Syncing a "small" number of images between Lightroom Classic on two different computers

[atj777]

Lightroom Version Number

10.3

Operating System

1. macOS 10.14 Mojave

I'm a brand new user of Lightroom Classic after using the perpetual licence version since 2007.

I'm sorry if this question has been asked before - I scrolled through some pages of this forum but I could not see the same question being asked.

What I want to be able to do is to pull out a bunch of images (say 100-400) from my master catalog on my desktop and "sync" them to my laptop so I can edit both the images and the metadata.

With Lightroom 6.x, I'd export the images as a catalog (with smart previews), copy the catalog across to the laptop and edit them there. To get the changes back I'd, I'd just copy the catalog back to the desktop and import into my master catalog.

I realise I can continue to do this with Lightroom Classic but seeing as I have 20GB of cloud space it would be nice to be able to sync the images across. I've had a look at Lightroom CC but it doesn't let me edit (or even see) the metadata.

I also tried to sync with cloud from my laptop but I get

even though the catalogs have the same filename.

So... is what I want to do possible or do I just have to contine to export/copy/edit/copy/import?

Thanks

 

[Johan Elzenga]

You cannot sync between two versions of Lightroom Classic. What you can do is export those images as a catalog and then move that catalog to the other computer. Check the option to generate smart previews. When the edits are done and you want to consolidate them, use ‘Import from Another Catalog’ and import this catalog again into your main catalog.

 

[clee01l]

If you want to use Lightroom Classic on both computers, you need to continue using the "Export/import from another catalog" as you did in Lr 6. This is as Johan has suggested.

However, you do not need to use Lightroom Classic on the second computer. You can use the cloud based app (now called just Lightroom v4.3) on the second computer. Here, we call this Lightroom (cloudy) to distinguish it from the older perpetual licensed Lightroom 6. Images that you sync from your master LrC catalog to the cloud will be available on the second computer running Lightroom (cloudy). Any edits or adjustment made in Lightroom (cloudy) will automatically sync back to your Lightroom Classic catalog. A further advantage is than any images synched FROM Lightroom classic to the cloud will not count against your 20GB plan limits. However, any images that you import from Lightroom Cloudy will need to fit into the 20GB limit and the full size image from Lightroom (cloudy) will automatically be imported into your master Lightroom Classic catalog.

 

[atj777]

You cannot sync between two versions of Lightroom Classic. What you can do is export those images as a catalog and then move that catalog to the other computer. Check the option to generate smart previews. When the edits are done and you want to consolidate them, use ‘Import from Another Catalog’ and import this catalog again into your main catalog.

So exactly what I have been doing wth 6.14.

 

[atj777]

However, you do not need to use Lightroom Classic on the second computer. You can use the cloud based app (now called just Lightroom v4.3) on the second computer. Here, we call this Lightroom (cloudy) to distinguish it from the older perpetual licensed Lightroom 6. Images that you sync from your master LrC catalog to the cloud will be available on the second computer running Lightroom (cloudy). Any edits or adjustment made in Lightroom (cloudy) will automatically sync back to your Lightroom Classic catalog. A further advantage is than any images synched FROM Lightroom classic to the cloud will not count against your 20GB plan limits. However, any images that you import from Lightroom Cloudy will need to fit into the 20GB limit and the full size image from Lightroom (cloudy) will automatically be imported into your master Lightroom Classic catalog.

Hmmm.... I just looked at this web based version of Lightroom and it looks the same as the desktop Lightroom CC app which doesn't let me edit or even see metadata.

For me, the biggest value from Lightroom is the organisational capabilities, including the metadata. I make very heavy use of metadata and have even added a lot of custom fields through plugins. Not being able to see or edit the metadata makes it completely useless to me.

 

[clee01l]

Hmmm.... I just looked at this web based version of Lightroom and it looks the same as the desktop Lightroom CC app which doesn't let me edit or even see metadata.

For me, the biggest value from Lightroom is the organisational capabilities, including the metadata. I make very heavy use of metadata and have even added a lot of custom fields through plugins. Not being able to see or edit the metadata makes it completely useless to me.

Lightroom for the Web is a window to the images in Lightroom in the cloud.
You need Lightroom for mobile devices or Lightroom for PC and Macs to edit images stored in the cloud. Lightroom (cloudy) will let you add Captions, titles and keywords and pick flanges and rating (stars)

You will not get access to lots of metadata fields in Lightroom Classic and even less with Lightroom (cloudy).

Most people that use both Lightroom (cloudy) and Lightroom Classic use Lightroom (cloudy) for the front end and Lightroom Classic for the heavy lifting.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Califdan]

just an add on note here. You say you want to edit, among other things, metadata on the laptop but don't specify what metadata. As discussed, letting LR sync images between LR/Classic and LR/Cloudy will sync your image look changes (Develop Module in Classic, Edit panel in Cloudy) and will sync some metadaa. However, it does not sync all metadata nor even all metadata visible in the Metadata Panel of LR/Classic. The most notable thing it does not sync is Keywords and this ommission is the major factor keeping many users from fully embracing the sync method to deal with travel. If you don't intend to fiddle with keywords on the laptop, using the LR/Cloud - LR/Classic sync option is a good one. However, if Keywords are involved, then stick with your export as catalog and reimport from caalog method.