Lightroom 3 Importing Problem

[JHenry]

Looking for some help here; my online searches have been unsuccessful.

I noticed last night that Lightroom 3 has recently been importing my Leica M9 files and cutting their size by about half (18.3 Mb files are shrunk to between 8-10Mb). Anybody have this problem or know how to get LR3 to stop doing this?

Funny thing is that my importing work flow is basically unchanged. I shoot DNGs, import using "Copy as DNG," rename the file during import, and have the renamed file placed in a folder based on the date the image was captured. Been doing it this way since I got the M9 (and before using other cameras) and never had the RAW file shrunk in size so much. Most importantly, until about two weeks ago, this approach NEVER resulted in M9 files being reduced from 18.3Mb to 8-10Mb.

Only one thing in the workflow has changed: I've recently been shooting with M9 and 5Dii at the same time. So, I copy all the RAW files from each camera to a temp folder on my computer, and then import all of them into LR3 at the same time using "Copy as DNG." Since the clocks on the cameras are synced, this gets all the photos lined up based on capture time. But, even in this modified workflow, the 5Dii files are still over 20Mbs each.

I experimented last night, importing just M9 files, just 5Dii files, and then importing both at the same time. In all instances the M9 files were shrunk in size. Only when I tried to 'Copy" or "Move" during import, not "Copy as DNG," did the file sizes stay as original. But, I'd like to be able to import M9 and 5Dii files at the same time, and have the 5Dii converted to DNG...also, this wasn't happening to my M9 files until about 2 weeks ago.

Any ideas what could have changed to cause the M9 files to be shrunk? Does it even matter---is the image quality shrunk, too? Seems very strange to me that all of a sudden this has started to happen. Need to figure out how to fix it before a big upcoming trip.

Thanks for you help, and sorry for the long post.

Cheers,

Jeff

 

[JHenry]

Tom,

Thanks for your reply. Understand your question, and I thought about the same thing last night as I was experimenting how to fix this issue.

I don't want a new DNG created from the M9 DNG, and I suspect that is what is happening. What is disconcerting is that this didn't happen in the past (until two weeks ago or so). Copy as DNG would simply "copy" the file and allow me to rename it. Now, for some reason, the same "Copy as DNG" is causing a DNG of a DNG to be created, which is smaller in size by about 10Mb.

I would think that LR3 would (as it did in the past) recognize the M9 DNG as such, and just copy it.

Really wouldn't be a problem, except I'm anal retentive, and like to have all the files renamed in sequence based on capture time. For the upcoming trip I'll be using to different digital cameras, and want all the files to be in LR chronologically; I'd prefer them all to be DNG. Maybe the only solution is to import without converting to DNG. This would result in M9 files retaining their DNG file structure, and the 5dii files being CR2.

 

[MCTuomey]

Jeff, maybe simply importing the M9 files using just *Copy* and importing the 5D II files using *Copy as DNG* would get you your chron filing requirement and preserve the DNG format consistency.