[crazyinmaine]

Help -

I have a Pentax k2000 camera.

I shoot images in DNG format. I have tried various programs to convert these files into JPEG - and each time I run into the same experience -

When I view the images in raw format, the exposure is fine. When I convert the files into JPEG, the images become dark - to the point that the image is compromised. It has not mattered if I shot in RAW or DNG, or what program I used to conversion.

Am I doing something wrong, is there a setting that I need to adjust on my camera or during the conversion process.

I am at a complete loss.

Thank you,
Kathy

[UnknownVT]

I have a Pentax k2000 camera.

I shoot images in DNG format. I have tried various programs to convert these files into JPEG - and each time I run into the same experience -

When I view the images in raw format, the exposure is fine. When I convert the files into JPEG, the images become dark - to the point that the image is compromised. It has not mattered if I shot in RAW or DNG, or what program I used to conversion.

Two things comes to mind -

1) did you use the supplied software that came on the CD with the camera - Pentax Digital Camera Utility - Photo Laboratory (based on SilkyPix)?

This should have no problems converting/developing the DNG file by the default settings to the rendition of the embedded JPG or paired JPG (if you took it as such RAW+)

2) use of ACR (Adobe Camera RAW) this is a free plug-in for PhotoShop Elements (or the full PhotoShop) and whatever the latest version suitable for either of the software ought to support the K2000 - again should convert/develop the DNG to very close to the JPG rendition.

The Pentax DCU default settings normally gets closest to the JPG.

Hope that helps

[Marc Sabatella]

It would help to say which programs you've tried, and to post images demonstrating the image. but I'll hazard a guess - you are using the "D-range" feature on your camera, which third party RAW processing programs generally do not support. D-range works by deliberately underexposing the picture and then expecting the RAW processing to adjust the exposure tp look "right", and most third party RAW processing programs don't do that adjustment automatically. You could probably create your own custom curve to apply as a preset to try to mimic this effect.

[UnknownVT]

It would help to say which programs you've tried, and to post images demonstrating the image. but I'll hazard a guess - you are using the "D-range" feature on your camera, which third party RAW processing programs generally do not support. D-range works by deliberately underexposing the picture and then expecting the RAW processing to adjust the exposure tp look "right", and most third party RAW processing programs don't do that adjustment automatically. You could probably create your own custom curve to apply as a preset to try to mimic this effect.

Good catch I had forgotten about that -
this means the software used probably doesn't fully support all the Pentax K2000 features.

See post #182 (link) where I illustrated a K-x DNG image that ACDsee Pro 3.0 386 (the latest version at the time) could not convert properly because I was using the Highlight Correction setting on my K-x and the software did not support the K-x properly - and Marc's kind and very helpful explanation to me about this.

However ACR (Adobe Camera RAW) 5.6 did, and converted the DNG fine and close to the paired JPG rendition - as obviously did the Pentax DCU software as supplied with my camera.

I seriously recommend trying out either of the two software to see if things are OK.