Lightroom 2 question

[Javaslinger]

When I import a RAW image into Lightroom and view it, the first thing it does is generate a 'digital preview'... It looks great, but at the last second it does some kind of color correction/desaturation pass that removes a lot of the color.

I wish I could stop it, but I have no idea what it's doing. I can fix it but I would prefer to stop it in the first place...

Some examples... Again, these are RAW not jpgs.

This first shot is as the digital rendering is proceeding or 'almost done'... I think the colors look good here...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3397/...b55013e8_o.jpg

Now, just at the end of the rendering... Lightroom does some kind of 'final pass' and this is what I get...

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3586/...8b84a6f0_o.jpg

Any ideas?

Thanks,

Ken

[Mike Cash]

In the import menu, do you have anything selected on "Develop Settings"?

Click on the image to view it in a larger size

[sinnettc]

FWIW I've noticed the same thing happening in LR with all of my Pentax cameras. I haven't quite figured it out but I will mention that my default is what would be considered a "zeroed" preset. As I recall the Adobe default for all of the cameras has Brightness at +50 or something.

Maybe it starts out there and then resets to your defaults. Or maybe it starts with what the camera would have done with the JPG and then goes to your settings.

Personally, I think boosting brightness removes details so I tend to boost exposure instead and use brightness last if I need to add some pop.

Chris

[mithrandir]

I believe the first thing you are seeing is generated from the jpeg embedded in the RAW file. Once LR gets the calculations done for the RAW, then it swaps out the jpeg for the RAW view. You lose the formatting that was applied to the jpeg preview.

[skinja]

Originally Posted by mithrandir

I believe the first thing you are seeing is generated from the jpeg embedded in the RAW file. Once LR gets the calculations done for the RAW, then it swaps out the jpeg for the RAW view. You lose the formatting that was applied to the jpeg preview.

I see the same effect in lightrom 1, I guess it makes sense but I don't shoot Raw + Jpeg, it's raw only for this kid.

This brings up another question, when looking at your preview screen on your camera, are you looking at the raw image or a jpeg, if you only shoot raw? and if you shoot both then which one do you see?

John

[Venturi]

What he is saying is that when LR first scans the card to show you what it is about to import it pulls the JPEG thumbnail that is embedded in the RAW (PEF or DNG) file to display it as a "preview".
Then during the actual importation process it fully reads the RAW image and generates the final preview from that.

As an experiment to demonstrate this do the following:
With the camera set to RAW...
Go into the Fn menu, click OK to go to Custom Image and select Monochrome (BW).
Now take a photo.
Import that photo into LR.
The thumbnail will be in black & white, but when you go to Loup mode it will change right back to the original color RAW image.

[skinja]

Originally Posted by Venturi

What he is saying is that when LR first scans the card to show you what it is about to import it pulls the JPEG thumbnail that is embedded in the RAW (PEF or DNG) file to display it as a "preview".
Then during the actual importation process it fully reads the RAW image and generates the final preview from that.

As an experiment to demonstrate this do the following:
With the camera set to RAW...
Go into the Fn menu, click OK to go to Custom Image and select Monochrome (BW).
Now take a photo.
Import that photo into LR.
The thumbnail will be in black & white, but when you go to Loup mode it will change right back to the original color RAW image.

Jim, I agree on the import JPEG to raw file as it develops on the computer screen. my question was a little off topic, but in the same context.

Let me refrase the question as its own, When I look at the preview screen on my camera, am I looking at the RAW file I just shot or a JPEG conversion? I would assume since I don't shoot JPEG that it would be the actual raw file I see. I just want to confirm.

One would think I know this already, but some how it escapes me.

John

[alohadave]

Originally Posted by skinja

Jim, I agree on the import JPEG to raw file as it develops on the computer screen. my question was a little off topic, but in the same context.

Let me refrase the question as its own, When I look at the preview screen on my camera, am I looking at the RAW file I just shot or a JPEG conversion? I would assume since I don't shoot JPEG that it would be the actual raw file I see. I just want to confirm.

One would think I know this already, but some how it escapes me.

John

You are seeing the JPEG preview picture that is embedded in the RAW file, not the actual RAW data. What this means is that the highlight clipping warning may not be accurate to the actual RAW information. Even if the screen is showing over-exposure clipping, it may not be as bad as is indicated, but it's usually close enough.

A RAW file is not a viewable format, all it is is a matrix of pixel values. It's meaningless until a RAW converter can process it.

[skinja]

Thanks, I appreciate the quick response.

I'm gald I asked the question.

John

[mithrandir]

I only shoot RAW. Because of that, I keep the saturation settings on my K10D (which would have been applied to any JPGs) to minimum. This makes the display on the preview screen a little closer to the actual RAW in terms of clipping. It does make for a lackluster display, but I'll accept that for more accurate clipping information.

[krypticide]

Would love to see if anyone has calibrated Lightroom settings to match color settings on the camera.

[Mike Cash]

I would love to see some indication from the OP that he has at least revisited his own thread.