XMP Sidecars in Lightroom

[Revet]

I have seen numerous threads and website posts on using XMP sidecars. Most Pros seem to use them. I was using them but when lightroom updated recently, it removed the check mark for this option so I have been using Lightroom recently without creating XMP files. I have noticed an increase in performance. My question is, Do I really need them?? I only use Lightroom currently for all my photos (I don't use Bridge, etc.) I occasionally use Photoshop elements but I plan to use it more in the future after I do some tutorials.

Next question, if it is deemed good for me to use side cars; how can I get the past month or so photo's up to date with sidecars since I don't know which have it and which don't. I know I can do it manually but how will that affect the photo's which have sidecar files already?

Thanks for any insight!

 

[Eduard]

Check out this link from Adobe. I think this is the key sentence: "Lightroom automatically writes adjustments and settings metadata to the catalog. You can also instruct Lightroom to write the changes to XMP. In order for changes made in Lightroom to be recognized by other applications, metadata must be written to XMP."

 

[BackdoorArts]

You do not need them. That said, if you have them you can avert tragedy if your catalog file becomes corrupt or you lose it in a crash since the edits stored in the LR catalog are kept in the sidecar file. It also makes it easy to send an "edited RAW file" to someone else for them to continue editing (not that you couldn't have exported a DNG or PSD file).

Personally? I back up the catalog every couple weeks and save the space and performance hit that sidecar files give you. You can always build them from the catalog at any point down the road.

 

[BackdoorArts]

Check out this link from Adobe. I think this is the key sentence: "Lightroom automatically writes adjustments and settings metadata to the catalog. You can also instruct Lightroom to write the changes to XMP. In order for changes made in Lightroom to be recognized by other applications, metadata must be written to XMP."

Or the file exported as a DNG or PSD file as I mentioned above.

 

[Browncoat]

Personally? I back up the catalog every couple weeks and save the space and performance hit that sidecar files give you. You can always build them from the catalog at any point down the road.

+1 I also do this.

 

[Revet]

Makes sense to me. I back things up to the extreme so I am not so worried if my catalog gets corrupt or lost somehow. If I need the sidecars at some point, I will create them as needed. Thanks for the input!!