When opening a DNG file created with our devices (smartphones) in any Adobe product the image looks overexposed. We have been able to pinpoint the metadata responsible for the overexposed DNG files. The parameter is: White Level. Our devices have a value of 1023 for this field. When opened with other RAW file developing tools (Darktable for example) the images exposure look very similar to the JPG file but overexposed when opened in any Adobe products. After changing the metadata to 2047 with Exiftool the image looks similar to the JPG but then other applications show the image underexposed.
Attached is a screenshot of the 3 images. From left to right: JPG file, original DNG and modified DNG with White Level set to 2047.
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What is the reason for that? Are we creating the DNG files wrong? Could it be corrected with a camera profile included in Adobe products?
1 Correct answer
I think you're probably misinterpreting what you're seeing. As I look at the images, the DNG with with 1024 white levels has it's whites correct, but midtones too bright. That points to a tone curve problem. DNGs that are tagged as CFA are assumed to be linear light, so a tone curve is applied to them by default. That may be what you're seeing.
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