How do i download original raw photos from lightroom.adobe.com?

[merkk]

I haven't tried out lightroom cc, and I haven't really used much of the online features of lightroom classic. I did however add a few photos to a collection and sync them from my desktop.

I just setup a new laptop and I'm trying to get the photos that I synced to into my copy of lightroom on this laptop. The only option i see when i go to the website is to download the photos as JPGs. When I open lightroom classic on my laptop, there is an option to sync photos, however when i do that i get a message saying I can only sync a single LR catalog and if i switch to the current catalog (which is empty) it will sync the existing photos to this new catalog. So i guess i have two questions:

1. is there a way to download the raw files through the website? Is there a way to download them with edits?

2. if i sync them to this new blank catalog will it mess anything up with my main catalog at home? do i just have to resync my existing catalog when i get home?

[JohanElzenga]

Sounds like you synced them up with Lightroom Classic? That means there are no original raw files in the cloud, only smart previews.

[merkk]

ah, i thought it uploaded the raw files when i did that. So if i tell it to sync, it's just going to download the smart previews (which i've never made use of ) and i can make edits on those.

Is there any option to get it to upload the raw files or would i need to make use of dropbox or something similar for that?

Thanks

[JP Hess]

You have to use Lightroom CC (that cloud-based Lightroom) if you want to upload the full-sized raw images to the cloud. Classic can only upload smart previews.

[merkk]

Hmm, that seems odd that both programs can't upload raw. I haven't looked at CC in much detail since i'm not usually interested in any of the online sharing etc features. I don't think i'm going to switch to CC just for that specific feature.

[JP Hess]

If you are subscribed to the Creative Cloud photography plan, you can install Lightroom CC in addition to Classic. However, don't try to synchronize the two on the same computer. You can use the new Lightroom CC to upload your full-sized raw files to the cloud, and they will synchronize back to your Lightroom Classic. If you have a laptop computer or secondary computer I would suggest that you install the cloud-based Lightroom on it. Just a thought, you don't have to use it. But if you want full-sized raw images on Lightroom.adobe.com it's the only way to do it.

[JohanElzenga]

merkk  wrote

Hmm, that seems odd that both programs can't upload raw. I haven't looked at CC in much detail since i'm not usually interested in any of the online sharing etc features. I don't think i'm going to switch to CC just for that specific feature.

What do you mean ‘both programs’? Lightroom Classic can’t sync originals. That’s not odd, that’s a choice Adobe made. Lightroom Classic is the local storage version, Lightroom CC is the cloud storage version.

[JP Hess]

merkk  wrote

I haven't looked at CC in much detail since i'm not usually interested in any of the online sharing etc features. I don't think i'm going to switch to CC just for that specific feature.

The new Lightroom CC isn't just about online sharing. It's about having your full-sized images available for you to have access for viewing and editing on all of your devices (computers and mobile devices) anywhere at any time. I'm not trying to convince you to use it. I play with it a little, but Classic is still my Lightroom of choice. You might want to take a look at some tutorials to see what the program is all about.

Lightroom CC 2017 - YouTube

[JohanElzenga]

JimHess  wrote

merkk   wrote

I haven't looked at CC in much detail since i'm not usually interested in any of the online sharing etc features. I don't think i'm going to switch to CC just for that specific feature.

The new Lightroom CC isn't just about online sharing. It's about having your full-sized images available for you to have access for viewing and editing on all of your devices (computers and mobile devices) anywhere at any time. I'm not trying to convince you to use it. I play with it a little, but Classic is still my Lightroom of choice. You might want to take a look at some tutorials to see what the program is all about.

Lightroom CC 2017 - YouTube

Exactly. For sharing you usually don’t need originals. Smart previews are large enough to share images with family and friends, so for sharing Lightroom Classic will often do fine. Lightroom CC is not specifically about sharing. It’s about working from anywhere and on any device, and it’s about safe online storage rather than local storage that can crash or get lost in other ways. It’s not for me either, but you have to understand the difference to make the choice.

[JohanElzenga · Accepted solution]

If you sync another catalog (Lightroom Classic can only sync one) then the smart previews in the cloud will be downloaded as if they were new small originals.

There is no option to let Lightroom Classic upload original raw files. If you want to store your originals in the cloud, you either have to use a different cloud option like Dropbox, or Lightroom CC.