There is an option in preferences for LR that asks if you want to "Treat Jpegs along side RAW as separate photos". If you don't say yes, you will only get the RAW imported.

Great lens! Have had it since I got my EM1 and use it on the EM1, EM1 II, M10 and Pen mini. Sharp, dependable, and worth the money. Tip: It has a clutch ring to put it into manual focus only mode. If you are putting it into the camera bag, you might slide it and find your auto focus will not work. Very disconcerting the first time ( I forgot about the feature and spent a half hour trouble shooting the first time!). It only happens once in a while - maybe will never happen to you, but be aware.

Have done it both ways. Did not have a card reader at some point for CF cards, so used the cable until I got the reader. Now on SD cards and just use the slot in the laptop. Put card in slot after removing the card that was in there and put that card in camera. Format. Go. Usually have 4 or 5 cards with me, so if I were to use the cable, I would be putting them into the camera each time just to use the cable. Makes more sense to just put them in the computer.

Actually, using the brush in LR is doing pretty much that in a simpler work flow (see my earlier response).

Some cameras allow you to choose a different aspect ratio when shooting and show an outline over the area representing the aspect. Shooting in raw, you will still get the full frame, but you will know where the scene you are envisioning is going to be when you crop to 8X10 or whatever. On a DSLR, you would probably have to shoot live view, but maybe they have a way to project the lines into the viewfinder, too?

It would be tricky, and not guaranteed to work, but use the adjustment brush and brush over each streak.
Use the "O" key to make the adjusted areas red (so you can see what you have brushed). Once you have brushed each streak, hit the "O" key again to turn off the red and then LIGHTLY adjust the exposure.
Don't go overboard on that adjustment. I find that it looks more natural to make multiple light adjustments to the same spot than to do one heavy adjustment (hit the "New" in the adjustment brush and rebrush the spots you previously adjusted - lightly adjust exposure (or maybe shadows) until you get something you like.

If you didn't have the reflection of the sky in the water, I would suggest just replace the sky. The streaks are not so apparent in the foliage.

It is probably possible to replace the sky in both the sky and water, but that is beyond me and much more work than I would normally do to a photo.

Good luck!

Maybe it is that you are on LR6? I am on LR CC and get a dialog each time I edit in Affinity (attached). I can choose TIFF, PSD, or JPG. Do you get that dialog? Maybe there is an option elsewhere to define the format passed to an external editor?

Very nice!

I do all my processing on a laptop, with desk monitor and keyboard. I would agree that a desktop would perform better (less heat build up, etc.) but I doubt that the laptop is the source of the OP's problem. 90,000 photos and counting, and still ok on a laptop.

As for moving parts, mirrorless cameras still have mechanical shutters, and they do wear out (and break in the middle of a shoot). Overall though it is a simpler mechanism.

Could you have a bad install of Elements? When you open a raw file, PS is going to run Adobe Camera Raw to process it. Maybe that is missing or bad? I would check with Adobe support on this one.

Any point and shoot, view cameras, range finders, TLR's. :)

I think it will be a while before the DSLR is abandoned. Too many people using it and they can still sell them. The manufacturers just need to reduce the selection. How many flavors that taste nearly the same can you sell at one time?

I shoot mirrorless, but I didn't choose it because of that feature. It was simply the best choice for me at the time after I considered all the features, options and pricing. In the end, when choosing a system, the question that needs to be answered is "Will this system do what I need for the price I am willing to pay?". After that, just go make photographs and don't look back at what equipment is out there.

As someone else mentioned, Faststone is great. However, it doesn't preclude you learning a few basics on photo processing. Whatever route you choose, check back here and ask for a basic work flow using the chosen product. That will get you started and you will expand your knowledge as you gain experience.

Heard from a guy who did that. Took the camera to the manufacturer for repair and they told him it might make a nice feature item in an aquarium!

Many have pointed out that you will see the exposure you will get, before you shoot. If you have the view finder brightened (as I do) so you can see it in darker environments, that is not true, but what you do get in all cases is a free "chimp".

In other words, you see the image you just took, in the viewfinder, and you immediately know if you blew it (subjects eyes were closed; scene was totally dark; motion blur; etc.). I set mine for .5 second display and rarely press the button to view the image on the big screen. Saves me a lot of time and shots.