DPP to PS7 Differences -- Advice Please

Bilsen

Hi all,

I could use some help here.

I shoot in RAW and process in DPP. From there I export the JPG (at top quality - about 5MP per image) and then open it up in PS7 for final touchups.

The images look fine in DPP, sharp and with good contrast. Then I open the image in PS7 on the same (calibrated) monitor and the image is dead flat, low contrast needing major sharpening again.

Any ideas on resolving this issue. I can restore the images in PS7 but it seems I'm doing the same work twice.

Thanks in advance

pathfinder

I don't use DPP, so I am not certain what your options for saving the file after RAW processing are.

I suspect you are clipping off a profile from your file somewhere between DPP and PS. Are you saving an 8 bit or a 16 bit file? Why not save your file from DPP as a 16 bit tiff, rather than a jpg?

When I process RAW files, the file that leaves the RAW processor to Photoshop is a 16 bit ProPhoto RGB spaced 16 bit file.

What is the working color space for your Photoshop? Are you asked about color spaces when the jpg you created in DPP is imported into Photoshop? I wonder if you are saving an Adobe RGB file, but opening it as an sRGB file in Photoshop. That would explain the decreased color gamut.

Bilsen

Thanks Pathfinder.

It's becoming obvious to me I've mismatched DPP and PS7 somewhere. Maybe I'm stripping off the ICC profile. I'll go back and match the settings in both programs.

I export in 8 bit JPG for now since 16 bit Tiffs are super slow to work on in my computer. I'm going to upgrade to a dual processor and 4GB RAM when Windows 7 comes out so I may be able to work in Tiff then.

pathfinder

Be sure and post the answer when you find it, so others can benefit from the information.

I agree that I suspect an ICC profile has been removed somewhere between DPP and PS7.

Bilsen

The problem is mostly solved. Not quite perfect but HUGELY better.

I recalibrated the monitor (Huey Pro).

Then I set DPP to use the monitor ICC profile, which I hadn't previously set.

Made sure that DPP was embedding the profile on export to jpg (it was)

Made sure that PS 7 was maintaining the embedded profile (it was).

THE BIG ONE -- Matched both programs to sRGB profile. PS had been on Adobe RGB.

Anyway, the two now agree much more than before. I'll keep at it to fine tune the view but I'd say 80% of the difference was eliminated with these steps.

Thanks again Pathfinder.