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Boldcolors
Inspiring
February 2, 2024
Question

Convert camera profiles from one model to another to mimic look?

  • February 2, 2024
  • 1 reply
  • 773 views

Is there any way to convert existing Adobe Standard DCP profile to be used with a specific camera? Example...when I use "Adobe Color" or "Adobe Standard" on my Canon EOS 7D files the tonal response/color rendition is really boosted and looks great as is. I barely need to make any adjustments in the files. Using the same profiles on my EOS R8 files looks almost like a bleach bypass effect. Very washed out and I need to spend way more time than before. The camera matching "Camera Standard" is of course better in terms of richer colors but far from the old school "Adobe" look.

 

I've read somewhere that ACR is using older color tables for the dinosaur models and I was wondering if there is any way to get those signature colors back in newer CR3 files? I've tried some tricks in the book like altering the CameraModel tag in the DCP profile but that didn't work. Output is still the same desaturated look. I have also tried to fiddle with Exiftool and manipulate the RAW file so that ACR believes it's a 7D RAW files but no real luck. I mean...the file opens as "7D" but the color is still the same as before...the R8 look.

 

I know it's also a matter of post processing but I really would love to get those old school ACR colors. Makes my editing way faster and I am not a colorist so...I don't want to fiddle with my own profiles.

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1 reply

deejjjaaaa
deejjjaaaa
Inspiring
February 2, 2024

"Adobe Color" is a profile-preset (enhanced profile) which is operating on top of "Adobe Standard" DCP camera profile - that is it has a lut inside that modifies colors according to what Adobe thinks is needed for that "rendering" ( the same are the rest of the pack, like Adobe Neutral, Adobe Portrait, etc )

y = f(x) 

colors you like = Adobe Standard DCP camera profile for Camera A ( CFA in Camera A )
colors you do not like = Adobe Standard DCP camera profile for Camera B ( CFA in Camera B )

if  CFA in Camera A  =  CFA in Camera B then  

colors you like = Adobe Standard DCP camera profile for Camera A ( CFA in Camera B )

if if  CFA in Camera A  !=  CFA in Camera B then  it will not work

so you need to 

1) build your own camera profile ( does not look like you are qualified to build a quality one, but sometimes just something simply different from a canned profile might satisfy your subjective taste - that is what 99.9% of people who buy "colorchecker" do in fact even if they don't understand this simple fact )

2) find a free camera profile that works for your taste ( try and error) 

3) buy a camera profile that works for your taste ( try and error) - there are some snake oil vendors who like to take your money ( colordifelity, cobalt, etc ) as you are not able to help yourself

4) build a lut with a free or commerical software that will work on top of Adobe Standard (or some other) DCP camera profile for Camera B ( CFA in Camera B ) - again it does not look that you are qualified for that work w/o a lot of reading on the matter

5) find a LUT to apply after camera profile that works for your taste ( try and error)  if you can't build it

6)  buy a LUT to apply after camera profile that works for your taste ( try and error)  if you can't build it or find it , again there are a lot of  people that happily sell you stuff and pocket your moolah

7) relax and learn to love and live w/ what you have got

B
BoldcolorsAuthor
Inspiring
February 2, 2024

Thank you VERY much for that detailed answer! I really appreciate it and I do understand that it might be difficult to achieve what I am asking for with the existing Adobe profiles.

 

Yeah, I do have the color checker actually but never really liked the results. But I might give it a go again and perhaps find a software so that I can tweak the profiles further. The one created by Calibrite is not optimal IMO.

 

I don't know...I just happen to like the rendering in ACR from certain cameras. Surprisingly enough it's almost always the entry level cameras. But maybe Adobe deliberately target those profiles towards a more "eye-pleasing" vivid approach and the pro-models get a more neutral starting point. Which is a bit sad really because it wasn't always like this. I remember the old 1Ds Mark II and III where colors quickly became "fireworks" in ACR. It was nice to see and easy to work with (if one likes a lot of colors that is. And I do). Working the sliders in HSL does not cut it for me.

 

Anyway...back to profiling again I guess 🙂  Thanks again for your comments!

deejjjaaaa
deejjjaaaa
Inspiring
February 2, 2024

Adobe Standard profiles were always aimed on delivering  some consistent unified look ( not reproduction of course ) for all cameras that is not that far from "reality" and yet not as flat like some attempt at repro migth be   - however one can assume that methors and means of creating profiles evolve and skills of profile making people (who created them) on Adobe's side fluctuated ( you can see v2 profiles, so some were remade after first go ) so it is natural that quality of "old" profiles might be different from quality of "new" profiles  , multiply this by your taste multiply this by different camera's CFA, multiply this by variations in who did what how and with what tools and  it only expected that canned profiles are not always suitable for your taste, they were never intended and can not be intended to satify every user ...  

once upon a time when trees were small, grass was green and ... you had a chance to see relevant postings from people like Eric Chan here about the matter where some good first hand info was provided  ... but that was then , the forum is much more boring place now 

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