Does Lightroom 5 automatically write Develop edits and metadata into DNG files?
Asked 1/23/2014
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2 answers
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I import, select, keyword, retouch, rename, and convert my NEF files to DNG in Lightroom 5, then archive them. If I continue editing a photo in the Develop module after converting to DNG, are those changes written into the DNG automatically, or do I need to use Ctrl+S / "Save Metadata to File"?
Also, if I edit a photo, convert it to DNG, edit it again, and then send only the DNG file (not the Lightroom catalog) to someone using Photoshop/Adobe Camera Raw, will they see the latest edits or only the state from when the file was converted?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
12y ago
2 Answers
1
Lightroom does not automatically save those changes to your DNG files. You have to manually press ctrl+s. I think that's for performance reasons - storing data in Lightroom catalog is more efficient than saving all changes to individual DNG/xmp/JPEG/TIFF files.
Originally by user3810. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user3810
12y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Lightroom stores your Develop edits and most metadata in its catalog by default; it does not automatically write every change back into the DNG file.
So if you want the DNG itself to carry the latest Lightroom edits/metadata for use on another computer, you should explicitly write or export that information. In practice, use Save Metadata to File (Ctrl+S) or export a DNG so the current metadata/settings are embedded.
If you send only the DNG and not the catalog, Photoshop/Adobe Camera Raw will only see the latest edits if those settings were written into the file. Otherwise, the recipient won’t get your most recent Lightroom adjustments.
This fits Lightroom’s non-destructive workflow: the original image data is left untouched, while edits are usually kept in the catalog for efficiency until you choose to write them out.
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