Dark RAW files

[Kertesz]

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Dear Team,

I tried an M9 the other day and was very impressed. Looking forward to buying one.

One issue that appeared is that the RAW files are about one stop under exposed when compared with the same JPEG images. That is when they are taken together. Has anybody else seen this phenomenon? And how did you overcome it.

Many thanks - Peter

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[wattsy]

There is a difference in the colour between the in-camera JPEGs and the DNG files at the default conversion settings in C1 and LR but I haven't noticed any great difference in exposure - certainly not in the order of a stop. What RAW conversion software are you using?

[Kertesz]

Many thanks for your reply. I am new to RAW although have been using the digital management software ACDSee Pro for many years. I have not converted the DNG files into anything just viewing them in their original form. This is the latest version which is number 3. The difference is on the computer screen not the camera. Many thanks - Peter

[ho_co]

K--

With RAW, the initial view can vary quite a bit with the particular RAW converter.

 

It may be that if you compared JPGs and DNGs within Bridge or in another converter, the differences would vanish. At one time, the original view of a RAW file in Photoshop was dreadfully dark and flat, waiting for tweaking. Adobe made major changes to the preview, and their products no longer have that effect.

 

That's just a guess; I don't have any experience with ACDSee.

[Kertesz]

Many thanks for the information Howard. Very interesting. The other interesting fact is that if the RAW is converted into JPEG it still remains one stop under exposed. I will ask ACDSee if they can give me an answer. Best wishes - Peter

[Jamie Roberts]

Peter,

 

RAW converters have to add a gamma correction and, generally, a non-linear exposure correction to RAW files, which makes them appear more natural and "brighter."

 

"Small" image viewing applications (like the one you're using) usually use the camera-created JPEG preview in the RAW file to show you (quickly) what the RAW file will look like. For example, Nikon's NEF file format includes a full-size JPEG preview (yes, that's right: the Nikon D3 creates a 12mp JPEG on every shot and includes it in the RAW file--even when you don't create JPEGs in the camera!)

 

Unfortunately, Leica's DNGs only include a thumbnail JPEG, not something large enough for actually pre-viewing

 

So I know this is going to sound odd, but I urge you to give up on ACDSee; you should be using something professional for RAW conversions from a Leica camera.

 

The DNGs are just "non-Japanese" enough that you don't get the performance you should from your investment in the camera.

 

Personally, I prefer C1 from Phase One. The first time you open a folder it will create properly adjusted previews from the RAW files, along with proper colour.

 

But any of the professional programs will do this correctly. The latest Lightroom or ACR in Photoshop apparently have much improved color profiles for the M9 and are easy to use. If you're on a Mac, then Raw Developer has some of the best colour and file output available.

 

Hope this helps!