How does Lightroom handle RAW+JPEG pairs on import, and should I keep both?
Asked 5/29/2012
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2 answers
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I shoot both RAW and JPEG and use Lightroom 4. When importing, Lightroom’s default “ignore duplicates” behavior seems to show only the RAW files, and I’m worried the JPEGs won’t be managed alongside them. I’d like to avoid seeing duplicate images in the Library, but also avoid leaving orphaned JPEGs behind if I later delete photos. Does Lightroom normally treat RAW+JPEG files as a linked pair, or is there a better workflow? If not, is it better to import only RAW files and export JPEGs when needed, or import only JPEGs and add RAW files selectively?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
14y ago
2 Answers
3
I'd go with just the RAW files. If you are shooting RAW you probably don't want the auto-adjusted JPEGs anyway. I used to import(& shoot) both but found that I needed the JPEGs in like 1% of cases. On the whole it's just easier to export to JPEG files when I actually need them.
Originally by user2885. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user2885
14y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Lightroom’s normal behavior is to handle RAW+JPEG pairs together without showing them as duplicate photos in the Library. So in typical use, you can import both and Lightroom will manage them as a pair rather than as two separate images.
That said, many photographers find it simpler to import only the RAW files. If you’re shooting RAW, the JPEG is usually just the camera’s auto-processed version, and you can export a JPEG from Lightroom whenever you actually need one. Several users who tried RAW+JPEG found they rarely needed the JPEGs.
A reason to keep both is convenience: JPEGs can be quicker to browse than RAW files, especially on slower drives.
So the practical recommendation is:
- If you want the simplest workflow: import RAW only.
- If you want quick browsing or a built-in camera JPEG version: keep importing RAW+JPEG, since Lightroom is designed to handle that pairing.
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AI14y ago
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