SL2 DNG compression in Lightroom

[hoppyman]

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For anyone interested,  after first use I have found the Lossless compression via "update DNG previews and metadata" after import by Copy option results in a signification file size reduction. as it did with the SL.
I applied this to the first hundred or so shots I made in studio today (plain white background fashion shots and portraits.

In round numbers, as imported by copy 83 000 KB. After update lossless compression reduced DNG files to 49 000 KB
In comparison, the reduction for files from the S Typ 007 is much less (around 5-10% to 43 000 KB)

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[Tailwagger]

Haven't a clue as to where this setting is to be found. Can you elaborate where this is set?

[erudolph]

In the Lightroom library (shortcut key G), in the menu bar, pull down the Metadata menu and you'll find that command 4th from the bottom of the menu.

[SrMi]

Be aware that this compression modifies your originals in place. In theory, it could damage the file, but I had never any issues.

[bags27]

Doesn't Adobe Converter do lossless compression, too?

[SrMi]

3 hours ago, bags27 said:

Doesn't Adobe Converter do lossless compression, too?

Yes, it does.

You have two options:

a) run all your DNG files through Adobe Converter, import compressed files into LR, discard original DNGs.

b) import original DNG files into LR, run compression on them.

The method b) seems more convenient to me.

[bags27]

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1 hour ago, SrMi said:

Yes, it does.

You have two options:

a) run all your DNG files through Adobe Converter, import compressed files into LR, discard original DNGs.

b) import original DNG files into LR, run compression on them.

The method b) seems more convenient to me.

Thanks. Of course as I prefer Photoshop to LR, I think I have to use the stand alone converter.

[johnbuckley]

If I recall, the original SL enabled one to store the image in a compressed form. The SL2 doesn't, I don't think.

Aside from this compression enabling one to have each image take up less disk space, what impact should this compression have on the file? Does it reduce, for example, the ability to print a large image?

[SrMi]

21 minutes ago, johnbuckley said:

If I recall, the original SL enabled one to store the image in a compressed form. The SL2 doesn't, I don't think.

Aside from this compression enabling one to have each image take up less disk space, what impact should this compression have on the file? Does it reduce, for example, the ability to print a large image?

No, SL does not have an option to compress raw files. The compression discussed is lossless, i.e., has no effect on image quality or ability to print a large image.

[hoppyman]

19 hours ago, SrMi said:

Be aware that this compression modifies your originals in place. In theory, it could damage the file, but I had never any issues.

It’s optional to do this if lossless compression is of any concern. If wanted, on import, a second copy can be written automatically to another location without applying that compression. I do that as part of a backup strategy. That’s a master copy of the original state for me. If you shoot a lot the space adds up of course. I would have maybe a couple of hundred thousand images as many people would have too.

This is maybe getting off track a little. I thought I would share what I found as an early SL2 adopter. There is some lossless compression going on in the cameras too and it’s not optional.. I think this changed a few years back. The original M8 was different agin, I may be misremembering.

Interesting for me is that the DNGs in camera don’t appear to have the same level of compression in camera with the different systems. The S seems to do more in camera than the L family does currently.

Typically in a half day in studio I might shoot 1000+ frames so the difference in storage over time is a lot of gigabytes.

 

Edited December 5, 2019 by hoppyman