Rendered footage looks pale after export! (32bit project, linear, color management on, sRGB)

[IAH-1]

Hello,

I have a scene that looks good in Aftereffects - no matter if I'm setting the preference on 8 or16bit or 32 bit. So I'm working in 32 bit for best results.

But the exported footage looks pale and has too low contrast.

No difference between whether I export as EXR or TIFF and with different bit depth.

When I reimport it or when I open it in Photoshop, all colors look pale and dull.

The assigned color profile is correctly "sRGB IEC 61966 2.1", the same like in the Aftereffects Color preferences.

What could be the reason?

This is of course a very serious problem, all work is nothing worth if the exported colors do not match.

I'm working Windows 10, Aftereffects 2021

Thanks

[Mylenium]

As per your description you are effectively not using any color management at all. Just arbitrarily assigning and using color profiles does not constitute CM if your screen is not calibrated and you are not controling the output gamut/ rendering intent. Point in case: AE will easily handle overcranked HDR ranges and display them correctly, but other apps won't without instating a consistent CM. As a start, set your comp preview in AE accordingly, instate a proper proof preview in PS, use the color profile converter and LUTs to limit the output ranges, calibrate your monitor or at the least reset it to a useful stock calibrated factory profile without manual tweaks.

Mylenium

[IAH-1]

Hi Mylenium,

thanks for reply!

It must be something obvious, that I'm not aware of...

- But I have really a new expensive calibrated monitor (I'm mainly a long-time postproduction professional in Photoshop, so I know all the basics and have always calibrated equipment. I own a eye1pro calibrater plus that the monitor has integrated calibration)

- and in the settings Aftereffects tells me "Colormanagement is enabled", I have 32bit, I have choosen sRGB which is the same profile of the input and the output. 

- and I'm checking the output in exact the same monitor and exact same software (I'm just double checking in Photoshop)

- I have read the manuals of Aftereffects. 

I you have any further suggestion or link, it would be great!

EDIT: I phoned now with an Aftereffects professional, he told me they only can render out .mov in a good quality on windows and always have then to put it in AME in order to convert it from there to the next desired format. 

This sounds really strange, but I will try this today.

[Mylenium]

Then perhaps it's that weird issue where HDR footage degrades when using hardware-accelerated functions. Turn of GPU functions to test.

Mylenium

[IAH-1]

Thanks,,turning off the GPU solved it for Tiffs.  MOV has to be exported over AME.

[IAH-1]

Actually I would really expect, if ADOBE can't solve this bug immediately, that you at least implement a warning for the user that there is a bug.

I'm quite new to this and lost a full day with wrong renderings and research.