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How to import pictues from SD cart into LR mobile?

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Wernfried

Wernfried

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Jan 31, 2017
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Hi

I consider to subscribe to CC in order to get full functionality of LE mobile. However, I don't manage to import my photos.

Desired work-flow would be like this:
  1. Take photos in RAW format
  2. Then in the evening, connect SD cart to my (Android) tablet using such an adapter: SD-Adapter Micro-USB
  3. Import pictures to LR mobile
  4. Make some basic development like adding keywords, comments, rating, maybe cropping
  5. When arriving back home at my PC, import RAW file from SD card to Lightroom
  6. Finalize developing at PC

Problem is the tablet does not recognize attached SD card, I cannot add any photo into LR mobile. Using a file explorer and copy files manually from attached SD card to local storage is annoying and would not be sufficient due to limited memory of the tablet.

I would expect LR mobile to import/create smart-previews or something similar. Then at home when I transfer RAW files to my PC, LR should be able to join "pre-imported" pictures with imported RAW files based on synchronized catalog data.

Does anybody know a way to work like this?

Importing RAW files to tablet and sending them to any kind of cloud is not possible. My next holiday will be in the Okavango Delta - far away from any WLAN or mobile coverage. It would be to slow and to expensive anyway.

Currently I am using the Portfolio RAW Photo Manager, it can read photos from attached SD card (RAW and/or JPEG files) directly and offers capability to add title, caption, keywords and rating. It creates an XMP sidecar file and save it to SD card. Importing RAW+XMP file into LR works without any problem, title/caption/keyword/rating are also taken.

However, functions of Portfolio RAW Photo Manager is rather limited and I would prefer to use LR mobile if possible.

Best Regards
Wernfried
 
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When Lightroom mobile imports photos, it imports them into its own storage. I'm a very very infrequent Android user, but I believe at one point there was a preference in LRM to allow LR to put much of its storage on an SD card instead of internal storage. That's as much as I know on the subject, I'm afraid, but it might give you somewhere to start looking.

With that said, even that wouldn't help with the "sending them to any kind of cloud is not possible" unless you could let them upload to the cloud on your return.

You could put in a feature request at Official Feature Request/Bug Report Forum but Adobe seems pretty set on keeping control of files on mobile once they're imported, in order to avoid the "missing files" type problems we see frequently on desktop.
 
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I got stuck already at your first sentence: "When Lightroom mobile imports photos ...". I am not able to import any photos, LRM does not see external SD card.
There is no option to set like "Import from folder ..." as you can set in Desktop LR.

Looks like LRM is designed to import only photos which you have taken with your tablet build-in (toy-) camera or work with photos you have previously imported (and synchronized) into you Desktop LR.
 
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Oh I see. What if... you could copy the photos from the memory card to the built-in storage, then add the photos to LRM from the built-in storage, with it set to store on another SD expansion card, then once they're there, remove the photos from the camera roll to free up internal space? It's sounding a little hacky, I have to agree. It's designed to use internal storage, even with photos from cameras.
 
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Yes, quite hacky. Also it would require to buy two rather expensive 256GB microSD cards for my tablet. That's the amount of card storage I carry with my photo equipment.
I removed LRM from my table meanwhile, that's not the way I like to waste my holiday time.

Sorry Adobe, as of today you did not catch me for a CC subscription.
 
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Thank you for asking this. I hope there is a feature request somewhere.
I have a micro-usb SD card reader that I use to move my raw files to Lightroom Mobile. The problem is that Lightroom Mobile (Android phone) currently only allows import of files from local storage. So, I need to copy all my files from the SD to the local storage using a file manager and then import to LR mobile.

I very much agree that this is hacky and cumbersome. It also seems unnecesary. I can't see why external drives (in particular usb) can't be directly accessed by LRMobile. It is particularly strange when LRMobile does allow all it's app data to be stored externally. Obviously I can't do that because I don't always have the SD dongle connected to my phone.

Thanks for asking and if anyone knows how to send a feature request (or if one already exists) please let me know.
 
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I have to copy files to the device camera directory for them to be picked up... So I use a file manager, copy them across to the camera directory and import... LRM seems to be hard coded to those directories.

Sent from Samsung S8+ using Tapatalk
 
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I am having pretty good success using lightroom on a Samsung Tab S2. I have a 256 GB micro sd card inside the tablet. I connect my camera cards to the tablet with a micro usb card reader then transfer them to that card, using a file manager, giving me a quick backup to my photos. Then I can import them into Lightroom while they still reside on the removeable 256 GB micro SD card. I can then edit them in LR, open them in PS for spot removal, sharpening and dehaze, then Share them to Gallery from where I can share them to FB or Instagram, etc. My only complaints are that Lightroom imports all photos to the limited internal storage from the micro sd card. It also crashes quite frequently. I sure get quick satisfaction and sharing ability after a days shoot without having to carry a laptop on my trips! Being able to backup my shots is another big bonus. (16 MP Pentax K5 camera)
 
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Using Samsung S9+ now.

The USB card reader is touchy so trying to work that out.

The latest version of Lightroom Mobile mentions camera imports so I hope it's easier now.

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
 
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I'm using a Galaxy Tab S3 to successfully import pictures directly from my Fuji X-T2, using a USB-3 to USB-C cable to connect the camera. Lightroom even recognises the two card slots on the X-T2, one for Raw and one for Jpeg. If you look under Device Info & Storage in LR CC there's an option to use the S3's card slot. The import from the camera is very fast, though it takes longer to sync to the cloud. Occasionally, LR CC does crash and you have to start the import again, but mostly it has worked fine. I've not tried when I'm not connected to the cloud, but will experiment tomorrow.

I mostly import from the camera to LR Classic on my Mac, but am going on holiday soon with just the Galaxy.
 
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Thanks that's good info.. Please keep us informed how you go on holidays with just a tablet and local wifi or mobile coverage.

I think it's the card reader on the Galaxy S9+... Time to get a new one..

Sent from my SM-G965F using Tapatalk
 
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Will do. One thing I've noticed is that it works best if you let LR CC finish syncing after it opens.
 
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Well, the experiment didn't quite work out.

I applied the June LR CC Android update just before we went away, and LR CC instantly stopped recognising the camera when it was connected. The Galaxy did recognise the camera though, so I was able to easily copy the images to the tablet's SD card. At first, I imported the images into LR, but the upload process ground the slow internet connection in the holiday cottage almost to a halt (ah, the joys of fibre). So, I stuck to just copying to the tablet and using Gallery to look at the images. This worked well for a shortish holiday, but I wouldn't like to rely on it for a more serious trip - at least not just for the moment.
 
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Another option would be to use a OTG adaptor. I have one that USB-C to female USB A. On the USB A side I connect my SD card reader.
My S8+ will see the card. The LR Mobile only see one ext memory card at a time. So before I start up Lr mobile I copy the raw images to either main memory or micro SD card in the phone. Then disconnect the SD card reader. I fire up Lr Mobile and import the files that were saved on the phone to a collection or album. I start up Lr Classic, wait for the sync and the raw images appear on my computer.
 
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