Lightroom Import Alternatives Explained

Lightroom Import alternatives can be a bit complex. In this post, I will shed light on different choices and how they can affect your workflow. 

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Ted’s Lightroom Classic Import Tip:

To open images in Lightroom, you need to import them first. You click on the Import button, and you face four different options. What import alternative is best for you?

Let’s discuss them all. 

Copy As DNG:

Copy As DNG is the first option. Firstly, DNG Digital Negative (DNG) is a publicly available archival format for raw files generated by various digital cameras. And it addresses the lack of an open standard for raw files created by individual camera models and ensures that photographers easily access their files.

Secondly, it works only for Raw files.

So, if you shoot in Raw with different digital cameras, DNG keeps all your raw images in the same universal format. And generally speaking, DNG files are a bit smaller than manufacturers raw file but has the exact resolution.

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Copy:

Copy means that Lightroom copies the photos from the source (i.e. memory card) to the hard drive (external or internal hard drives). So, a copy of all images stays in the original source.

I highly suggest this option when importing new pictures to Lightroom from a memory card. 

Move:

As the name suggests, this option moves photos from the source to the new location. It removes the images from the source.

I recommend this option when you want to move pictures from one hard drive to another. For instance, when you want to move the images from your internal hard drive to an external hard drive.

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Add:

In this option, Lightroom registers photos in the source and ADDs only the data to the catalog. Therefore, the images reside in the source.

It is not a good option for memory cards. However, if you have a hard drive full of pictures and have already organized them to folders and want to have access to these photos through Lightroom, this option works the best. 

Lightroom Private Lessons

Lightroom is the best photo management and editing software in the market. However, it may look a bit overwhelming for beginners. Our Lightroom private lessons target those confusing areas. Contact us to book your first lesson (in person or online), and you will notice that Lightroom is not that hard to master!

That is all for now. Stay tuned for my next photography Tips. We love to hear from you. Let us know if you have any questions; feel free to send us your questions, and we will be more than happy to answer them. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for more Free Tutorials and Tips.

Ted and the Omnilargess Team