Dull color when importing into Lightroom

<p>This might be a silly question. <br>

When I import an image into LR2 and the process initiates the preview is vivid, but as soon as the import completes all the color goes flat. Now, I believe that the preview shows the JPEG version and not the RAW part of the image file, but I am wondering if one can somehow retain some of the vibrancy.<br>

<br />Some people allege that this doesn’t happen to them. Perhaps my settings are off?<br>

Thanks,<br>

G.S.</p>

<p>When you first import a photo into Lightroom, the preview image shown is the JPEG preview extracted directly from the file (or possibly its companion JPEG for RAW+JPEG situations). As soon as it can process the RAW files for its own previews, based on its own default calibrations for various cameras and RAW files, it replaces the preview thumbnails with its own rendering. Lightroom's default rendering is only rarely going to be identical to an in-camera rendering unless you do a customized Develop module camera calibration preset and set to use that by default. </p>

<p>You can see how this differs if you import a set of fully rendered JPEG or TIFF files. Then the JPEG preview will look exactly like the rendered full resolution file because Lightroom knows the difference. </p>

<p>So ... if you want to have the full adjustability of the RAW file yet retain what a camera's JPEG rendering engine produces as a reference, shoot RAW+JPEG in-camera and import into Lightroom with the option to "Treat JPEG files next to raw files as separate photos" enabled. It will not change the JPEG renderings unless you apply a Develop preset on import. </p>

<p>Godfrey</p>

<p>Can you not make a preset in lightroom to increase the saturation and contrast to better match JPEG. In ACR you can change the default or make a preset.</p>

<p>NX2 will read the camera setting and carry them with the raw file into NX2. </p>

<p>What camera are you using?</p>

<p>What happens when you export the now dulled raw file as a jpg without doing any adjustments? Point is, you want the raw file to be accurate so when you adjust the file, the output matches the screen view, for me I wouldn't want any camera settings for optimizing the camera jpg file to be in the raw file. It seems that is the point of having a raw file, to have unedited image info that you then can manipulate.</p>

<p> </p>

<p>Does the RAW look like the JPEG if you use the camera maker's software?</p>

<p>Les:</p>

<p>It should. The camera manufacturers' supplied image processing software reads all the camera settings and usually tries to achieve the same rendering as the camera does, which it ought to since the same team is defining the rendering. Adobe doesn't manufacture cameras and basically honors exposure and white balance settings in RAW files only, with their own take on rendering defaults and camera calibrations. </p>

<p>Godfrey</p>

<p>Thank you Godfrey.<br />I have had understood the import process just as you explained. But it would good if one could “ask” Lightroom to “borrow” or emulate the JPEG conversion form the in-camera-preview version. Perhaps someone would have a preset to accomplish this.<br />Yes, the in-camera preview shows the JPEG based rendering. I only shoot RAW and no JPEGs.<br />I have a Nikon D200 and my friend for whom I ask the question has the Latest High-end Canyon DSLR, but both of us have the same dilemma.<br />I don’t personally have a problem with the “dull” rendering, but at times would be nice to get a jump ahead.<br />Happy New Year to All,<br />G.S.</p>

<p>It is difficult enough, I think, for Adobe to keep up with the basic needs of decoding new native RAW formats ... trying to keep up with all the different image processing configurations of new cameras, and the fact that they are variable by the end user to boot!, would likely be impossible.</p>

<p>The manufacturer develops the software for a given camera right alongside the camera development team so what all the control settings mean and do, how to interpret them, is much more possible on a camera by camera basis.</p>

<p>The best stopgap for you to consider is to create a set of Develop module templates that model the image processing preferences to best possible for common shooting conditions. You could apply these on import to have a close hit to what you would otherwise have to do manually, and you can also select and change which one was used for any arbitrarily selected batch of images easily. </p>

<p>That's basically what I do for my B&W work. I have eight or nine develop presets that work for most of the situations I run into, for an average case, which I apply on import. I then tweak from there, with a big leg up on getting the rough-in work done. </p>

<p>Godfrey</p>

<p>The simple answer to this "problem" is to select a different Camera Profile in the Camera Calibration tab to use as your default for that camera. I use Camera Standard for the Nikon.</p>

<p>To set a new default profile:</p>

<ol>

<li>Select an image from that camera, and enter Develop.</li>

<li>Press the Reset button in the lower right.</li>

<li>Choose the profile you'd like to be the default (in the Camera Calibration panel)</li>

<li>Hold the Alt/Option key. The Reset button will change to "Set Default..." Click it.</li>

<li>Restart Lightroom.</li>

</ol>

<p>Note that if you have your preferences set to have different defaults per camera or per ISO setting, you'll have to repeat these steps appropriately.</p>

<p>Mark,</p>

<p>It worked like a charm.</p>

<p>Thank you,</p>

<p>G.S.</p>

<p>Mark,</p>

<p>It worked like a charm.</p>

<p>Thank you,</p>

<p>G.S.</p>