I recently updated to Aperture 3.3. Now when I import my photos (jpegs) they at first look very crisp and tack sharp but when I click on the photo aperture starts to do some processing (In the Inspector panel I watch the histogram and at first there is nothing but after Aperture does it's “processing” I get a histogram and now the picture seems to have a very light I would have to say a slight mist (very slight) filter effect or a slight lightening to the whole photo making it seem a bit washed out whereas before the processing started it looked great. It seems when I click on the picture Aperture starts some processing and messes the picture up. Is there some way I can stop it from doing that?
Randy,
are these raw files? (If not are they imported tiffs and in what colour-space? (icc Profile))
What sort of monitor are you using?
Is this a second monitor?
Does the preview match the thumbnail, or is the thumbnail the same as before and the preview altered?
Grant
Hi Grant,
Thank you for taking the time to answer my question. During this shoot I did both JPEG and raw. It seems like it only does it with the raw files. When I click on the JPEG file they look fine. It is just the Raw files.
The thumbnails look fine. It is only when I click on the Raw thumbnail and they are made larger on my screen (I guess that is the preview) that is when it gets this slight washed out (very slight but noticeable) look and stays.I am using an apple monitor 21 Inch. Not sure about you question regarding preview vs thumbnail. I made a youtube video maybe you can see what I am talking about. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MfVWQf-L8m0
Thanks,
Randy
I guess its fully normal, as the first things you see is the default jpg stored together with the raw, then/afterwards you get the raw w/o any effects or in-camera sharpening etc.
Hi Ken,
So that is what is happening the camera does some in camera sharpening but Aperture gives me the raw image w/o any affects. Is there some way to keep the in camera sharpening intact after import?
Thanks for the reply.
Randy
Why would that be normal Kenny? That would be totally confusing. Which is exactly what Randy is … confused by the behaviour.
If it’s an issue with the in-camera jpeg, then why use them? They’re pointless if they’re not accurate or at least, relevant.
I don’t use in-camera jpegs, so I can’t test how they look. I’ll have to try some.
Randy,
if you output a version from these raw files, without adding any adjustments, then open it in Photoshop and compare it side-by-side on your monitor with the ‘new’ Aperture preview, does it match? Or … does it match the thumbnail? (Previews are the big images, thumbnails are the little ones). If you don’t own Photoshop, try Preview.app.
If you’re not sure about the colour visually, open ‘DigitalColor Meter’ in the Utilities Folder and look at the ‘native’ values of the 2 images. (RGB) The colours may vary by very small amounts … this is normal.
Grant
Grant, all,
This is the accurate behavior, and Grant I’m afraid you’re missing the concept of how the in-camera JPEGs work.
The in-camera JPEG, whether you’re talking about the “embedded JPEG” JPEG or the “RAW+JPEG” JPEG, is created based on the camera color profiles you have dialed in. The easiest way to see this is to set your dSLR to a B&W profile. When you look at the back of the camera, you will see a B&W image. When you import, you will see the B&W image. It’s not until you actually wait for Aperture to draw from RAW that you will see the color image.
So back to the original issue, yes it’s entirely possible that the camera generated JPEG will look different than the Aperture rendered RAW. This is why I have my dSLR cameras all set to the most neutral setting; no extra sharpening, color, etc. That way the JPEG looks as close to the RAW as it’s going to get.
The fact that the RAW render is washed out doesn’t sound good, but it’s entirely possible that Randy is compensating in camera for what he’s perceiving to be a too-dark image because he’s previewing by viewing JPEG on the back of the camera, when in fact the camera is recording it right, generating an over-contrasty JPEG, and he’s overexposing to try to make it look better. By the time his JPEG looks the way he wants it, the RAW is overexposed. This is a theory and a possibility; not necessarily the answer.
The other thing could simply be that the RAW decoding for his camera model could be better, but I doubt it’s that broad.
Randy, it’s possible to tweak the RAW decode for your camera, but first set your in-camera color settings to their default zero state, and try shooting again, see what happens.
@PhotoJoseph
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OK Joseph … I see what you mean.
In fact, we don’t have to look far to understand the behaviour. I don’t use camera jpegs, so I don’t see this … but it’s clearly stated as normal behaviour in Aperture’s preferences.
Grant
Hi Guys,
Thanks very much for all you help. I just upgraded to this Nikon D4 and from my previous Nikon D3 a friend suggested that I set the picture control to Vivid. That is what I was using when I was shooting my jogs and RAW images. I shot a lot of sports events and because I have so many pictures I shoot jogs. But when I do photo shoots I switch to RAW. So I did what Joseph suggested and set my picture control to neutral and now my RAW files don’t have that washed out look when Aperture processes them during viewing just after I import them so I am good to go. Thanks for all the comments and I will visit this site again for great help from you guys!
Thanks again,
Randy Slagle
Sweet! I love it when it all makes sense ;-)
-Joseph
@PhotoJoseph
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