I had never used Pentax Photo Lab, it just seemed easier to convert RAW files using the slick Bridge-PS3 interface. And I assumed it didn't matter what converter was used, that conversion was conversion was conversion and they'd all look the same.
However, I just tried auto conversion in PPL and ACR on the same image , and damned if the PPL conversions don't vary by in-camera settings and both vary from the ACR auto conversion. What's going on? I thought except for WB, in RAW in-camera settings were ignored? But PPL uses them doesn't? And ACR applies settings different from the PPL (brightness, etc) but doesn't use the in-camera settings?
Brian (FHPhotographer)
Samples below:
#1, PPL with 000 settings
#2, PPL with -2 Saturation, +1 Sharpness and Contrast
#3 ACR