P: Spot Removal Brush Render Glitch When Converted to Compressed DNG

[AndyFranck]

I am consistently finding all spot removal adjustments rendered as pink block artifacts after converting to compressed DNG. I am using LR Classic 10.1.1 on a 2017 15 inch MacBook Pro running macOS Catalina 10.15.7. I've seen the problem with a Canon R5 (raw and c-raw), Canon 5DmkIII, and Fuji X-T3 (RAF). The artifacts don't immediately appear - only when rendering 1:1 - so they are easy to overlook. I can remove the artifacts by modifying each spot removal adjustment in some way (often I'll just select an adjustment and nudge the feather slider up and down by one so the adjustment isn't affected). Also, there doesn't seem to be a problem when adding spot removal adjustments to images after they are converted to compressed DNG. Not sure how long this problem has been around - I've just discovered it when testing compressed DNG as a possible way to manage file sizes from the R5. Here are screenshots showing the original raw, compressed DNG, and exported PSD...

ScreenShot20210302at10.41.04AM-af527e27-1407-4254-a635-7b5456463afc-550570952.png

ScreenShot20210302at10.41.57AM-d15e384b-e048-459d-9f9c-cc9cb20efd06-957768218.png

ScreenShot20210302at10.59.47AM-b9b434ca-a31c-4d37-92d9-b225af63868f-1774670656.png

 

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

Do you see the same rendering artifacts in Adobe Camera Raw?

[AndyFranck]

Interestingly, no. I just opened the same DNG in Photoshop via Camera Raw and do not see the artifact... it only renders in LR.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

That is curious. Do you see the artifact in Lightroom Classic with the GPU disabled?

[AndyFranck]

I turned off GPU acceleration and at first the artifact remained even when I navigated to other photos and back (also switching between library and develop modules). After quitting and relaunching LR I initially saw the artifact but it went away when I switched from Library to Develop - and the artifact no longer renders in an exported PSD.

However... (there's always a 'however', right?) with the GPU sill off I went back to a copy of my original CR3, added a spot removal, and converted to compressed DNG. The artifact is in this new file.

[AndyFranck]

Sorry for the rapid-fire responses. I may have been too quick to reply the last time. With further poking around, turning the GPU acceleration off does not seem to reliably correct the artifact. Not sure what I did before, but I have another file where the artifact persists regardless of GPU setting. 

Thanks for your attention on this.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

Can you walk me through, step by step, how to create the issue on an image which currently doesn't exhibit the problem?

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[AndyFranck]

Sure, no problem.

1. Select any raw image.

2. Add at least one spot removal adjustment.

3. Convert the file to  DNG (using the Library -> Convert Photo to DNG... menu item in the Library module) with the "Use Lossy Compression" option selected.

4. If the artifact doesn't immediately appear, view image at 100%, making sure to wait for the preview to fully render.

Hope this helps. I've been able to reproduce this on three computers using images from multiple cameras.

[Bob Somrak]

I can duplicate the pink square issue with your recipe .  I see it in Library Loupe and the thumbnail in Grid and on the filmstrip in ALL the modules.  

Canon 5dMk3.  MacOS 10.15.7

Photo of blue sky for sensor test.

[AndyFranck]

Thanks - I appreciate the confirmation

[Jerry Syder]

I can confirm the same on my Windows machine. Like Bob, both in library Loupe and Grid

[Bob Somrak]

I never use compressed DNG as there have been several threads of issues with it from past forum threads including this issue. 

[AndyFranck]

That's good to know. I've been extensively using DNG in our workflow for years with no issues. As I mentioned, I've been trying out the compressed option to lessen the impact of our new R5. Fortunately we do have a huge storage upgrade for our servers being provisioned to roll out in the next few weeks - so if, as you say, compressed DNG is generally problematic I may just stick with the old reliable non-compressed option.

[Bob Somrak]

@Andy Franck 

A couple of threads for you

https://feedback.photoshop.com/conversations/lightroom-classic/lightroomcamera-raw-converting-raw-fi...

https://feedback.photoshop.com/conversations/lightroom-for-apple-tv/lightroom-classic-library-artifa...

go to page two for pink squares on second link

[AndyFranck]

Wow, definitely the same issue and some in-depth info. I did search before posting to see if my problem had been discussed already but failed to find these conversations. I'll be doing some reading this evening.

[drtonyb]

I can also replicate this issue on my Windows 10 machine after converting to lossy DNG from a NEF raw file.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

I've logged this bug with the Classic team. Thanks for the reports.

[tmaly.cz]

Hi, 

when converting raw to compressed DNG in LR environment. These artifacts occur in the place where I used spot removal. Is there a solution?
Thank you

[JohanElzenga]

This is a known bug, that should be fixed in an update.

[tmaly.cz]

Thank you, for your Answer. I probably hoped it would be fixed in version 11, but unfortunately it is not.

[Todd Shaner]

"when converting raw to compressed DNG in LR environment. These artifacts occur in the place where I used spot removal. Is there a solution?"

Re-exporting the affected lossy DNG files as shown below with Embed Fast Load Data unchecked appears to fix the issue without touching the image data. You can do this as a batch export to a subfolder, then delete the original lossy DNG files and move the new files to the original folder.

LrC 11.0.1 does not exhibit the spot removal artifacts on my Windows 10 system. No spot removal pink squares are observed in new lossy DNG export files with Embed Fast Load Data checked or uncheced. Please let me know what you're seeing.

[tmaly.cz]

Thank You for your help!

[Treefrog Photography]

When converting CR3 files to DNG, all the Spot Removal instances turn into black or some other colour square. Coverted using Lossy conversion on a Windows 11 machine using Lightroom Classic 11.2.

[Treefrog Photography]

Same issue on MacOS 12.2.

When converted with Lossy unchecked it works fine.

[Todd Shaner]

This issue has already been reported and logged as a bug. There is a workaround you can use for now as outlined in my reply above.

Re-exporting the affected lossy DNG files as shown below with Embed Fast Load Data unchecked appears to fix the issue without touching the image data. You can do this as a batch export to a subfolder, then delete the original lossy DNG files and move the new files to the original folder.

[raoulcos]

These strange pink pixel blocks (not sure what else to name them) appear on this image, only in Library mode. Switching to Develop mode, they disappear. I figured out what the issue is, but not why: the blocks are in exactly the same positions that I used the Spot Removal tool. So Library mode displays Spot Removal from Develop mode as pink blocks. It should also be noted that I converted the RAW .NEF files to .DNG. 
This is definitely something buggy that I have not seen before. The screenshots are attached. Thanks