Color Settings in SF DC PRO

[sklocke]

Hello,

trying to understand the Demo Version a little better, I prepared a file in Photoshop and assigned Adobe RGB as a profile.

This same I loaded then into Silverfast to play with some of the controls.
However when loading that file I am getting a rather washed-out view.

The URL below (500k gif) shows the problem and the CMS Color settings chosen (Including part of the original Photoshop view):
Could someone please explain what I forgot to do? I seem to end in similar washed out views when loading some RAW files.

Thanks
Stefan


http://www.klocke.org/SFColor.gif

[ilyons]

Stefan,

You have kept the colour setting on the default Use Embedded profile. The raw image has no embedded profile. You should cahge that setting to None (if you don't have a profile for your camera model) or ColorSync if you do. DCPro ships with a number of generic profiles. You might be better selecting it in the popup labelled None.


For DCPro "Use Embedded Profile" is a really odd default setting!

[sklocke]

Ian,

For DCPro "Use Embedded Profile" is a really odd default setting!

the file in question is NOT a raw file. The file used has an embedded profile. (Hence the screen shot with the Photoshop window in it, showing the document profile, Adobe RGB in this case)

I am not trying to convert a RAW file, I am just trying to see what SF can do for existing files.

In such a case, choosing Colorsync is not an option, since I can not choose a suitable profile in the next section (Profiles for ColorSync, Input - only camera profiles mentioned).

NONE, is not what I really want, even so it should work in my case, since the internal space equals my document profile. BUT if I choose that then colors are still different (like in the gif file) between the Photoshop view and the SF view of the same document.

The internal to screen translation is set to colorsync, do I have to assume now that this translation fails on my machine? Can I see from within SF what monitor profile is used?

Do I use SF DC Pro outside its intented scope?

Regards,
Stefan

[ilyons]

Ian,

For DCPro "Use Embedded Profile" is a really odd default setting!

the file in question is NOT a raw file. The file used has an embedded profile. (Hence the screen shot with the Photoshop window in it, showing the document profile, Adobe RGB in this case)

Sorry, I misread your post.

The problem is that you have an image that has profile embeded in it that says gamma 2.2. You have also likely got the DCPro "Gamma-Gradation" value still at default of 1.8 and "Gamma expected in 48/HDR" at 1.00 (default) - see the general panel in the Options dialog.

Unfortunately this will mean that your gamma 2.2 image will have a further gamma 1.8 correction applied to it and it will therefore appear washed out. You can overcome this problem by setting the Gamma-Gradation value to 1.00 or the other setting to 2.2. I would recommend the former.

You've actually identified an anomaly in how SF interprets embedded profiles - it honours them in full but ignores the fact that the gamma-gradation value will also be applied. It would be really nice if SF ignored the gamma-gradation value when handling images with embeded profiles

The internal to screen translation is set to colorsync, do I have to assume now that this translation fails on my machine? Can I see from within SF what monitor profile is used?

You should only use ColorSync if DCPro is being driven in standalone mode. If using it as a Photoshop Plugin you would be much better of using Automatic

Do I use SF DC Pro outside its intented scope?

At the risk of stating the obvious when LaserSoft might not want the obvious to be stated - DCPro is SilverFast HDR with a raw image converter incorporated. What you are trying to do is "meat and potatoes" for SilverFast HDR so you aren't doing anything unexpected or beyond the application.


Hopefully my comments will help.

[sklocke]

Unfortunately this will mean that your gamma 2.2 image will have a further gamma 1.8 correction applied to it and it will therefore appear washed out. You can overcome this problem by setting the Gamma-Gradation value to 1.00 or the other setting to 2.2. I would recommend the former.

Well, I must say that the latter one worked: Setting Gama expected in 48Bt/HDR to 2.2. (and leaving the Gamma gradation at 1.8 )

For whatever reason the other way: setting the Gamma Gradation to 1.0 (adjustment of prescan base brightness - no further correction I assume) and leaving the expected Gamma also at 1.0 did not give the Photoshop like rendering, too bright. Setting expected gamma to 1.2 in the "former" senario gave the desired rendering.

You've actually identified an anomaly in how SF interprets embedded profiles - it honours them in full but ignores the fact that the gamma-gradation value will also be applied. It would be really nice if SF ignored the gamma-gradation value when handling images with embeded profiles

As a newcomer to SF, I would clearly prefer a more transparent approach. Some cameras ( I read) already embed profiles into the jpgs, that would create ( I assume at least) similar problems as the ones experienced myself.
I should also add that the Quicktime movie for the option did not help me much on this occasion.

You should only use ColorSync if DCPro is being driven in standalone mode. If using it as a Photoshop Plugin you would be much better of using Automatic

That I understood already form the quicktime. I am using it standalone. Maybe I should change that and always start it from within Photoshop?.

Hopefully my comments will help.

Very much so, thank you Ian.

Stefan