Import thumbnail preview unavailable

[Pat5]

Lightroom Version Number

Lightroom Classic 10.3 Camera Raw 13.3

Operating System

1. macOS 11 Big Sur

MacBook Pro (Big Sur 11.4) Sony XQD card from my Nikon Z6 imports NEF files to Lightroom CC subscription without an actual thumbnail image. "Preview unavailable with this file" is displayed. Very annoying as I use a subject file system so can't select which photos to go to different folders.

 

[clee01l]

I reached out to JimWilde and JohnREllis and haven't received a definitive answer. One thing that Jim suggested would be to force Lightroom Classic to generate a new Preferences file. This often cures Lightroom strangeness.

Another thing I would like you to do is send me one of your Z6 NEFs copied directly from your XQD card. You can use the WeTransfer website to upload the large fie and notify me that it is there using this email address [email protected]
I'll copy you Z6 NEF onto an XQD card and try importing it to my Lightroom Classic Catalog.

I received your NEF file from weTransfer. I copied it to one of my XQD cards. I imported it via USB3 and again via USB-C. Each time I was able to see the thumbnail preview. It is possible that the copied file behaves differently from the original file laid down on your XQD card. And for this reason you also do not see a problem if you copy the card contents to a local disk drive.
In your email, you indicated that resetting the preferences file did not make any difference. In composing this reply I have questions about the formatting of your XQD card. how often do you reformat the camera card? Do you use the camera to reformat (preferred) or have you reformatted the card using the Disk Utility? if you use the camera to reformat, try reformatting with the Disk Utility or vice versa. Let me know if there is any difference in thumbnails with the different reformat.

With this information, I think your next step needs to be reporting it to Adobe via the feedback site. This was a suggestion from Jim Wilde. Be sure to mention that another person (you may use my name) also has successfully used the same equipment (both USB3 and USB-C) to import NEFs without problems.

 

[Jim Wilde]

Picking up the point that John Ellis made, which source is being used when you do the import? The card should be accessible both under "Devices" at the top of the left hand panel, and lower down in the "Files" section. Until relatively recently, the import process would default to the card listed under "Devices", though recently that was changed (because of some optimisations) to default to the entry under "Files".

Can you confirm that you do see two entries for the card in the Source panel, and can you advise which one Import defaults to? And if you haven't already tried this, can you import using whichever source is not the default selection (i.e. ensure you try both sources in the list), let us know if that makes any difference.

 

[johnrellis]

I don't think the Z-series camera came out before MacOS 10.14. I know that I was on 10.14 when I got my Z7 in 2019.

Dpreview says the Z 6 and 7 were released August 2018, and Wikipedia says Macos 10.14 was released September 2018. It's definitely possible there's an old XQD driver installed depending on purchase dates, upgrade history, and possible previous uses of XQD readers.

I found an easy way to see if the old driver is installed. Copy and past this command line in Terminal:

kextstat | grep -i xqd

 

[clee01l]

Dpreview says the Z 6 and 7 were released August 2018, and Wikipedia says Macos 10.14 was released September 2018. It's definitely possible there's an old XQD driver installed depending on purchase dates, upgrade history, and possible previous uses of XQD readers.

I found an easy way to see if the old driver is installed. Copy and past this command line in Terminal:

kextstat | grep -i xqd

I ran that command line and it did not return results on my system.

 

[clee01l]

Can you confirm that you do see two entries for the card in the Source panel, and can you advise which one Import defaults to? And if you haven't already tried this, can you import using whichever source is not the default selection (i.e. ensure you try both sources in the list), let us know if that makes any difference.

I have both entries as a Device and as a mounted volume. The mounted volume is the default even though I usually choose the device listing. Both entries show thumbnails including the thumbnail that Patricia. sent me.

 

[johnrellis]

I ran that command line and it did not return results on my system.

Good, that aligns with your driverless card reader.

 

[johnrellis]

The mounted volume is the default even though I usually choose the device listing.

The Devices section accesses the card using the Picture Transfer Protocol, while the Files section accesses as a mounted file system, just like any external drive. LR 8.3 switched the default for cards from Devices to Files because Files is usually faster. Using Devices has problems with getting the time zone wrong on capture dates, and I recall other bugs too, though I can't find the reports right now. LR has to rely on Windows and Mac OS for their implementation of the legacy PTP, and when a USB cable connecting a camera is involved, on camera firmware.

This is why Jim and I are wondering whether Pat5's problem is related to using the Device section rather than Files.

 

[clee01l]

The Devices section accesses the card using the Picture Transfer Protocol, while the Files section accesses as a mounted file system, just like any external drive. LR 8.3 switched the default for cards from Devices to Files because Files is usually faster. Using Devices has problems with getting the time zone wrong on capture dates, and I recall other bugs too, though I can't find the reports right now. LR has to rely on Windows and Mac OS for their implementation of the legacy PTP, and when a USB cable connecting a camera is involved, on camera firmware.

This is why Jim and I are wondering whether Pat5's problem is related to using the Device section rather than Files.

Let’s hope to hear from Pat5.

Thanks for the explanation about the difference betweee the devices and volumes listing I’ve always used the Devices section with no issues. I thought PTP had been degraded by Apple some years ago.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Pat5]

I received your NEF file from weTransfer. I copied it to one of my XQD cards. I imported it via USB3 and again via USB-C. Each time I was able to see the thumbnail preview. It is possible that the copied file behaves differently from the original file laid down on your XQD card. And for this reason you also do not see a problem if you copy the card contents to a local disk drive.
In your email, you indicated that resetting the preferences file did not make any difference. In composing this reply I have questions about the formatting of your XQD card. how often do you reformat the camera card? Do you use the camera to reformat (preferred) or have you reformatted the card using the Disk Utility? if you use the camera to reformat, try reformatting with the Disk Utility or vice versa. Let me know if there is any difference in thumbnails with the different reformat.

With this information, I think your next step needs to be reporting it to Adobe via the feedback site. This was a suggestion from Jim Wilde. Be sure to mention that another person (you may use my name) also has successfully used the same equipment (both USB3 and USB-C) to import NEFs without problems.

Re: how I format the card - always & after every shoot via the camera which I've always understood to be the best way. Cletus, I so appreciate your dog-gone dogednesss in trying to solve my issue. BY&M I now refer to you as my Texas boyfriend lol

I've been 'hors de combat' since Friday. Had knee surgery. All is good not only with knee but also my LI problem. Somehow I found my way to Adobe Photoshop Family via this site & posed the same question. There Linda Alschuler thought LI might not have access to removable volumes and she was absolutely right. For some reason PS had access (including other software) but not LI!!!!!! A simple check mark to allow and problem solved.
And I will add that I've always been confused about the import options - devices, etc, just choosing willy nilly so to speak. So thanks to everyone about that as well. What a super group; so helpful.

 

[Pat5]

I have both entries as a Device and as a mounted volume. The mounted volume is the default even though I usually choose the device listing. Both entries show thumbnails including the thumbnail that Patricia. sent me.

Like you I can see the thumbnail with either Device or File. Typically I use Device but never understood the difference & wondered why or if one or the other was the 'correct' choice. Seems there is no difference other than the way LI goes about its business.

 

[clee01l]

Like you I can see the thumbnail with either Device or File. Typically I use Device but never understood the difference & wondered why or if one or the other was the 'correct' choice. Seems there is no difference other than the way LI goes about its business.

I thought we had explored that device/volume issue in this thread. I always use Device but both options worked for me (I guess because my permissions are good for both)

I am glad you were able to get to a solution using the resources at the Adobe forum.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[johnrellis]

Typically I use Device but never understood the difference & wondered why or if one or the other was the 'correct' choice. Seems there is no difference other than the way LI goes about its business.

In general, there are two important confirmed differences:

- Using the Files section is often significantly faster for SD cards, which is why Adobe made the Files section the default in LR 8. However, recent discussions about XQD and Cfexpress cards in the Adobe feedback forum suggest that there may not be a difference in performance for XQD/Cfexpress cards, since Windows and Mac treat them as external disk drives and probably aren't using the slow Picture Transport Protocol when you access them through the Devices section.

- For cards that do use the Picture Transport Protocol, using the Devices section can cause LR to import files into the wrong dated folders. Somewhere in the path from the card through USB, the PTP, and LR, someone is interpreting the capture dates as UTC rather than local time. This too may not matter with XQD/Cfexpress cards if Mac and Windows aren't using the PTP with them.