Problem with α700 Raw Files & Photoshop

[Leicestershireal]

I am having a problem with apparent overexposure of α700 RAW images when opened in Lightroom 1.4 and CS3.
It seems to happen particularly when photographing objects on light backgrounds (when I use an incident reading from my Sekonic lightmeter), or very bright conditions e.g. snow!

With the α700 RAW files, they seem correctly exposed on the LCD and when displayed in Image Data Converter SR Version 3.
When opened in either Lightroom or CS3, they seem to become bleached out. I am using Firmware 4 on the α700 and can’t remember this problem when using earlier versions, but might be wrong. In fact, with Lightroom, you can see them correctly for a moment, then they become washed out.
Using identical camera settings, Jpegs are fine.

I have done tests with my α100 (same ISO setting, shutter speed, f-stop etc.) which does not have the problem with either RAWs or Jpegs.

Has anyone else had similar problems? Is it some form of incompatibility between the α700 RAW files and Photoshop? Any suggestions, please……

[Dr. Harout]

You're not alone on this one. You have to make adjustments with the different sliders on several panels (mainly the 1st and second) then set it as the default one (all of these on ACR of course). Even the 'White balance should be fixed a bit. Move the temperature slider a bit to the left for about 400-500 units (DK sugests 10% of the initial number), decrease the exposure and brightness, while increasing the "Recovery", "Contrast" (depends on taste though), "Clarity", "Vibrance" and "Saturation" (very slightly).
I noticed it too after updating the software to version 4.0 and made several posts either here or on dyxum (or maybe both). Formerly, before V4.0, I used 'Vivid' setting which gave awful results on 4.0, so I changed to 'Standard'. Though I understand that RAW files don't get altered, but the embedded jpg profiles are.

And welcome to the forum.

[David Kilpatrick]

Find a really good JPEG subject and shoot one shot at each ISO setting, with raw. In ACR/LR, open the ISO 200 image and carefully adjust the controls until you get the closest possible match for your JPEG. It may need for example Brightness 25 Contrast 25, not the Default which is Brightness 50 Contrast 25 and tends to lighten shots. Change the tone curve to Strong Contrast, move the Black Point to 2 or 3 instead of the default of 5. Do not use Recovery it damages mid-tone contrast unless definitely needed, and do not use Fill Light (same reason). You can maybe add 10 Saturation, 10 Vibrance or just leave those. Don't use Clarity (use it individually as needed).

Now SAVE NEW CAMERA RAW DEFAULTS and click DONE which will update your preview permanently to match the JPEG (use the previews to do the matching). Re do if further tuning is called for, save the new default again, click DONE again. Defaults are specific to camera, and to ISO if you have it set up correctly. Go to the next ISO raw, and USE PREVIOUS CONVERSION (do 100, 400, 800, 1600, 3200, 6400 in order). With each one, you may need to make small adjustments, and save a new camera raw default - which will apply just to that ISO.

When you have finished, all your raw previews should be very close to your JPEGs, and in future, all files will when they load open looking like your JPEGs.

David

[giantxtc]

Hi first time posting here. I am writing to say I have this same problem and have posted a question on dpreview but really didn't get that much help. I actually use Apple Aperture and am experiencing this same problem. (Strangely enough it provides an accurate portrayal for a moment and then reverts to the overexposed image. Real strange) I just upgraded to an A700 and never had this problem with A350. I found it really strange and I really would like to just get back to normal.

According to your explanation there isn't much that can be done in-camera to fix this. I even converted the raw file using IDC and it looked exactly like the JPG. Only I really like being able to convert within aperture. Does anyone have a similar fix for aperture? DK I have been reading your blogs and site for a while really good stuff. Thanks for all the time you put in here. I read this and figured I had to join. I guess I need to look into defaults on Aperture.

Thanks!

[David Kilpatrick]

Beware - if you use DRO, the JPEG will be adjusted but the raw will not - it may be a bit darker too. When you first use Aperture, or many other converters incuding Bridge and Lightroom and IDC, it reads the embedded JPEG to show you a preview. But then, it converts the raw data, and quickly replaces the embedded JPEG with its own conversion. If you have used DRO the difference can be considerable.

Never try to match a raw conversion to a DRO+ result, it can't be done properly and you will end up saving a default which reflects the DRO state of one image.

David

[giantxtc]

So it's best to use DRO off when shooting RAW?

The problem I'm having is the over exposure everything is over exposed 1.5 stops when importing raw images into aperture compared to the same JPG.

Thanks for responding so fast.

[giantxtc]

OK thanks I'm sure this has been talked about to death...

[David Kilpatrick]

So it's best to use DRO off when shooting RAW?

The problem I'm having is the over exposure everything is over exposed 1.5 stops when importing raw images into aperture compared to the same JPG.

Thanks for responding so fast.

This probably isn't DRO, it's a fault in the default settings for aperture. I hate using Aperture, as with many other programs open (like half the CS4 suite, iMovie HD, NeoOffice etc!) it jams the iMac up totally. However, I just spent some time watching the spinning wheel of death and seeing how it treated about 300 A700 files. Answer: Apple's preset uses the maximum 'Boost' value, and this looks like overexposure. I made a new preset turning Boost down to 0.75, dropping the black point to 3, increasing Saturation to 1.2. It looked better with a contrast increase, but that clipped the highlight every time without actually programming an exposure decrease. I saved my new preset as the camera default, and the images are closer to the in-camera JPEG.

It's a very good processor technically but demands excessive processor/memory share, and as I work with a dozen or more programs open all the time changing between them, it's not friendly to my environment.

David

[giantxtc]

I came across this description involving the camera RAW update and deleting the newer one and reverting back to the old 2.1. It seems it worked for a few people I'm going to try later today. Thanks for all the help!

I know Aperture is quite demanding but I don't have too much of a problem with it I'm going to try your recommendations in regards to the Preset's...

http ://discussions.apple.com/thread.jspa?threadID=1713679&tstart=0

UPDATE: This did nothing for me I don't see any difference defaulting back to Raw 2.1 - I am pretty baffled by this - the photo's come back very washed out. The image just looks so much better with IDC. I guess I will have to get back into that program, I was enjoying using aperture with my A350 it's too bad it doesn't want to work with my A700. Here is an example.

Aperture
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3547/332 ... 2314_o.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
IDC
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3618/331 ... b493_o.jpg" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

DK it doesn't seem like you are experiencing the same problem with your A700 and Aperture is this correct?