# LR modifies RAW-pictures efter import



## massai (Apr 17, 2011)

When I import pictures and view them in develop-module, the pictures are changed by LR. I have NOT selected any preset during import. Does anyone know how I can disable this.

When the pictures are viewed, I first get a grainy picture, then when LR have loaded it properly, I can clearly see, that the picture changes a bit and is made darker...


----------



## aolander (Apr 17, 2011)

The RAW images you see on your camera's monitor are JPEG images that have had all of your camera settings applied, e.g. contrast, saturation, sharpening, white balance, etc.  Lightroom cannot read these camera settings except for white balance, so it adjusts the image according to its defaults.  These default adjustments are just another "interpretation" of your RAW image.  A RAW image with no adjustments wouldn't look like much, and the defaults are a place to start.  You can set and save your own initial adjustments if you don't like Lightroom's.


----------



## RikkFlohr (Apr 17, 2011)

Welcome to the Lightroom Forums Massai.

Please read this: http://www.lightroomqueen.com/community/showthread.php?1285-Why-did-Lightroom-ruin-my-photo 
It will answer your question.


----------



## Victoria Bampton (Apr 18, 2011)

How much darker, and which camera?  There are also some adjustments on the camera that can cause similar behaviour - Auto Lighting Optimizer, Active D-Lighting and Highlight Tone Priority all apply in camera processing to the initial preview that isn't applied to the raw data.


----------



## massai (Apr 19, 2011)

@RikkFlohr: Thanks for the link. It is perhaps this I am experiencing.

@Victoria Bampton: I have a Nikon D3100 and I think it is quite dark, when I import to Lightroom -especially with indoor-pictures. Do you have a tip to adjusting my camera-settings, so I can prevent my camera showing jpg-previews, which doesn't match with the raw-file...


----------



## massai (Apr 19, 2011)

I have uploaded the jpg-preview version here: http://www.crazy-monkey.dk/Mikkel-jpg.jpg
and the much darker raw-version here: http://www.crazy-monkey.dk/Mikkel-raw.jpg
(screendumps)


----------



## sizzlingbadger (Apr 20, 2011)

Switch off Active D lighting in your camera when shooting RAW.


----------



## aolander (Apr 20, 2011)

Your images are underexposed which is not Lightroom's doing.  You can't judge exposure by viewing the image on the camera's monitor.  The brightness of the image on the monitor will depend on how high you have the monitor brightness set.  Use the camera's histogram display to evaluate exposure.  You will have to determine why you or the camera is underexposing the images.

As previously mentioned, Active D Lighting will underexpose and change the contrast curve of an image which will look fine on your camera's monitor, but Lightroom is "blind" to Active D Lighting so the image will be underexposed.

You cannot view a RAW image without processing either by the camera or an image editor.


----------



## Kiwigeoff (Apr 20, 2011)

hello and welcome,
As you may see from the responses already there may be a few reasons and solutions. We can help you with getting Lightroom to do the best job it can, to help with with your camera ( and a nice Nikon too!) I suggest Nikon Café. I've also sent you a PM.

Say hello to Denmark for me - lovely people and country !


----------



## massai (Apr 21, 2011)

Thank you all for your replies. I think I have a much better understanding of how the RAW-format works now.


----------



## sgg123 (Apr 26, 2011)

Hi all,

Apologies for hijacking the thread.

I am in the throws of learning LR. I have just imported a bunch of RAW images from camera (Canon 7D) and opted to convert to DNG.

The images are quite grainy, certainly more so than on my camera LCD (when zooming in on both). I took a test shot indoors to compare both again, same story. When I export to jpeg from LR at highest quality but leave all other settings I see an improvement but again not as sharp as in camera.

From what I have read here (and am relieved by!) is that this is due to the way LR renders the RAW file etc. I know I have a lot of learning to do and that there are things I can change to make LR import in a certain way etc. I guess it would just be handy to know that I am barking up the right tree here:

1) do I need to worry about anything - is DNG the issue?
2) how can I ensure that LR gives representation that I can rely upon when eventually exporting to finished product?
3) are there any settings I should be checking on the 7D to ensure that I get the best out of LR post-processing?

Thanks in advance all!


----------



## dj_paige (Apr 26, 2011)

1) This is a compound question and not admissable in a court of law. Do you need to worry about anything? Yes. Is DNG the problem? No.
2) As far as I am concerned, Lightroom exports always give you the same representation as you see on your screen in Lightroom (except for JPG compression), as long as you select File Format JPG (not original) in the Export dialog box. I suppose this also depends on having your monitor correctly calibrated, and you choose sRGB.
3) If you are shooting RAW, the in-camera settings for image appearance don't affect Lightroom. Of course, the in-camera settings for the way it handles incoming light: white balance, aperture, shutter speed and ISO affect what you see, but there's no globally "correct" setting here.

If your images are grainy, perhaps you had the ISO setting too high? Perhaps you need to use the noise reduction features in LR to reduce/eliminate that grain?

I don't think you can compare grain seen on the camera display (from the JPG preview) to grain seen on the computer monitor (which is your RAW file).


----------



## sgg123 (Apr 26, 2011)

Thanks for the reply. I've been doing a bit of tinkering and have tried out viewing on another monitor etc and can see a lot of change. I have a lot of reading and learning to do but am really looking forward to getting stuck into LR. A forum like this will be a great help I'm sure.


----------



## RikkFlohr (Apr 26, 2011)

In reference to the grainy question: 

In addition to noise reduction, make sure your sharpening isn't set too high or your masking set too low.


----------



## dj_paige (Apr 26, 2011)

sgg123 said:


> ... really looking forward to getting stuck into LR


I never heard that particular phrase before, that's not the way I would phrase it


----------



## Brad Snyder (Apr 26, 2011)

While in camera settings generally don't affect your camera raw files, sometimes Canon's Automatic Lighting Optimizer, ALO mode, and Nikon's Active-D Lighting, ADL can have some impact on downstream processing. Typically causing the seeming appearance of underexposure and increased noise as exposure is compensated.


----------

