How to Identify Smart Preview vs Originals?

[stevevp]

Lightroom Version Number

Lightroom Classic version: 7.2 [ 1156743 ]

Operating System

1. macOS 10.13 High Sierra

I hope this is the right forum for this question. Whilst I use LR Classic rather than CC I do sync some collections to the web for sharing.

Following a problem I had with bad rendering of certain smart previews, I uploaded some original NEF files to CC via the web interface. Some time later, using the web interface, is there now any way to identify which of the files are smart previews and which are originals or can you only do this in the iPad CC app? (I'd prefer not to have the full Lightroom CC program on my computer as I get easily confused!)

 

[Jim Wilde]

(I'd prefer not to have the full Lightroom CC program on my computer as I get easily confused!)

That's a pity, as the LRCC desktop is the only app that currently gives you an easy way to determine what is in the cloud. In the Square Grid each image thumbnail has a small circular icon in the bottom right corner of the thumbnail frame, and that icon has three different states: blue background with a black down-pointing arrow indicates original in the cloud AND on the local system, white background with the same black down-pointing arrow indicates original in the cloud but not stored locally, and grey with black hatching indicates smart preview in the cloud only.

On the LRCC iOS apps you can figure it out but only on a per image basis, and on LRCC Web you can also figure it out but only by a process of deduction, i.e. there's no indicator that I'm aware of but if you try to download an image you'll get two options if there's an original in the cloud (original or small Jpeg), but only one option (small Jpeg) if there's no original in the cloud.

 

[stevevp]

Thanks Jim. In the LRCC desktop app can you filter by "original in the cloud and on the local system"? (My reluctance to have the desktop app only relates to my concern that I might stupidly end up with all my pics up on the cloud which I do not want!)

 

[Jim Wilde]

Yes you can, there's a filter option to show only images synced from LR Classic (i.e. smart previews).

I'm not sure I understand your concern.....the only way you could "end up with all your pics up on the cloud", if using LRCC desktop on the same system, would be by a deliberate import operation, which isn't the sort of thing you could do inadvertently! In fact you could end up with them all up there without even using LRCC desktop (e.g. using LRCC Web, which is how most of my originals got up there). Of course you could more easily end up with all your images uploaded as Smart Previews from LR Classic, and that wouldn't even need LRCC desktop to be installed.

I guess I'm trying to say that I can't see too much harm in using LRCC Desktop occasionally on the same system as LR Classic. I'd agree that most of the time it's not needed, but in this particular instance it would be useful as a quick overview.

 

[stevevp]

Many thanks Jim. Looks like I need to give it a go!