Transferring DNG files from Laptop to Desktop - Losing Adjustments

[Scott Hargis]

This one is puzzling me....
I regularly shoot in the field while tethered to my MacBook Pro, using Lightroom 3.3 to tether the camera. (I don't use 3.4.1 on the laptop due to tethering issues). As I'm shooting, I often make minor tweaks to the images such as white balance, lens profiles, recovery, cropping, etc. etc.

At the conclusion of the shoot, I convert everything to DNG, and copy the folder to an external HD to transfer them to my desktop computer at home. But when I import these DNG's into my LR catalog on my desktop (Mac Pro), all of the RAW adjustments I did in the field are gone! I thought these things were "contained" in the DNG file. What am I missing? I'm having to go in and re-create everything, which is particularly troubling since sometimes my client and I do some precise cropping in the field, which is lost.

I'm thinking there's a better way to transfer these files - yes?

[langier]

If I remember properly, I think it may be a preference for export from LR and with DNG another preference must be set since there seems to be different "flavors" even though it is supposed to make this easy and universal.

[john beardsworth]

You're right about what should happen, but maybe you aren't saving those changes to the DNGs? Ctrl S / Mac Cmd S. What is the exact sequence you are following?

Alternatively, I prefer File > Export as Catalog as a way of moving work between computers. On the other computer File > Import from Catalog.

John

[wolfnowl]

My first thought was the same - you're making the changes, but are you saving the metadata/ updating the .DNG files?  The default in Lightroom is not to do this automatically.

Mike.

[Scott Hargis]

Saving? I can't find a "save" command in LR....

I always thought that one of the selling points of using DNG was that it wrapped the .XML file into a single package with the RAW so that it would be reliably portable.
So, is it a preference setting? I've poked around within LR looking for something that might affect this. It sounds like some of you are saying that my RAW adjustments are contained within the catalog, and not necessarily with individual images. That runs counter to what I've always understood, but god knows I don't always understand these things! Also sounds like I should be Exporting as a Catalog, and then Importing that catalog to my desktop machine -- maybe that would be more reliable. I'll give it a shot on my next gig. Thanks, all!

[john beardsworth]

Without you giving precise order in which you did things, it's hard to say what went wrong.

Generally, all your adjustments are saved in the catalogue, and only written back to the file when instructed. Use Metadata > Save Metadata to File, or Metadata > Update DNG preview and Metadata. Alternatively, in Catalog Settings, Metadata, you can switch this on automatically.

[Scott Hargis]

John, the precise order is as described in my original post. I shoot tethered to LR. Then convert to DNG, using "Library>Convert to DNG". Then copy the folder containing the DNG's to an external hard drive, and hand-carry it to my desktop computer, where they are imported into my LR catalog, using the "Import" button at the bottom left of the Library module.

Looks like the crucial step I've been missing is the "Save Metadata to File" - I'd never heard of that before, thanks. I also think I'm going to start using a new catalog for each tethered shoot, and use the Export as Catalog  >> Import from Catalog, and see if that improves things.

The thing that makes this even weirder, in my view, is that on closer examination, it turns out that *some* adjustments were brought along in the transfer - notably some Gradient Tool adjustments. But White Balance and Toning adjustments were dropped completely.

We'll see how it goes this afternoon, thanks for the input everyone.

[Scott Hargis]

"Export as Catalog" > "Import from Catalog" worked flawlessly.

Thanks, all.