Hi Andrea,
Thank you for this update concerning your situation. I would like to share the following two experiences:
A.
I first tried out the solution you propose, i.e. deleting the files directly in the appropriate folders under Masters. Unfortunately, it didn't work for me:
- I deleted the RAW file
- I emptied my trash, even executing "Secure Empty Trash"
- I re-opened my Photos library
- The picture still appeared with a "J" (for JPEG), but: when I tried to switch to "R" (for RAW), the program actually couldn't find the file. So far so good. Even though, having such a "ghost" file in my library, making it look as if there were an underlying RAW file behind the "J", would not have been ideal; it would have been difficult to distinguish these pictures from the real/intact RAW/JPEG pairs still in my library; but well, at least it seemed to work. But once again, only at first glance:
- After a few moments, the RAW showed up again, and this time not just as a "ghost" file; it was now possible to edit it and it also took up its usual disk space.
What this means to me is that there is no difference between 1) deleting a picture and afterwards removing it from the "Recently deleted" album, and 2) deleting the picture directly in the appropriate Masters folder. (When the - thoroughly deleted and removed - RAW file re-appeared in my Photos library, it was also possible to find it again in the Masters folder.)
B.
After this experience, I concluded that the only explanation was that the (previously attached/stacked) RAW file is being re-imported due to the syncing with iCloud. So, I decided to make this very simple exercise:
- I paused the syncing with iCloud ("Pause one day")
- I deleted some pictures (RAW+JPEG)
- I removed the pictures from the "Recently deleted" album
- I now re-imported the same pictures as JPEGs only
- And, finally: It worked! No RAW files were created this time. Conclusion: the explanation is to be found in the syncing with iCloud, though Apple Support had claimed this could not be the reason. To double check, I re-connected to iCloud a few hours later, and, as expected, once again after a few minutes, the RAW files re-appeared.
Solution? Well, one solution seems to be to give up the syncing with iCloud. Then it becomes possible to delete RAW files (or JPEGs) and re-import the format one wants to keep (which means to have a normal, logical workflow). But this would be a sad solution, since I would like to make use of as many Apple services as possible, also when it comes to integration of the different programs (like iCloud photo sharing).
One important thing: The deleted files are not visible anywhere on iCloud.com, also not under "Advanced/Restore files". But they must be there, somewhere hidden; at least I see no other explanation to my two experiences described above.
I see two options: 1) iCloud keeps the deleted files as an extra extra security (i.e. in addition to the security solution thanks to the "Restore files" option), for a certain period of time (how long?); 2) iCloud keeps the deleted files forever.
I need a confirmation from Apple concerning this in order to resolve the problem and decide how to proceed with Photos in relation to iCloud. As soon as I obtain such a confirmation, I'll post the answer here. But this is where I am right now.
Best regards,
Ture T.