Xrite Colorchecker profile crushing highlights?

[Stevejack]

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Hi all,

I am running into some issues with what I assume is user error when creating a camera profile for my M10-R using the x-rite colorchecker passport and Colorchecker camera calibration software on mac OSX (catalina). I notice the issue mainly in highlights - like the sun in the frame at sunset, or the bulb of a bright light. When I apply the xrite profile, I notice that highlights are crushed, like the data is clipped... switching to adobe standard (or any of the adobe profiles) the highlights look fine again.

I want to create outdoor profiles so I am shooting the target in both shade and sunlight, mid afternoon light - representative of how and when I usually shoot. I have tried a few things, and followed video guides on how to make sure the target images are exposed correctly, including black level adjustment. No matter how I try it, the issue remains. 

As far as I can see, my export settings are all correct, colourspaces etc... I can't really see where I'm going wrong. Latest version of all software. 

Is there a good video guide that runs through all the steps to create a profile? (how to position the colorchecker passport when taking the photo, how to prepare the file when it arrives lightroom, which settings to select, and then sending it across to the xrite software and creating the profile? I just want to re-do it all and make sure I'm getting it right. 

[jaapv]

I don't think that you are doing anything wrong. The exposure in your camera provides the data, whatever profile or postprocessing you are using. The problem is in tweaking your postprocessing software to handle the profile.
The colour response of Lightroomis modified by the profile and may well push a colour channel into clipping, even if the data are present. Observe the clipping warnings in the histogram and pull back on the exposure, contrast and highlight sliders as needed. Don't forget that specular highlights like the sun, that should not have any detail unless you are photographing sunspots, can be clipped without problem.

When you have the right basic setting for the profile you use, set that as a default and make it specific for the camera.

 

[Stevejack]

Thanks Jaap, 

I'm not sure if it's correct though - attached here is how the image looks when I apply the custom profile that was made from the xrite colorchecker. See how there is posterization in the highlights?

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[Stevejack]

And here is how it looks when the adobe standard profile (or any of the adobe colour profiles) is applied

 

 

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[Jeff S]

19 hours ago, Stevejack said:

Hi all,

I am running into some issues with what I assume is user error when creating a camera profile for my M10-R using the x-rite colorchecker passport and Colorchecker camera calibration software on mac OSX (catalina). I notice the issue mainly in highlights - like the sun in the frame at sunset, or the bulb of a bright light. When I apply the xrite profile, I notice that highlights are crushed, like the data is clipped... switching to adobe standard (or any of the adobe profiles) the highlights look fine again.

I want to create outdoor profiles so I am shooting the target in both shade and sunlight, mid afternoon light - representative of how and when I usually shoot. I have tried a few things, and followed video guides on how to make sure the target images are exposed correctly, including black level adjustment. No matter how I try it, the issue remains. 

As far as I can see, my export settings are all correct, colourspaces etc... I can't really see where I'm going wrong. Latest version of all software. 

Is there a good video guide that runs through all the steps to create a profile? (how to position the colorchecker passport when taking the photo, how to prepare the file when it arrives lightroom, which settings to select, and then sending it across to the xrite software and creating the profile? I just want to re-do it all and make sure I'm getting it right. 

Have you exposed properly for your color patch export?

Jeff

[Stevejack]

2 hours ago, Jeff S said:

Have you exposed properly for your color patch export?

Jeff

Thanks Jeff, yes I have followed the steps exactly (using several other guides, as well as the one you linked) and I've re-done the profiles several times with the same results. The issue only seems to appear on these specular highlights, otherwise the image colour correction looks pretty good. I could understand if the xrite profiles just can't account for this situation (shooting straight into the sun), but I wouldn't think that posterization would appear unless there was something very wrong with the profiles the software was creating. 

I should add that it happens whenever I apply any of the custom xrite profiles (direct sunlight, shade, etc). It really has me stumped. 

[Adam Bonn]

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Just a wild long shot... especially considering I've never used a X-Rite...

But if part of your process involved adobe's DNG (ie dcp) profile creator this applies a base tone curve if the setting is on base profile (rather than CR default)

But like I say, I'm clutching at straws here

Another straw... how's the WB values with your profile?

Sometimes the colours look OK, but the suggested SOOC WB is weird (say +50 tint in daylight), this can happen if the colour matrixes aren't right...

Is your profile 2 (or 1) colour matrixes, or have you got forwarding matrixes as well? You might even have hue sat deltas and a LUT in there.. if the LUT is wrong (or even non-existent, colours can go very strange)

But like I say, I'm clutching at straws here

Adobe's profiles often leave a lot to be desired... but they also contain a lot of info to massage RAW colour into an RGB work space.