Importing into Lightroom

[Winkeye]

Brand new to Sony. Just got the A7RIV. I'm sure this question has been answered many times. I apologize in advance. I have searched the forum unsuccessfully. How does one import ARW raw files into Lightroom? Everything grayed out. I have Lightroom Classic. Many thanks.

 

[Deleted Member 5045]

Have LR on the Library screen with All Photographs selected, then drag and drop the files you want from an external file manager folder to LR Classic. That's what I always do.

 

[Merlinator]

I do it a bit different. I download the pics from the camera to a folder on my computer, not in lightroom classic, I then go through them and delete the ones I don't want to upload. I use fastraw viewer because it's free and fast. When you are ready to import, make sure you are in the library mode and then add, not move, the photos to your selected folder on the drive you use to store your pictures in lighroom classic.

 

[Winkeye]

Have LR on the Library screen with All Photographs selected, then drag and drop the files you want from an external file manager folder to LR Classic. That's what I always do.

Thanks for your response. Could you clarify what you mean by an external file manager folder? The photos are downloaded to my hard drive in a folder but I'm not sure if that is what you mean.

 

[Winkeye]

I do it a bit different. I download the pics from the camera to a folder on my computer, not in lightroom classic, I then go through them and delete the ones I don't want to upload. I use fastraw viewer because it's free and fast. When you are ready to import, make sure you are in the library mode and then add, not move, the photos to your selected folder on the drive you use to store your pictures in lighroom classic.

Interesting. I have never heard of fastraw. I did try something that worked but it was very slow. I exported them from Bridge as "DNGs" to my hard drive. Then when I went to import the DNGs into Lightroom they came in. However, the exporting to DNG took forever. I doubt that is the best way. I'll look into fastraw. Thank you.

 

[Deleted Member 5045]

Thanks for your response. Could you clarify what you mean by an external file manager folder? The photos are downloaded to my hard drive in a folder but I'm not sure if that is what you mean.

Sorry mate. I meant just open the folder separately to LR, then drag the desired images into LR.

I use DXO PhotoLab to go through my images. I run Deepprime on most of them then export to LR Classic. The ones I don't run Deepprime on I just drag and drop them into LR Classic straight from the file folder.

'File manager' obviously caught you off guard, you must have thought I'm still using Windows 3.1 on a good old 486 CPU...

 

[Merlinator]

Interesting. I have never heard of fastraw. I did try something that worked but it was very slow. I exported them from Bridge as "DNGs" to my hard drive. Then when I went to import the DNGs into Lightroom they came in. However, the exporting to DNG took forever. I doubt that is the best way. I'll look into fastraw. Thank you.

oops, it's faststone image viewer

 

[Winkeye]

Sorry mate. I meant just open the folder separately to LR, then drag the desired images into LR.

I use DXO PhotoLab to go through my images. I run Deepprime on most of them then export to LR Classic. The ones I don't run Deepprime on I just drag and drop them into LR Classic straight from the file folder.

'File manager' obviously caught you off guard, you must have thought I'm still using Windows 3.1 on a good old 486 CPU...

Got it. Thanks very much! It seems as if there are a variety of ways to pull Sony raw files into Lightroom. I guess the more the merrier. Several options here for me to try.

 

[Deleted Member 5045]

Got it. Thanks very much! It seems as if there are a variety of ways to pull Sony raw files into Lightroom. I guess the more the merrier. Several options here for me to try.

Let us know how you go and I look forward to seeing some of your images.

 

[iamdlewis]

I have nothing helpful to add here but I just want to say that I hate how Adobe does the image loading process.

 

[edrin spahiu]

Brand new to Sony. Just got the A7RIV. I'm sure this question has been answered many times. I apologize in advance. I have searched the forum unsuccessfully. How does one import ARW raw files into Lightroom? Everything grayed out. I have Lightroom Classic. Many thanks.

what I do is that i make a dng file that pretty much is same as raw. you can download it directly from adobe. it's pretty fast and good. you lose only 2-3mb in 60mb in total

 

[Jeff A]

Have LR on the Library screen with All Photographs selected, then drag and drop the files you want from an external file manager folder to LR Classic. That's what I always do.

Actually Clint, this is not the best advice, as It defeats Lightroom's ability to track and manage files. This is coming from a guy (Me) who has screwed up the Lightroom Catalog in the beginning. Also, depending on whether you move instead of copy with the external file manager, you may have eliminated the ability of Lightroom to make non-destructive edits to the original files.

 

[Deleted Member 5045]

Also, depending on whether you move instead of copy with the external file manager, you may have eliminated the ability of Lightroom to make non-destructive edits to the original files.

Correct, that's fine by me. ️

 

[edrin spahiu]

Actually Clint, this is not the best advice, as It defeats Lightroom's ability to track and manage files. This is coming from a guy (Me) who has screwed up the Lightroom Catalog in the beginning. Also, depending on whether you move instead of copy with the external file manager, you may have eliminated the ability of Lightroom to make non-destructive edits to the original files.

thanks i have to try it

 

[Winkeye]

what I do is that i make a dng file that pretty much is same as raw. you can download it directly from adobe. it's pretty fast and good. you lose only 2-3mb in 60mb in total

Thank you! I had heard of this method once or twice but never corresponded with anyone that had used it. I will definitely try this. I tried the FastStone viewer (suggested above) which is working. The files are turned into TIFs. I would like to try this DNG route as well. Onward.

 

[edrin spahiu]

Thank you! I had heard of this method once or twice but never corresponded with anyone that had used it. I will definitely try this. I tried the FastStone viewer (suggested above) which is working. The files are turned into TIFs. I would like to try this DNG route as well. Onward.

I like TIFs too but after researches I thought this is better or at least for me. Maybe you don’t have to change it coz TIFs are ok