Processing from RAW to JPEG

Is it true that Nikon has proprietary software to convert RAW Files to JPEG? Is this a step that must be taken before utilizing Photoshop to ensure true color transfer? In RAW on her MacBookPro the colors look vibrant and rich, however when we send them off in JPEG to print the colors and contrast seem to have a Blue Gray Cast to them.

The pictures that were shot in RAW required no editing in photoshop based on what was visible so they were just converted from RAW to JPEG in Photoshop, however the results were not wat was expected with colors and "Casts" that rendered the photos undesirable.

Is there a Nikon Program we should be using? What is the process that seems to work best for you? Does anyone even have this issue or is it something unique to us?

floridafan said:

Is a proprietary Nikon software product required to properly process from RAW to JPEG? The colors look great on the monitor in RAW but when they are converted to JPEG for printing musch of the vibrancy and contrast appear to be lost. This is most noticeable shooting indoors under industrial lighting. Even in front of a set light with two studio lights the problem persists in this industrial setting.

Is there a process or procedure that should be utilized to properly convert these files from RAW to JPEG and retain their vibrancy.

Click to expand...

I don't use Nikon software to process my raw files and I don't notice any loss of contrast or saturation when converting to .jpg, so I'm wondering if there's some flaw in your workflow that's causing this.

What software are you currently using?

Are you editing the raw files or just converting to jpeg,raw files need editing.

Re: Converting files from RAW to JPEG

If you are looking at the image on the back of the camera its a jpeg you are looking at not a raw, the camera displays a jpeg version of the raw.

I have never known a camera where 90% of the raw images could not be improved with editing and thats with any make.

My wife is using Photoshop to convert the files from RAW to JPEG. No editing.

When you look at the LCD screen, you are seeing a preview JPEG image edited by the camera itself. When you view the RAW image, the in camera editing is removed. RAW images are meant to be edited by the photographer and often look "flat". Normally, it takes just a few adjustments to "punch them up".

I'm not sure but, I think if you shoot in JPEG, the in camera editing stays with file. You have picture profiles in the menu system to help get the desired look.

Re: Converting files from RAW to JPEG

Marilynne said:

Duplicate thread?

Click to expand...

The other one was the one that had broken link or something. It was impossible to open.

Re: Converting files from RAW to JPEG

floridafan said:

Is there a Nikon Program we should be using? What is the process that seems to work best for you? Does anyone even have this issue or is it something unique to us?

Click to expand...

My wife and I put raw files into Lightroom, edit as needed then convert to jpeg. We have not noticed what you are describing.

Re: Converting files from RAW to JPEG

floridafan said:

Is it true that Nikon has proprietary software to convert RAW Files to JPEG? Is this a step that must be taken before utilizing Photoshop to ensure true color transfer? In RAW on her MacBookPro the colors look vibrant and rich, however when we send them off in JPEG to print the colors and contrast seem to have a Blue Gray Cast to them.

The pictures that were shot in RAW required no editing in photoshop based on what was visible so they were just converted from RAW to JPEG in Photoshop, however the results were not wat was expected with colors and "Casts" that rendered the photos undesirable.

Is there a Nikon Program we should be using? What is the process that seems to work best for you? Does anyone even have this issue or is it something unique to us?

Click to expand...

When you say "The pictures that were shot in RAW required no editing in photoshop based on what was visible", what do you mean exactly? Images as you saw them on the camera's LCD or image that you see when you open them in "Camera Raw" which is the raw to jpeg converter supplied in Photoshop?
I think that a good basic post treatment tutorial (photoshop basics) could be a wise time investment if your wife is a bit serious about image processing.

Another point worth looking for is the color calibration of your monitor and color profiles (in-camera and within photoshop). Sometimes such profiles if mis-matched can give false information to the printer and this could explain the bluish cast that you are describing.

Hope you'll be able to calibrate your images to your satisfaction without too much pain and tears.

Enjoy your Nikon.

floridafan said:

My wife is using Photoshop to convert the files from RAW to JPEG. No editing.

Click to expand...

I can't come up with an explanation why, once the image is open in Photoshop as a raw file, the saturation would change simply due to it being converted/saved as JPG. I could see how this could be related to a color-profile mismatch between Adobe Camera Raw and Photoshop, possibly, but not from within Photoshop itself.

Can you upload a raw file to Dropbox, or someplace similar, so we can download it to try and duplicate this?


...

mikew said:

Are you editing the raw files or just converting to jpeg,raw files need editing.

Click to expand...

I'm wondering about this, too.

Marcel said:

....Another point worth looking for is the color calibration of your monitor and color profiles (in-camera and within photoshop). Sometimes such profiles if mis-matched can give false information to the printer and this could explain the bluish cast that you are describing.

Hope you'll be able to calibrate your images to your satisfaction without too much pain and tears.

Enjoy your Nikon.

Click to expand...

Horoscope Fish said:

I can't come up with an explanation why, once the image is open in Photoshop as a raw file, the saturation would change simply due to it being converted/saved as JPG. I could see how this could be related to a color-profile mismatch between Adobe Camera Raw and Photoshop, possibly, but not from within Photoshop itself.
...

Click to expand...

I'm also wondering if this has anything to do with one of my previous questions about shooting in Adobe RGB vs. sRGB. There was a shift in saturation depending upon what devices I used to view the images.

And going back to Mike's question...if you are simply converting from RAW to jpeg without making any edits, most likely your images will look rather unsaturated with little to no contrast. And they will lack the sharpness of jpegs. That's because RAW images lack many of the embellishments that are applied in camera to jpegs. If you are viewing the NEF's with Windows Live Photo Gallery, you probably won't see the real RAW file. My NEF's tend to look better using Windows Live Photo Gallery than they truly are when viewed with PCC and/or Lightroom.

If you use Lightroom or ACR within Photoshop, go to where you can choose between several different camera profiles. These are options such as Adobe Landscape, Adobe Color, Camera Landscape, Camera Portrait, and more. You can toggle between them to see the differences. But no matter what, NEF's require editing before converting to jpegs. Otherwise they are lackluster to view.

floridafan said:

My wife is using Photoshop to convert the files from RAW to JPEG. No editing.

Click to expand...

Here's a thought. If you don't post process the photos in Photoshop, why not set the camera up to shoot RAW + JPEG and use the jpeg's for printing. In camera jpeg conversion can be customized to your liking.
You will still have the RAW files if you need to post process.

When the file was viewed in RAW on the Mac Book the images looked perfect, or required minor adjustments then image was converted to JPEG. My wife has had excellent success with Photoshop and has worked with it for several years. It is possible that the problem resulted from the photo processor which unless we drive 2 hours is Walmart...

I purchased software today to calibrate her monitor... just trying to eliminate all external possibilities.

So you didn't make the prints yourselfs. Then this could likely be a "third party error" rather than a conversion problem.

Using ACR and Photoshop should work just fine for converting NEF to JPEG. I use Lightroom and eventhough the raw converter is integrated into the software, it still is ACR. Never had a problem like the one you describe. There is a Nikon software you can download, but I don't think it will give you better results.

Let's make some clarifications so we're all clear about what we're saying.

YOU cannot see a RAW file. RAW files are simply just data. Any software that renders a RAW file (i.e., Photoshop) renders a JPG image from the RAW file. Some RAW editors (i.e., Nikon's proprietary software) can render the Jpg that you see on your monitor with the Nikon Camera Profiles applied. Most cannot. Those that cannot render a flat looking Jpg that typically requires some adjustments to look like the image that's displayed on the camera's LCD screen.

When you EXPORT the image those adjustments are applied and added to a newly created JPG image...

Most RAW editors are non-destructive. That means they do not save changes to the RAW file but instead save the changes/adjustments to what's called a sidecar file. Generally a separate XMP file. That XMP file almost always takes the RAW (NEF) file name... If you delete the XMP file and/or move it so that the editor doesn't see it, the RAW un-touched NEF file gets loaded without the adjustments...

There can be vast differences between what gets displayed on the camera's LCD and what gets displayed on your computer's monitor depending on many factors...

Getting a RAW (NEF) camera file to a printed image on a photographic paper can be a torturous journey.

No, you aren't the only one. I have had a multitude of problems with prints, both color and black and white. So, if you get it figured out, please post.

You may want to look at this guys site about printing. His name is Jose Rodriguez. He has a whole channel dedicated to printing. One of the things I learned is that what you see on any monitor is backlit and what you see on paper is not. It takes some set up to get the colors of the print to look similar to the view of the monitor. This gentleman does explain it better than I can. He has a lot of videos that I found helpful.


https://www.youtube.com/user/cheo1949/featured