makes sense on your side! I still have no clue on my end to explain this behavior which again is new since LR6.3!

 

I tried an newly formatted card (in camera), then took a few shots with my M9P DNG only uncompressed and a few more compressed. Then in LR6.3, "copy and convert to DNG" gives me the same message: "non-raw files were not converted to DNG" and results in a simple copy of the camera original DNG files (36.4 MB for uncompressed and around 18.3 MB for compressed). So obviously something is going on here! Is it some LR settings? But I don't see which one it could be...

 

Could you try to import your original M9 DNG files into LR6.3 if you still have access to them (the second copy made on import?) and see if you get this time the same behavior I get? Just a thought...

 

On another subject I specifically remember M9 compression is NOT lossless which is why I guess you also used to shoot DNG uncompressed at the time and then used LR lossless compression (same settings I have). Has this changed for the M240 family? ie in-camera DNG compression is lossless? or is it that most people now consider it is lossless from a perceptive point of view (which would then also be fine with me)?

 

Thanks again and happy new year!

[julien080]

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just found this link: https://forums.adobe.com/message/7526130#7526130

 

at least I know that I am not alone, but the explanation is a little vague to me...

[hoppyman]

My memory hazy on which compression functions from which camera, sorry. I had the M8, M9, M (typ 240) before now mainly using the S cameras!
I'll try your suggestion and report back. Always something new to learn.

Edited January 2, 2016 by hoppyman