[Lightroom] Converting to DNG _after_ import?

I merged the catalog I had on my laptop with my home catalog, and I notice the files I had imported on my laptop were still in CR2 format. Is there a way of converting to DNG after you have imported your files in Lightroom?

I realize this is probably doable in Adobe Camera Raw but I have never used that program.

Menu -> Library -> Convert Photo to DNG

Not sure why you would convert to DNG though, it's always best to use the original files for editing. But like DunnoWhen said, click it and wait a century and a half for it to finish (assuming your catalogs are large)

basroil wrote in post #8584196
it's always best to use the original files for editing.

If you use ACR or LR for editing, there's not a lick of difference between DNG and CR2...

I convert to DNG after editing i9n LR. That way, the edits are in the DNG. I backup both CR2 and DNG (If I'd like to use DPP, I can use the CR2)

René Damkot wrote in post #8584357
I convert to DNG after editing i9n LR. That way, the edits are in the DNG.

Not sure I understand the reasoning here. Aren't any edits you do to the DNG saved in the DNG anyway?

I convert all my CR2 files to DNG and store them in that format (until I process them). I use the free converter available on Adobe's website. I use DNG simply because I believe the story that Adobe will always offer support for DNG files. (True or not; I ain't taking any chances.)

I don't convert to Dng because I like to use DPP sometimes. And I don't see any reason to keep CR2 and DNG copies of the same file. If it comes to the point that abode will ONLY support DNG I'll convert then and still keep my cr2

Guapo wrote in post #8585904
Not sure I understand the reasoning here. Aren't any edits you do to the DNG saved in the DNG anyway?

Yeah, but only if you save the changes to the file (either automatically or manually).

I used to convert to DNG upon inport, but I forgot to save the changes after editing once and lost a bunch of edits that way. So now I convert to DNG after editing. That's easier to check

I backup both CR2 and DNG: For redundancy, and because I sometimes like to use DPP.

René Damkot wrote in post #8584357
If you use ACR or LR for editing, there's not a lick of difference between DNG and CR2...

Last I knew DNG conversion was just that, a pixel per pixel conversion to DNG from another file format, which means you can lose quality (though unlikely thanks to 14 bit cameras not filling up a 16bit file).

With write to XMP and the fact that ACR is built into photoshop as well, I don't really see why anyone would need to convert to DNG unless their camera is unsupported in LR2 and they use an older photoshop.

Even with "write to XMP" you still have to manage XMP sidecar files. Converting to DNG after editing makes a lot of sense since DNG then acts as a folder/envelope/contai​ner/wrapper (pick your analogy) that keeps your RAW data, editing instructions, and updated preview together.

basroil wrote in post #8589979
Last I knew DNG conversion was just that, a pixel per pixel conversion to DNG from another file format, which means you can lose quality (though unlikely thanks to 14 bit cameras not filling up a 16bit file).

With write to XMP and the fact that ACR is built into photoshop as well, I don't really see why anyone would need to convert to DNG unless their camera is unsupported in LR2 and they use an older photoshop.

I convert to DNG after doing processing/keywording etc. because this way I only have to write to the file once.

If you convert at import, metadata and the image preview will reflect the state of play at import.

If you then adjust the wb/contrast/colour etc. they won't show on the preview and you have to write these changes back to the dng file. No big deal on a few files but on a few hundred it all takes time and it also seems pointless converting files that could be deleted.

NinetyEight wrote in post #8592526
I convert to DNG after doing processing/keywording etc. because this way I only have to write to the file once.

If you convert at import, metadata and the image preview will reflect the state of play at import.

If you then adjust the wb/contrast/colour etc. they won't show on the preview and you have to write these changes back to the dng file. No big deal on a few files but on a few hundred it all takes time and it also seems pointless converting files that could be deleted.

I'm not sure what I'm doing differently, but when I edit a DNG in LR2, it is reflected on screen and saved in real time. Unless I'm not understanding what you're talking about.

Guapo wrote in post #8592971
I'm not sure what I'm doing differently, but when I edit a DNG in LR2, it is reflected on screen and saved in real time. Unless I'm not understanding what you're talking about.

You are correct if this is the only program you use and nobody else needs to view the file.

But if you, or someone else needs to view the dng and it's applied keywords/metadata etc. applied within LR in another application (Adobe Bridge for instance), they will not show the updated preview or data unless you update the dng preview and save back the keywords/metadata to the file after applying them.
This is why I don't convert upon ingestion from the memory card.
I ingest as .cr2 with bulk metadata and keywords applied, and then star rate them (1-5 stars) and cull the obvious rubbish (quite a few usually )
I then apply any other keywords to individual images.
Then I'll do any WB/curves/colour adjustments etc. and at that point I'll convert to DNG knowing that I'll (in theory) only have to do this once (boil kettle and have a nice long cup of coffee whilst it does it!)

Hope I'm making sense

Also: There's this preference setting which determines whether or not the changes are written to XMP (or DNG) automatically:

Backing up using both CR2 format and DNG format (on a completely separate backup medium) makes a lot of sense. If, like me, you only backup in DNG format and want to use software that doesn't have DNG support, (I don't) you're buggered!