I have a about 15000 images, with star ratings and “develop” actions on them in Lightroom, and I want to import the images to DarkTable, with the development metadata.
I know Lr stores edit data in its *.lrcat database.
In Lr, I systematically had my RAW files copied to DNG on import. I understand that DNG has the ability to store within the file, information that for e.g. CR2 would be placed in sidecar files.
I was thus hoping the DNG files contained development metadata that DarkTable could get hold of, but I find this is not the case. Hypotheses:
I never told Lr to store “sidecar info” into the DNG files, so the files do not have development data. Any guidance on how to fix that?
DarkTable must be told explicitly to exploit sidecar data that is in the DNG files.
… or both.
Does anyone have experience with this migration process?
Lightroom development process is unique and proprietary to Adobe. While they can store the development info in a sidecar or dng, darktable or any other software won’t know what to do with it.
The best recommendation I have is to export your edited images from lightroom. If in the future you need to reprocess an old image, just start from zero on dt using the raw file. I’ve used dt from a while and as new modules/features become available, I go back and start from zero and export again.
That’s the answer I was hoping not to get! But yes, I do have everything in finished-product-jpgs…
But I mean I have seen discussions about the edit “coming out differently” in DT compare to Lr, so I am under the impression there is a way to migrate the edits, if unperfectly.
If not, the greatest loss would actualy be the star rating. So just a way to transfer that would be precious.
As to that. the only to migrate the actual edits is ‘by eye’. It’s quite possible to get very similar results to Lr (with darktable) but the adjustments/settings applied definitely don’t “carry over” so as to speak.
As you say, there have been a few threads where people have been happy with a result in Lr and are unable to replicate it in DT. Usually can be done though.
Me again. Things did not quite work out, in spite of the help I got a few days ago. Let me explain.
I am doing a long overdue migration from Lightroom 6, to DarkTable (and at the same time, from one computer to the next). I probably need help from people with understanding of both software.
In Lr I systematically imported my raw files with “copy as DNG”. DNG, as opposed to typical raw files, can have their metadata edited. I think this explain the following: after our discussion, I went to Lr6>metadata>export metadata. I also went to Lr6>metadata>update DNG review (or something to this effect).
I find that these operations
touched the DNG files
did not create XMP sidecar files
When I import a sample of images from the collection into DarkTable, there is no metadata. Star ratings are not transfered. . So my questions.
how can I read the metadata in my DNG files to verify my hypothesis that Lr6 did write the metadata there as told.
How can I get DarkTable to read the metadata that is embedded in DNG files.
How can I get Lr6 to generate XMP sidecar files for my DNG files.
I opened a few files in XnView, and the metadata is on board the DNG. Star ratings, keywords, cropping, and other adjustments (if not rendered exactly as intended by Lr6, see discussion above).
Well, I am quite raw with Darktable (disastrous pun intended), so I might not have gotten the best out of it even if it is capable of getting metadata from DNG…
Edit: YES, I got it!!!
In DarkTable > LightTable > parameters > apply metadata (tick)
…and DarkTable captures the metadata from DNG files after this setting is set.
Hi @philippe_maincon I’m trying to do the same thing you did (import LR .DNG files with embedded edits) and I’m not getting any metadata or edits appear in Darktable. I’ve tried the “apply metadata” tick box but it makes no difference.
Can you confirm you managed to import the edits (e.g. cropping, exposure) or just the metadata like rating, title etc.
Thanks
DT is a much different workflow…if you somehow manage to get some ratings etc I suppose that is better than nothing… DT does not support DCP or any of the LR profiles or presets, it has different modules and the editing philosophy is a bit different …
For anyone who stumbles upon this thread. I’ve just done some tests and embedded DNG metadata from Lightroom (like my stars) carries over even without the “apply metadata” setting enabled (using darktable 5.0.1). It worked when set like this too:
Preferably I would not like to carry over edits from Lightroom, but that seems impossible. There is no setting to not make darktable attempt to imitate the edit from Lightroom using the metadata. Seems like a rather pointless default (and only option) as the imported edit in darktable looks nothing like the edit in Lightroom.
But yes, I do have everything in finished-product-jpgs…
. So my questions.