Camera RAW 16.1 sRGB Colors Don't Match sRGB workspace in Photoshop 25.3.1 Windows 11

[ps4vde00]

Following updating to the current versions, opening a Sony ARW file in camera raw set to sRGB displays the colors as oversaturated (not color managed).  Immediately opening the file, with no edits, in photoshop displays the colors correctly (workspace: sRGB) on a windows 11 HDR-on system.

If I apply Camera Raw as a filter to the image in PS, the colors are once again oversaturated/incorrect when displayed in ACR.  

Enabling/disabling GPU acceleration has no effect on this issue.

I did not have this problem in November.  I'm not sure which Dec update broke for me.

[D Fosse]

In other words, and to keep it simple: Photoshop color manages correctly, ACR does not. ACR is apparently using the wrong monitor profile.

We need more info about your setup:

What calibrator are you using?

What type of monitor (standard gamut or wide gamut/P3)?

Multi-monitor setup or single screen?

It would also help to see an ACR/PS side by side screenshot.

The workflow option for color space in ACR is irrelevant. That has no bearing on how it displays the image, only how it's encoded for sending to Photoshop.  The color space set in ACR will override your working space in Photoshop, so the PS working space is also irrelevant.

What you see on screen is the result of the conversion from the source color space (linear ProPhoto in ACR; sRGB in Photoshop) and into your monitor profile.

[Conrad_C]

The workflow option for color space in ACR is irrelevant. That has no bearing on how it displays the image, only how it's encoded for sending to Photoshop.

By @D Fosse

Doesn’t it, though? If you open ACR settings while watching the ACR image preview, the histogram, and also if you enable the clipping warnings, the image preview in ACR does definitely change as you change the workflow color space, and the clipping points change.

What I notice in the original question is that the Windows 11 system is described as “HDR-on.” That would make me go back and check the HDR settings in both ACR and Photoshop. For example, is the image in HDR edit mode in ACR, and if it is, in Photoshop is the Technology Previews setting Precise Color Management for HDR Display enabled, and is that setting working properly in Windows 11? (Last time I heard, it was a little iffy in Windows, but don’t know personally because I’m using a Mac)

[D Fosse]

@Conrad_C 

In this case I decided to simplify to get the point across. Yes, Camera Raw soft proofs to the color space in workflow options.

But the overriding point I wanted to get across was that the color space setting is not the issue here. The monitor profile is. I didn't have time to explain all that.

But yes, HDR is a wild card. I didn't consider that.

(edited for a little more clarity... 😉 )

[ps4vde00]

Here's a side-by-side of a random image opened in photoshop and also an ACR window applied as a filter to that same image.

System is a Dell XPS laptop with an OLED wide-gamut display.  Windows 11.  No 3rd party calibration software.  Running the manufacturer's monitor profile, with windows --> system --> display --> "use HDR" = on

This setting ensures that windows explorer and non-color managed apps correctly display sRGB content on my laptop's wide-gamut display.  Prior to the latest (?) PS update, I did not have this issue with ARC showing oversatured colors/not matching the PS environment.

[Conrad_C]

OK. It looks like I didn’t pay attention earlier to the facts that it’s an AVIF file opened in Photoshop, then Camera Raw Filter is applied to that, within HDR hardware. I don’t know what to expect with that combination because several aspects of it are different than the usual raw-to-SDR questions. For example, although HDR behavior and options for images opened directly into Camera Raw is known, I’m not sure how much HDR support there is in Camera Raw Filter.

If Camera Raw Filter is behaving differently than it used to, maybe there is a bug. But at this point it’s getting outside of what I’m famliar with; when I get some time I’ll have to play around with an AVIF file in the same way on my HDR display (although I use a Mac, which might work differently).

[ps4vde00]

that's just a random image I grabbed off the net.  This happens with any image type, whether opening a raw and then importing into PS, or opening any image file in PS and then applying ACR as a filter.  They don't match anymore with the current version -- at least for me.  Don't know if anyone else can replicate

[D Fosse]

@Conrad_C  is absolutely right that the Windows HDR setting may play a part here. The very first thing to do is obviously to disable that, just to take it out of the equation. That's basic troubleshooting: remove as many variables as possible.

I looked closer at the screenshot, and scaled the relevant bits to compare. Although the original screenshot has Adobe RGB embedded, this difference is entirely within the sRGB gamut:

This difference does not correspond to any differences between standard color spaces. But it could correspond to the difference between a standard color space and a monitor profile, especially one for a laptop where the displays often have quite nonlinear behavior natively.

Analyzing the histograms, the most striking difference is a much lower black point for the red channel in the version to the right. This causes higher cyan saturation, which is what you immediately see.

So I still think the monitor profile is the problem here. That can often affect applications differently.

You say you are not using a calibrator. You really need to get one! Wide gamut displays absolutely need to be used with a profile made by a calibrator. Those units should in fact never be sold without including a calibrator. It's essential!

Dell monitor profiles are notoriously bad/defective/incorrect. You can never trust them. If the profile isn't correctly written to icc spec, the profile may be thrown out and not used.

[ps4vde00]

It's a good monitor profile, so I see no reason to muck about with calibration software.  I have a calibrated external eizo that I use for color-critical work, so I reference to that.  

The important thing here is that the view in ACR does not match the view in PS.  It used to work, now it doesn't. 

Since no one else seems to be screaming about this, I guess it's something unique to my configuration 

[D Fosse]

And how does the Eizo display this?

Monitor profiles fail under the covers. It's not about how the colors are displayed up front, it's about the conversion from the source color space. That's where they tend to fail. It sounds like you're confusing monitor profile and calibration. Those two are not the same thing.

I stand by what I said: you cannot have a wide gamut monitor and not use a calibrator to measure it and make the profile. Tiny errors will blow up.

Besides, you need a new profile every time the behavior of the display is altered. That's why you need a calibrator. It's not something you do once. The profile describes and maps a certain behavior. When that behavior changes, the profile is no longer valid.

[touchoffaith89]

I too am having this same issue with images in ACR not matching once they are in PS. I have searched high and low for answers for days! Seems like several others are having this same issue yet Adobe seems quiet on the issue.

[ps4vde00]

I've not seen any other reports of people experiencing this, but thanks for posting!  It's nice to know there's at least one other case.

I haven't tried uninstalling and reinstalling PS from scratch.  That would probably be a good thing to try.

The workaround I'm using is either using my hardware-calibrated monitor, which takes the job of color management away from Windows/Adobe (best), or, when I want to work on my laptop screen, using DWM_LUT to apply a 3dLut to my Windows desktop.   You can search for how to do that on the DisplayCal forums.  It's not a perfect solution, but it's a lot better than nothing.

[touchoffaith89]

Here is another thread where someone was having this issue recently:
https://community.adobe.com/t5/camera-raw-discussions/images-appear-too-saturated-in-camera-raw/m-p/... 
They ended up going back to a previous version of Camera Raw and it fixed the issue as far as the images not looking the same in ACR and PS. However, you lose the ability to use the new features, which I use often. I tried that and ended up going back to the current version and we're back to the images not matching.

The others I found that have had this issue were from the past few years and its hard to tell if the issues ever got resolved for them.

[ps4vde00]

thx for the link.  that thread implies Adobe is at least aware of this issue

[ticketcasey]

I can't find an answer either.  If you have found any solutions since posting, I would love to hear it.

[touchoffaith89]

The problem hasn't been fixed for me yet. Even after a few updates since almost a year ago, there is no change. Really aggravating! However I have found a slight workaround. I have been using Bridge and opening my raw photos into camera raw from there and for some reason it looks fine there. 🤷‍:female_sign: However, Bridge slows my computer way down so while I can edit photos again, it takes awhile. 😅

[ticketcasey]

It is super aggravating!  I only recently started having the problem so I have been thinking that a recent update caused it!  Thanks for a suggestion of a work around!

[touchoffaith89]

So yesterday  after doing the latest update for Photoshop, the problem has been fixed for me! I couldn't believe it. I even closed the program and opened it back up, thinking maybe my eyes were messing with me or that it was a glitch lol. But I'm happy to report that the problem seems to be fixed! Hoping it is the same for you! I was totally not expecting it to ever get fixed since it had been going on a year for me lol. 

[ps4vde00]

OK, I think I've found the cause of the problem.  This works as of the current version of PS/Camera RAW.

My system had "Use Windows Display Calibration" checked in Color Management --> Advanced.  Unchecking it has restored Camera Raw to the desired behavior.  Thank goodness!  

Note that to get at this checkbox, you have to click "Change System Defaults" and then choose the Advanced tab from there.  Good luck!

[ticketcasey]

I have the same issue currently and it's driving me crazy!

[ps4vde00 · Accepted solution]

Since people are still finding this issue, this is what I do:

Before starting photoshop, right-click on your desktop, choose "display options."  Switch "Use HDR" to off.  Your windows desktop colors will now look over-saturated, but when you open Photoshop, both the workspace and Camera Raw should correctly color-manage the image (assuming your windows color managements settings are correct).  When you're done editing the image in Photoshop, switch "Use HDR" back on.

Hope that helps!

[ticketcasey]

Thank you! That does seem to be doing the trick at least in the couple of images I tried tonight.  This only recently started happening to me (I have a Dell XPS as well) and I have been pulling my hair out over it!

[ps4vde00]

glad it helped!