CS4 Muted Colours

Nigey

Nigey

Suspended / Banned
Messages
895
Edit My Images
Yes
I have a problem with CS4, (well actually I should say ACR as that is what loads when I launch my RAW files). In every viewer I use, Fastone, Windows, or my Macs iphoto everything looks just fine. As soon as ACR opens them for CS4 the contrast disappears and and the vibrancy is shocking? Any ideas? I have the camera and CS4 working spaces set to Adobe so don't think its that and why do they look ok in the other viewers?
 
Take a look and see what profile Photoshop is using for the monitor. Start PS and go to Edit/colour settings. If you now click on the RGB tab at the top you should see a drop down box appear. At the top of the it should show you what profile is being used.

I wonder if that may be the problem, if not at least its one thing eliminated.
 
I dont think it is a problem as acr is showing the image for what it is, raw. All the viewers will render the image with a certain amount of the camera settings giving you a decent looking pic. Acr doesnt apply these settings as it is a raw file and thus down to you to tinker with it to get it looking how you want it
 
The issue is all about colour space.

See chappers response.
 
I read the OPs question again and he seems to have both set to Adobe RGB which you rightly note may not mean it's a colour space issue - sorry

It could be that ACR us doing an AUTO setting bt default - muting saturation and contrast. Look at the preferences and switch off any auto change to the settings.
 
Thanks everyone, the setting in the colour space in ACR was Adobe RGB and so was the camera. I normally proces in this colour space and then convert to sRGB for web if needed. (I use an action for this).

For some reason it seems a lot better today? It's still not as I see it in my viewers and I now have tried it in Windows, iPhoto, Fastone and ACdSEE and they all reproduce faithfully. Its just ACR that does it :( I am out tonight and I am going to shoot in Jpeg and see if that is any different.) There is no auto convert selected either. Lets see what happens.

What I find really frustrating is that I know that somewhere, buried deep in some mystical menu is a ticked box that as soon as I untick (Or Vice Versa) all my troubles will magically cease...
 
ACR is simply ignoring the settings you made in-camera and simply displaying what the sensor captured 'as-is'.
 
Escy said:
Maybe I am missing something here, but how does the photoshop colour space effect acr.
Click to expand...


ACR is part of Photoshop as is Bridge. They both use the same preferences set up within Photoshop. Photoshop should automatically pick up the systems monitor profile and use that, but it is possible for this not to happen, or get changed, hence the quick check to see if all is OK
 
Nigey

just to test, try setting both camera and Photoshop to sRGB and see if that makes a difference.

Also when ACR pops up go to the camera calibration tab. It's the one with the camera icon, see what camera profile it is using. It's normally Adobe Standard by default. However you can select the Adobe versions of the camera picture settings. See if that helps
 
FruitFlakes said:
ACR is simply ignoring the settings you made in-camera and simply displaying what the sensor captured 'as-is'.
Click to expand...

Doh! Why didn't I think of that! Of course the embedded jpg preview you get in pther programs will show your image looking sharper and more saturated. When in ACR you need to edit the RAWs to get that look (not hard)
 
I finally think I have it sorted. The biggest issue was that the camera was set to "Neutral" picture style. ACR was indeed looking at the exact colours as seen. Changing that to "Standard" made the difference. The viewers looking at the jpegs approximated the colours. Now I remember why I hate picture styles....

Then having both CS4 and the camera working space set to Adobe RGB aslo helped and life is now back in colour!!

Thanks for all your help.
 
Incidentally with a few minutes work you can make ACR presets to duplicate the Neutral/Vivid/Standard controls on Nikon cameras, or whatever the Canon equivelants are.

The camera embeds a JPG in the RAW which has already been processed by the camera according to your chosen setting, whereas the RAW itself hasnt.

Youre seeing he JPG preview when you look at the RAW using non-ACR type software.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top