P: Develop sync not working properly

[FeedbackCommunityMember]

Raw image files shot with identical, manual exposure settings are not matching after develop sync is applied (360° panorama shots with nadir shot). I think I've narrowed the problem down to specifically the highlights slider.

LR Classic, 8.3.1, CR 11.3, MacOS 10.14.5.

An ACP member at Adobe LR Forum verified issue and suggested I post problem here (link to that discussion.)

Link below to two Sony raw files, shot with exact same f stop, ISO and shutter speed, manual WB. If you take the highlights slider down to say, -50 on the image ending in 179, and then sync that with the other image (182), the second shot gets much darker. In order to stitch these, I need them to match. (I realize the floor is darker than the walls, but the floor is not matching between two shots after dev sync). 

Link to raw files.

[Todd Shaner]

Actually simply applying -50 Highlights manually and directly to the Newberry_190607_182.arw file will reveal the issue. The Library preview is brighter than the Develop module preview. If you create 1:1 Library preview for the file it then matches the Develop module. This should NOT be necessary and indicates a problem.

This is similar to a post concerning using Smart Previews. Manage Workspace - Get Satisfaction

"What happens is that when this preference is checked (for speed up image walking and editing in develop), Lightroom would try to only load and edit a Smart Preview quality (even when SP is not present) negative when possible. It would only load the full resolution original when one zoom into 1:1 or greater."

"Simon, this image file and the one at the LR Forum post both have a LR Histogram with the majority of the image data shifted below the 50% level with no edits applied. With both of these images simply setting both Highlights and Shadows to 0 (with all other adjustments still applied) corrects the issue. I've never seen this using Smart Previews or full-size Lossy DNG files when the LR histogram has substantial image data above the 50% level. Just an FYI."

And at the next post I made another observation shown below. It seems to be specific to Sony A7-9 cameras, but Adobe Engineering has not commented further. I know you're not using Smart Previews, but it's an indication that the Library preview is being built using lower resolution image data (for some unknown reason). Simply zooming to 1:1 Zoom view with your ARW file corrects the issue and the Library and Develop previews then match.

UPDATE: I tired duplicating this issue using Canon 5D MKII image files both properly exposed and underexposed. In ALL cases using Smart Previews for editing I was NOT able to reproduce the issue. A quick look shows both the image file here and the one in the LR Forum post were shot with a Sony ILCE-9 camera. So it appears to be something specific with this camera model. I hope that helps!

This appears to be specific to Sony A7-9 cameras and you are using a Sony A7 model camera.

[Todd Shaner]

I was able to duplicate this issue with two of my Canon 5D MKII image files shot with the same Canon EOS 8-15mm F4L Fisheye lens set to 8mm and 10mm. Here's a download link for the CR2 and XMP files.

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/7s1ndttstxh82rs/AACr8Cb-ud2WdajB6uZ9LmLba?dl=0

The issue occurs when the Canon EOS 8-15mm F4L Fisheye lens is set to a focal length that partially reveals the lens image circle in the corners (less than 15mm) or fully reveals the lens full 180° image circle (8mm setting). The files also need to be underexposed so that there is very little image data above the LR Histogram 50% level. Both file examples are included in the above download folder with only a setting of -50 Highlights applied to reveal the issue. In the case of the 8mm shot the Library module preview is darker than the Develop module preview. The second file was shot at 10mm and Library module preview is brighter than the Develop module preview. Exported files have the same rendering as the Develop module, which again is the correct rendering so not an issue. In both cases the Develop module preview is correct and building 1:1 previews corrects the difference with Library and Develop previews rendering the same.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

Updates to Camera Raw, Lightroom Classic, and the Lightroom Ecosystem were released yesterday evening and contain a fix for this issue.  Please install the appropriate update and see if it solves this problem. 

You can read more about the updates here: https://feedback.photoshop.com/photoshop_family/topics/lightroom-and-camera-raw-february-2020-releas...

Thank you for your patience.

[Todd Shaner]

Rikk, LrC 9.4 fixes the difference between the Develop and Library module previews on my Windows 10 system. Thank you! What's also needed is implementation of the following separate request.

https://feedback.photoshop.com/photoshop_family/topics/auto-tone-applied-incorrectly-to-cropped-imag...