Dull color in editor compared to exported image

[Molokini]

Hello! I've searched the forum for this issue and found a few similar to this but the main concern in those threads were the lack of adobeRGB monitors being the culprit somehow. In my case I've shown in the attached image my Monitor profile and specs to further prove I've done what I can to get as close to color to the jpeg as I can. This is an edited image in the right in Capture One and the exported Jpeg in Adobe 98 (the raw was taken on an A7Rii in AdobeRGB) Here is a link to the raw file for your own comparison as well https://www.dropbox.com/s/ujhrkxlt0y...C2329.ARW?dl=0

Screenshot Comparison with Editor

http://imgur.com/a/oki1G

Any and all suggestion are appreciated. I am not sure how long this has been going on but recently started noticing the difference in color.

[Manfred M]

Welcome to CiC.

If you wouldn't mind, could you please click the "My Profile" button on the top of this page and enter at least your first name and where you are from? We tend to be a fairly informal group here at CiC and go about on a first name basis.


First of all it is not a AdobeRGB vs sRGB screen problem, but rather the ability of the software to detect and correctly interpret the colour space being used. Colour managed software will recognize the colour space and make adjustments, through the computer setting's rendering intent to handle out of gamut colour "correctly".

If you have a wide gamut image (AdobeRGB or ProPhoto, for instance) and the software is not colour managed, the images will indeed look dull as the software will default to assuming the image uses sRGB. Sometimes the issue is that the creation software does not include the colour space information in the image file, and the default will be sRGB and the same issue occurs; dull looking colours if you used a wide gamut colour space.



I use a dual screen setup (both are Dell) the left side of the image is on a sRGB screen and the right side is on an AdobeRGB screen. Moving from one screen to the other gives me very similar results. I'm display DxO Optics Pro 11, and the colour difference in the two image is that one has corrections applied while the other does not. I thought I might as well use the same software you show in your link.

[xpatUSA]

Just to complement what Manfred said, I took your RAW, opened it in RawTherapee and saved it as sRGB, Adobe RGB and ProPhoto (Kodak ROMM) - all as JPEGs.

In FastStone Viewer, color management can be OFF or ON.

First, I opened all three with color management ON:



Then I opened them with color management turned OFF:



See the difference?

(histograms are interesting in the second lot).

Note: I deliberately removed the EXIF from these comparator shots - so no point in right-clickin' . . .

[Molokini]

I appreciate the immense help from the two of you! If this is a color management issue in both Lightroom and CaptureOne, how does one remedy or find a solution to the issue? I'm glad this isn't an issue of the camera or raw file, however it feels when i'm editing the files in either LR and C1 it's lying to me.

[Manfred M]

Lightroom and C1 are both colour managed. The other thing that could go wrong is having the wrong colour profile assigned to a file. Raw data has no colour space assigned to it, but when it is exported to an image file, the colour profile is assigned. I generally work in ACR (same engine as Lightroom) and bring all my raw files across to Photoshop in the ProPhoto and use AdobeRGB for my jpegs. I will convert them to sRGB before posting on the internet, but once hit the wrong menu selection and assigned the profile, rather than converting to it and saw the colour issue you describe.

Check on your workflow as this might be where things are going off the rails for you.

[Molokini]

I'll check on my workflow Manfred, I don't notice the drastic color difference in Photoshop like you mention dragging your raws to Photoshop. I've reinstalled Capture One thinking I've accidently messed with a profile or setting, and continued to get the same results I've posted. Its being imported with no adjustments and no profiles assigned (I even enable proofing in sRGB and aRGB and the color doesn't even change in the proof) I'm not sure how else you assign a profile when you export other than picking one in the export menu. Other than this maybe I need to assign a profile in Lightroom or C1? Again thank you for helping me try to solve this.

[Molokini]

Also if you don't mind me asking what editor's do you use, I may need to use them in the mean time to edit photos. If the issue persists in these other programs then i'm looking at a monitor profile/software issue i'd imagine right?

[Manfred M]

Also if you don't mind me asking what editor's do you use, I may need to use them in the mean time to edit photos. If the issue persists in these other programs then i'm looking at a monitor profile/software issue i'd imagine right?

Photoshop CC 2017 with Adobe Camera Raw (ACR) and Bridge. I also have Lightroom (LR)as it is part of the Adobe Creative Cloud package, but I very rarely use it. The Lightroom Develop Module and ACR use the same engine. I also use Phase One Capture 10 on and DxO Labs Optics Pro 11 for specific needs.

[Molokini]

I just want to double check that in your opinion this is not the result of a camera problem or raw file issue. This is the result of a color issue between the software and monitor etc..

[Manfred M]

I just want to double check that in your opinion this is not the result of a camera problem or raw file issue. This is the result of a color issue between the software and monitor etc..

Probably a software issue, not a computer screen issue.