Leica Q2 lightroom classic doesn't recognize film styles

[Case68]

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{I initially posted this about an hour ago, but it somehow ended up in the German language forum. So I'm trying again for the English forum. Apologies for the newbie error.}

HI,

I'm on my second day of Q2 ownership. (What a camera! Though that's beside the point.)

For testing and learning purposes, today I fairly systemically shot various photos in various ways. I used DNG only, because generally I don't want to have to deal with a lot of unnecessary files using in-camera JPG conversion. I experimented with the camera's film styles (std viv nat and the two bw's), taking the same scene using all five, and they looked great in-camera (particularly the bw's). When I went to import the files to Lightroom Classic and using "copy as DNG" the photos didn't reflect the film styles. Where I had taken five straight photos each with a different film style, they all looked the same in LIghtroom. SO:

Is there a way to get Lightroom to the reflect film styles in DNG photos?

Or do I have to convert them in-camera to JPG? 

If the latter, is there a way to take a DNG shot and individually convert it to JPG in-camera, so as to avoid have a sidecar for every photo?

Thanks.

[Jeff S]

Film styles apply to JPEG, not DNG.

Jeff

[Case68]

Thanks, Jeff. Can you help then with the third question. Is there a way to convert to Jpeg in-camera an individual DNG that's already been shot with the film style?

[Leica Guy]

14 hours ago, Case68 said:

Thanks, Jeff. Can you help then with the third question. Is there a way to convert to Jpeg in-camera an individual DNG that's already been shot with the film style?

The DNG’s are by design unaffected by any camera style settings. You’ll need to shoot DNG + JPG, or simply JPG to see the in camera style selection on your JPG’s in LR. 

[Jeff S]

Leica guy beat me to it as I was typing.  
 

DNG is the RAW file, and preserves data.  JPEG files, however, delete data that cannot be recovered. I would never eliminate DNG from my workflow and throw away information that I can better control in post, and because it allows me to reprocess the file down the road if software improves and/or I decide to reinterpret my pic/print rendering. But others might have different needs and goals.

Jeff

[HighlandK]

The above answers are all, of course, correct but I wonder why you would want to convert a DNG to a JPEG film style in camera. Moreover, what you see in camera of the film style selected is only as good as the LCD/EVF reproduce which is not as good as a monitor. Starting with a DNG in LR gives you so much more scope to create whatever style you want. You could for example set up various presets to create the styles that appeal to you and then reproduce them easily in LR. LR also has various in-built profiles - click on the four little squares to the right of profiles in the basic tab of Develop. I am also not sure why you are concerned about the small sidecar xmp files. They give you the complete basis for non destructive editing which you don't get with jpegs.

A bit repetitive of some of the others above but all typing at the same time!!

Edited December 4, 2020 by HighlandK

[Case68]

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32 minutes ago, HighlandK said:

The above answers are all, of course, correct but I wonder why you would want to convert a DNG to a JPEG film style in camera. Moreover, what you see in camera of the film style selected is only as good as the LCD/EVF reproduce which is not as good as a monitor. Starting with a DNG in LR gives you so much more scope to create whatever style you want. You could for example set up various presets to create the styles that appeal to you and then reproduce them easily in LR. LR also has various in-built profiles - click on the four little squares to the right of profiles in the basic tab of Develop. I am also not sure why you are concerned about the small sidecar xmp files. They give you the complete basis for non destructive editing which you don't get with jpegs.

A bit repetitive of some of the others above but all typing at the same time!!

I will only shoot DNG. The question was whether, to use "film styles," there was any way around creating a bunch of unnecessary, additional JPG's in camera. The answer is there isn't. So I won't. I'll just stick with DNG only and do all the modding in LR.

[HighlandK]

There is one film style I do sometimes like to set in camera and that is monochrome because, although I only shoot DNG and convert later in LR or Silver Efex Pro, it is good to see monochrome in the EVF when composing.

[Case68]

59 minutes ago, HighlandK said:

There is one film style I do sometimes like to set in camera and that is monochrome because, although I only shoot DNG and convert later in LR or Silver Efex Pro, it is good to see monochrome in the EVF when composing.

That's a great point, thanks!

[Mo(w)gli]

You cannot use the film styles in Lightroom like you can do with Fuji RAF files. 

[HighlandK]

1 hour ago, Mo(w)gli said:

You cannot use the film styles in Lightroom like you can do with Fuji RAF files. 

That’s right. As I recall when I had an XPro2 (nearest thing to a Leica rangefinder for me ) the JPEG presets that were in camera were also ACR profiles or presets in LR. However the Fuji film styles were much more distinctive than what is available in the Q. Something Fuji excelled with along with their glass. Again the nearest to Leica primes I have seen. Of course your mileage may differ!

[jamesfranco]

When I look at a picture in Library (LRc) I can see the leica B&W-preset, but as soon as I change tab to Develop (LRc) it turns to color. Is there any way to prevent that?

To make it look like in the library. I know that a lot of people shoot standard but if I shoot with one of the B&W-presets on the camera that's because I want it to look that way, even when just want to crop or something else to the photo. But I can't even crop the photo without the DNG turned to "raw". Lucky I shoot DNG+JPEG. 

Another question: Does the JPEG get the same resolution as the DNG?

 

Sorry, I am a totally rookie. I will later on take classes.

Br, James

[jaapv]

To keep the preset from the camera use the JPG, a DNG will always contain colour information. Yes, the JPG has the same resolution as a DNG (provided you don't choose a smaller one in the camera menu), but the JPG compression will lead to considerable data loss, making the file less editable.

[jamesfranco]

4 hours ago, jaapv said:

To keep the preset from the camera use the JPG, a DNG will always contain colour information. Yes, the JPG has the same resolution as a DNG (provided you don't choose a smaller one in the camera menu), but the JPG compression will lead to considerable data loss, making the file less editable.

Is there any presets from Leica to Lightroom? That would be nice.

Also, thank you for your answer!

[jaapv]

If you want to use presets - which can be a good starting point for a beginner- have a look at ON1 instead of Lightroom. It has a full-preset option, which can expand into full editing as you learn.

https://www.on1.com/products/photo-raw/

[Le Chef]

I believe the Red Dot crew have provided camera presets for LightRoom. I have one for my CL. In addition LightRoom Classic has a number of style presets to play with in color and black and white. And beyond that you have Color EfexPro and Silver EfexPro with countless more options.

[kewe]

I'm using a Q2 Monochrom but assume the same thing about DNG vs JPG is true:  What's interesting is that the film style is visible on the import of the DNG file.  I, too, only shoot in DNG.  Its when the preview is created that the style is removed.  What is happening here if the style is not actually applied to the DNG?

[jaapv]

As the Monochrom files do not contain colour information and Adobe handles the Linear DNG files (which are different) as Greyscale by. default, I am not surprised that film styles do not work. For that you need something like Silver Efex.

[Anakronox]

You’re seeing the embedded jpeg in the raw file, which keeps the film style you select in-camera.  That’s all.  

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Hallo,

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