Import Previews in Lightroom 5 not available

[Rudi van den Heever]

Hi guys! For those Lightroom 5 experts out there...


If I try to import RAW or any other format images from my camera in LR5, I get the message "Preview unavailable for this file"! This is very annoying as I cannot identify images for import into specific folders!! My RAW plugin and software all up to date!

Once I have imported the images the thumbnail previews are there... :(

Googled it mad, but no success! Any suggestions?

[DickLudwig]

You have to make sure that the drive where your previews are stored is attached/active and that the preview files are pointed to in the catalog setup.

[Diane Miller]

But doesn't the dialog assume he is importing to the computer's hard drive, which it will see, until he specifies otherwise. The right side of the screenshot doesn't show.... If Dick's answer isn't the fix, try taking the card out of the camera and putting it in a card reader -- same problem? How about with a different card? With a different camera?

BTW, if you're importing directly from the camera, make sure you have enough battery power -- if the battery dies during the import you could lose all the files.

Was that card formatted in the camera prior to shooting those images? Sometimes a card formatted in a different camera model may not work right, but this doesn't sound like that.

[Doug Brown]

Try expanding the destination panel and all the sub-options on the right side of the import screen.

[Rudi van den Heever]

I have tried the advice, but no go! Have the same problem with my other cameras including the 50D! Previews are avaliable if I use a card reader, but do not know what changed to cause this bug!