Bridge->ImageProcessor->jpeg or Tiff or PSD, the color fades

KR
Posted By
Kevin_Rabito
Feb 5, 2009
Views
680
Replies
6
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Closed
Processing some NEFs last night and noticed when I run through imageprocessor in CS3, the resulting image looks faded.
Color space is Adobe RGB 1998. System is a iMac 2.8GHz,4GB ram, and OS X 10.5.6. Just recently with much headaches, upgraded from 10.5.5. Monitor is calibrated. Used OS X color sampler with the images side by side, picked the same point and there is definite difference mostly in the Red channel.

When I open the image through Camera RAW, into photoshop, do any changes if needed and save through photoshop, color no longer looks faded.

I went back and tried imageprocessor again, this time converting to sRGB and the result was not faded.
In the past I have not had any problems with imageprocessor, but have had problems with prints looking faded/greenish gray cast which I have not resolved. Any thoughts, suggests on these problems would be appreciated.
Related Tags
bridge color tiff

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AS
Ann_Shelbourne
Feb 5, 2009
When I open the image through Camera RAW, into photoshop, do any changes if needed and save through photoshop, color no longer looks faded.

That is because ACR is applying the ACR-edits and opening your camera images in the Color Space that you have selected in the Blue Text at the bottom of the ACR window.

When you use Image Processor, you are opening either sRGB or untagged images in Adobe RGB — hence the faded look that you are seeing.
KR
Kevin_Rabito
Feb 5, 2009
Ann,

Thanks for responding.
The camera is set for Adobe RGB,I checked the blue text and it set for Adobe RGB. So when I’ve done my work in the past, I would use ACR for what I needed to do on the NEF files. I see them updated in Bridge, then ran them all through imageprocessor to the file format I needed. Have not had this issue before.
I’m assuming that when making changes in ACR, there is an associated xml file created for the changes. So I would assume that imageprocessor would read the nef and xml and do what it was set up to do. Since I keep everything in the workflow Adobe RGB unless I specify the change on output. I’m not sure why I would see a difference. I do not get this when I go from ACR into photoshop to continue work on it then save it.
Basically something has changed.
AS
Ann_Shelbourne
Feb 5, 2009
It certainly sounds as if Image Processor is unable to use the information in your .xml sidecars or ACR Database.

You could always open the whole batch in ACR and Open all of them (or Save copies of all of them in the format and size of your choice) directly out of ACR.

That is how I do it.
GB
g_ballard
Feb 5, 2009
I have no idea what Image Processor is or how your workflow is set up,

but if you open one of the problem Image Processor files back into Photoshop and Edit> ASSIGN Profile: Adobe RGB, that would be a clue if the color comes back to normal…just as Edit> Assign Profile: sRGB would be a clue

also, dragging one of the jpg files into an open Safari windows would be a clue

+++++++

the problem with Photoshop is we don’t know how you have it set up to deal with profiles

Mac Safari, on the other hand will either read the embedded profile correctly or it will Default/Assign/Assume/Apply your monitor profile
KR
Kevin_Rabito
Feb 5, 2009
Ann, g ballard,

Thanks for you reply. Will take a look at it more this weekend.
AS
Ann_Shelbourne
Feb 5, 2009
RAW files contain NO Profiles.

You set the Profile that you wish to use from the drop down menu (blue type) when you output from ACR.

You can check on this by looking at the metadata for any Camera-generated NEFF in Bridge where you will see:
Color Mode: RGB
Color Profile: Untagged.

(NikonScan Scanned "NEFFs" are different as they are really just Tiffs in disguise — and they do contain Profiles!)

Incidentally, changing the Profile set-up in the Blue Type in ACR 5.2 will also be seen immediately in changes to the Clipping in ACR’s Histogram display.

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