Lightroom catalog on external drive query (probably stupid question)

Donnie

Donnie

Suspended / Banned
Messages
7,027
Name
Paul
Edit My Images
No
OK, I'm trying to find a way forward with processing / storage via lightroom on both the mac mini and the macbook air and trying to get my head round it.

I'm assuming if I was to have seperate catalogs on both there would be an issue should I then move a processed image from say laptop to the computer ie it wont remember the metadata and the processing etc ? Im assuming thats why it's best to have a "synchronised" approach?

If so, Im also going to assume using an external ssd, then setting this as the catalog location on both machines is the best way to ensure no conflict?

(I say best way as I don't want to go down the NAS route etc etc because (as you can see from my query) this is confusing enough for me :-(
 
You can't go down the NAS route. LR specifically prevents the ability to function over a network.

You could, possibly, use a directly attached storage device to host the catalogue. But that is going to run incredibly slowly.
 
I used to put the catalog on an external SSD so I could easily swap between Mac desktop and MacBook and not lose anything. Another option is you can import a new catalog from the laptop to the desktop but it’s not easy to swap between the two this way.
 
I have done this recently so my missus and I could work from the same catalogue.
Bought a 2TB nvme that we used between my iMac (now MBP) and missus' MBA.

Just place the catalogue on the external harddrive and just double-click the catalogue and it'll automatically open that catalogue in lightroom. If you already have two separate catalogues you can even merge them if you want.

In the end I got a bit annoyed having to connect a external drive and then having to leave it connected for cloud backup. So I swapped to a MBP (bought it off my brother) for now and asked my missus to use that whenever she wants to use lightroom.

As for the speed if you have a fast NVME SSD in a TB4 caddy you notice much difference if any and I edit high Res pictures.
 
Last edited:
Cheers guys, I'll show some ignorance here @nandbytes as I don't know how a nvme ssd compares to a normal ssd? Or is it just another term for the same thing? I have access to a 500gb Samsung 860 EVO ssd that I thought about using but actually after googling can see the nvme is much faster? I assume thats the main difference?
 
Donnie said:
Cheers guys, I'll show some ignorance here @nandbytes as I don't know how a nvme ssd compares to a normal ssd? Or is it just another term for the same thing? I have access to a 500gb Samsung 860 EVO ssd that I thought about using but actually after googling can see the nvme is much faster? I assume thats the main difference?
Click to expand...
Yep they are faster, smaller and get very hot.
But there is no reason you couldn't try with your regular SSD and see how you get along before upgrading.
 
Looking quickly on amazon I find a 1tb nvme from samsung at £120ish which seems a pretty reasonable price? Anyone rate these or could point me in the direction of a 1tb that is good value for money?
 
Oh actually ignore me, looking at the read / write speeds of 3500/3300 I found a crucial 1tb with 6600/5000 for only about £40 dearer, I guess that would be a better buy ?
 
Donnie said:
Oh actually ignore me, looking at the read / write speeds of 3500/3300 I found a crucial 1tb with 6600/5000 for only about £40 dearer, I guess that would be a better buy ?
Click to expand...
Read/write speed of the nvme is all well and good, you should also price up the caddy you'll use.
A 40Gbps TB4 caddy can easily cost £100.

10Gbps caddies are cheaper and may be enough speed for you.

No point having the fastest nvme in a slow caddy.
At the same time do your Macs have TB4 ports that can operate at that speed?
 
Actually Nandbytes has mentioned something in passing that may be an option, although not something that I've looked in to...

Can't you now Sync catalogues across different machines using the Adobe Cloud option?
 
DemiLion said:
Actually Nandbytes has mentioned something in passing that may be an option, although not something that I've looked in to...

Can't you now Sync catalogues across different machines using the Adobe Cloud option?
Click to expand...

no clue, i can just about deal with trying to use one drive over 2 machines without involving the cloud too :-/
 
What is your end goal? Do you want to have the same catalogue on both? Or is one the main catalogue and one for travelling?

I've since moved to a MacBook Pro for everything but had an iMac as my main machine and a MacBook as my travel set up for 6 years. The set up I found that worked best for me was:
  • Main catalogue on iMac on Lightroom Classic.
  • Best images and recent shoots synchronised through Creative Cloud to:
    • Lightroom on MacBook
    • Lightroom on iPhone
    • Lightroom online
  • Lightroom Classic on my MacBook to import/process new photos when away from my iMac
    • "Import from Catalogue" is used to import photos from MacBook to Lightroom Classic on the iMac.
This set-up gave me my main images on both machines, full Lightroom Classic on both machines for new images.
 
end goal is to use the mac mini in the dining room for most editing work but also be able to use the air when more convenient, usually yes when away.
I have no idea about the adobe cloud, i know my package has 20gb attached to it, I dont use it.
 
Donnie said:
OK, I'm trying to find a way forward with processing / storage via lightroom on both the mac mini and the macbook air and trying to get my head round it.
Click to expand...

(I use WIndows.)

I use an external drive for Lightroom and Capture One catalogues and all my images.

I can move it between my desktop and laptop.

I sync it to a second drive as backup. To use the backup as the main drive I just have to use WIndows Disk Manager to reassign the drive letter of the backup to the same drive letter I use for the main drive.

You should be able to do something similar on a Mac and depending on the size of your image library - use an SSD.
 
I don't know for sure, just guessing really as I don't use the cloud version of Lightroom, but is it possible that if you do use the cloud version then your catalogue is in the cloud too so you can use it anywhere and on any device? Just thinking out loud.
 
ShinySideUp said:
I don't know for sure, just guessing really as I don't use the cloud version of Lightroom, but is it possible that if you do use the cloud version then your catalogue is in the cloud too so you can use it anywhere and on any device? Just thinking out loud.
Click to expand...
I'd like to know this too. I use LR on main desktop but would like to install on my Surface Book too and synchronise edits across the two.
 
Windows here but I guess iCloud could be used instead of OneDrive (possibly Adobe Cloud but not even looked at that.....)
I run LR with the catalogue on my desktop and laptop. If I’ve updated stuff on the desktop then Onedrive syncs the updated files to the cloud storage. If I then go onto the laptop Onedrive pulls down the updated file(s) and all changes are reflected on the laptop. And again stuff is synced back after. It only waits because LR keeps the catalogue file open while in use so Onedrive waits until the file has been closed.
Only downside I’ve noticed is that LR slows down a bit because Onedrive is constantly looking for file changes so if I have a heavyweight editing session I’ll pause syncing until I’m done.
 
Krisstiffer said:
Windows here but I guess iCloud could be used instead of OneDrive (possibly Adobe Cloud but not even looked at that.....)
Click to expand...
Do you realize how large the cat files are? Gigabytes...
 
LongLensPhotography said:
Do you realize how large the cat files are? Gigabytes...
Click to expand...
And? My fairly standard BT fibre to the cab broadband doesn’t sweat multi-gigabyte transfers...... Never caused me a problem. YMMV of course........
 
Just to update, I've managed to combine the catalog from both the mac mini and the old macbook pro onto one old 250gb ssd, this is now connected to the mac mini in the dining room and then I can also access it from the new macbook air via screen sharing :-) It's likely not as fast as an NVME but so far Im happy with the logistics :)

I'll keep an eye out for an NVME 1TB in the black friday deals I think.

Next step I'd love to figure out how to access my mac mini from the air when away from home :eek:
 
Just another update, probably a bit of overkill but just been on the crucial website again and their black friday sale included a 2tb nvme for £122.99 which is the same price as the samsung 1TB I was looking at last week, added an enclosure for another 22 quid thats cabable of 10GB/s
Ended up buying off amazon as crucial are out of stock on their website, which is odd as the amazon stock is from the crucial store. Anyway, all to be delivered tomorrow :)
 
And another update though more of a thank you to all of you that replied to my queries.

I've got the NVME up and running and able to access that on my local network but have also now managed to set up teamviewer so I can access both the main mac mini in the dining room and the older one used as a plex server in the sitting room all from outside the network ie sat now in a cafe after dropping the car off for some diagnostics and just tested it and it all works. I don't understand it, but it does and it's all thanks to ye for your help which encouraged me to sort this all out as I'd been dithering about it for ages! :):banana:
 
I'm glad you have it sorted :)
NVME do thermal throttle and they do get pretty hot. So careful with it especially while handling, don't burn your hands.
 
Donnie said:
Just to update, I've managed to combine the catalog from both the mac mini and the old macbook pro onto one old 250gb ssd, this is now connected to the mac mini in the dining room and then I can also access it from the new macbook air via screen sharing :) It's likely not as fast as an NVME but so far Im happy with the logistics :)

I'll keep an eye out for an NVME 1TB in the black friday deals I think.

Next step I'd love to figure out how to access my mac mini from the air when away from home :eek:
Click to expand...
Teamviewer?
Edit

should have read to the end of thread before replying!
 
Last edited by a moderator:
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top