Sync camera times in Lightroom Classic
Forgot to sync your camera with your second shooter's before the wedding? Camera Sync is a free Lightroom Classic plug-in for Mac that finds the time offset between cameras and helps you correct capture times, so the whole day sorts in order.
What happens when the clocks do not match
The day sorts out of order. Sort by capture time and the first kiss lands after the exit.
You do clock math by hand. Work out the gap, pick one camera's photos, shift them, check, and do it again.
It comes back next wedding. A new body, a borrowed camera, a clock nobody set. It only takes one.
Why I made it
I know I should sync my cameras with my second shooter's before the wedding, but somehow that little task is the one I forget. Fixing it later in Lightroom is one of my least favorite parts of editing. So I built this plug-in for myself and thought y'all might like it too. It is free, just a gift for a busy season. Jennie, founder and wedding photographer.
How it works
It finds matching moments. The kiss, the rings, the exit. It uses them to work out the offset between cameras.
You check the match report. See the matched pairs and the offset. Nothing changes until you approve.
It shifts that camera. It uses Lightroom's Edit Capture Time and tests one photo first.
What it never touches
Your edits
Your raw files
Anything you have not approved
To undo: Metadata > Revert Capture Time to Original.
What you need
A Mac on macOS 13 or later
Lightroom Classic in English
Any camera brand
Install
Unzip the download (about 150 KB).
Move ColaraCameraSync.lrplugin somewhere permanent, like Documents.
In Lightroom Classic, go to File > Plug-in Manager > Add and pick it.
To run it: Library > Plug-in Extras > Sync Camera Times.
Allow it once, then restart
Open System Settings > Privacy & Security > Accessibility.
Turn on Lightroom Classic.
Quit Lightroom fully, then reopen it.
Camera Sync questions
How do I sync two cameras in Lightroom Classic after a wedding? Install Camera Sync, then choose Library > Plug-in Extras > Sync Camera Times. The plug-in finds matching moments from both cameras and calculates their time offset. Review the matched pairs and approve the correction before it shifts capture times with Lightroom's Edit Capture Time.
Can I fix my second shooter's camera time without changing my own? Yes. Use your main camera as the reference and sync the second shooter's camera to it. Review the report before applying the offset, then sort your photos by capture time to see the day in order.
Does this work in Lightroom or Lightroom Classic? Camera Sync is a plug-in for Lightroom Classic in English on macOS 13 or later. It does not work in the cloud-based Lightroom app or Lightroom Mobile.
Does it change my camera clocks or my photos' capture times? It corrects the capture times of photos already in Lightroom Classic. It does not set the clock inside your camera. Sync your camera clocks before shooting when you can; use this plug-in when you need to fix a time mismatch afterward.
Does it work with Sony, Nikon, and Fuji? Yes. Any camera brand works.
Is it safe? Yes. It never touches your edits or raw files, tests one photo first, and changes nothing until you approve.
Can I undo it? Yes. Select the photos and choose Metadata > Revert Capture Time to Original.
Does it work on Windows? Not yet. It is Mac only for now.
What if I shot with more than two cameras? Sync each one to the same reference camera, one at a time.
Is it really free? Yes. It is a free tool from Colara. Enter your first name and email to get the download; no paid plan is required. Signed-in customers can download using their existing account.