I edit and enjoy my photos then export as jpeg and view in windows photo viewer and am always disappointed. Always a noticeable difference in sharpness. Nothing i seem to be able to do about it. Do you use windows photo viewer or figure out how to make them look like they do in Lr using windows? There has got to be an answer to this delimma. Different viewer?
Windows photo viewer
- Thread starter cbay
- Start date
Horoscope Fish
Senior Member
When I'm not using Adobe Bridge for this, I'm using IRFanview.
Don Kondra
Senior Member
Hi Chris, you made me go look 
For posting on line I usually do a resize, etc in FastStone Image Viewer and that is where I judge the sharpness.
Comparing that final image in FastStone to Windows Photo Viewer there is no doubt there is a loss in sharpness.
AND, the Windows Photo Viewer image is pretty near identical to what the image looks like when uploaded/viewed on Photobucket.
Long story, short. It is what it is
Critical analysis is best done viewing in the editing program.
Cheers, Don
For posting on line I usually do a resize, etc in FastStone Image Viewer and that is where I judge the sharpness.
Comparing that final image in FastStone to Windows Photo Viewer there is no doubt there is a loss in sharpness.
AND, the Windows Photo Viewer image is pretty near identical to what the image looks like when uploaded/viewed on Photobucket.
Long story, short. It is what it is
Critical analysis is best done viewing in the editing program.
Cheers, Don
Thanks for the link.
Thanks for checking Don. Good to know it's not my imagination.Hi Chris, you made me go look
For posting on line I usually do a resize, etc in FastStone Image Viewer and that is where I judge the sharpness.
Comparing that final image in FastStone to Windows Photo Viewer there is no doubt there is a loss in sharpness.
AND, the Windows Photo Viewer image is pretty near identical to what the image looks like when uploaded/viewed on Photobucket.
Long story, short. It is what it is
Critical analysis is best done viewing in the editing program.
Cheers, Don
Don Kuykendall_RIP
RIP :(
You also might want to check your export options in Lightroom
Don Kondra
Senior Member
That should have no effect on how the "exported" file looks in Windows Photo Viewer...
Cheers, Don
I think it does. You can export from LR with a certain amount of sharpening applied, amongst other things like color space and such.
Don Kuykendall_RIP
RIP :(
Blacktop beat me to it but yes it has everything to do with how the exported file will look. There are so many options on exporting from size to compression
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Don Kondra
Senior Member
Okay, as I understand it, you do your processing in LR with whatever changes applied, then export the file to a folder.
Then view that file in Windows Photo Viewer.
It will not appear as "sharp" as it does when viewed in LR.
Cheers, Don
Don Kondra
Senior Member
Obviously I do not agree.
Once you have processed the image in LR and saved it, it will not appear as "sharp" when viewed in Windows Photo Viewer.
Cheers, Don
Yes this seems to be the OPs problem. This is why I'm suggesting adding "sharpening for screen" at export.
Even though there is no doubt room for improvement on my part with export procedure, there does seem (to me), to be a difference in sharpness with windows photo viewer vs. other viewers. I downloaded the two suggested viewers last night and am really impressed with faststone. I think it's a keeper.
I still don't have a solid procedure from export on. I want my images to look their best for my viewing, but also want them to look good for sharing but have yet to come up with a solution for the later. It seems to vary with different sites. I've been compromising and settling on one setting for sharpness and size when finished in Lr for everything and that leaves room for improvement. File size, disk space and redundant images have kept me from doing something separate for web vs. personal viewing. So far i haven't found a happy medium,,,,,yet.
I still don't have a solid procedure from export on. I want my images to look their best for my viewing, but also want them to look good for sharing but have yet to come up with a solution for the later. It seems to vary with different sites. I've been compromising and settling on one setting for sharpness and size when finished in Lr for everything and that leaves room for improvement. File size, disk space and redundant images have kept me from doing something separate for web vs. personal viewing. So far i haven't found a happy medium,,,,,yet.