.ARW Files Automatically Corrected

[neaton8]

I'm having issues during the import of .ARW files. They don't import as the flat photo it initially shows as. I contacted Adobe support and they told me it was a color profile issue and they tried to fix it only to eventually say it'll never be the same. But as you can see on the attached video, the inital folder I open has the original files and it's nice and flat. As soon as I import, a color correction is applied even though I have "None" selected as the develop setting and standard as the build preview. Help!

[GoldingD]

You are importing RAW files and allowing as is normal standard previews to be created. The first thumbnails you see are the small JPEG files that are embedded in the RAW file. These are the images you see on your camera when you review the images.

Lightroom quickly creates the standard previews and then displays those instead of the embedded JPEG files. Lightroom uses a default profile in this process. That profile typically does not match the film simulation (or whatever your camera calls it) in camera. Typically the results are flat, lacking contrast.

This is normal

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[neaton8]

Thanks for the reply. The flat, lacking contrast image is exactly the one I want to start editing with. But as soon as I export, LR adds contrast and saturation automatically. I've tried different options of "Build Previews" during import-- Minimal, 1:1, embedded & sidecar, standard... they all do the same thing. I am using LR 9.

[GoldingD]

Moving on.

I have no idea what version of Lightroom Classic you have, but I will assume at least v7.3 if not 9

In the Develop module, in the Basic Panel, note the listed Profile, click on that, select browse, find the camera matching profiles, select one to you like, this will instantly help, select close.

Then in the basic panel, correct your overall white balance if required, and move on

[neaton8]

I'll attach another screen capture, this time I used minimal as the build preview option. As you can see, initially the photo thumbnail is flat-- which is what I want as a starting point for my edits. As soon as I import, you can see that adjustments are made, the shadows are crushed, stauration is added... etc. The closest I can get to the original photo was Adobe Neutral but even then you can see that it's not even close to the flat raw photo that I want as my starting point. Any idea how I can import without LR making any adjustments to the file?

[JP Hess]

If you want all of the settings to be at 0 then choose one of your newly imported images and set everything accordingly and save new camera defaults. Then that is how all images will be imported. And, that is how all images will be set when you click on the reset button.

[neaton8]

Thanks for the reply Jim! All of the settings are already at 0, which is why I was so confused as to why/how the adjustments were made.

[Lumigraphics]

Adjustments are ALWAYS made to RAW files, since they are not "developed" when you first open them. There is no default, just whatever you choose to be the default or starting point. You'll need to find a profile and settings that are good for you and apply that to all your images.

[defaultsskhpwzehzco]

I have this exact problem.. It is so frustrating and have tried so many different things and still can't work out what the issue is. Did you managed to solve at all? 

[neaton8]

It's been almost two years since I've posted this and I can say I've learned a lot in that time. The most important one being: as long as you're working with RAW files, the initial "edits" LR makes during import will not matter. So now after import, I'll make my initial edits to the first photo then copy and past those settings to the rest of the photos and then go from there.

[JP Hess · Accepted solution]

LrC automatically applies a predetermined set of default adjustments when images are imported. If those adjustments aren't what you want then it might be best for you to set your own preferred default adjustments. The method for doing that changed a while back. If you are using LrC 10.4 I would suggest you take the time to watch the following tutorial. It helped me set default settings for my camera that enable me to import my images and have them at a starting point that I want. You might have to watch it a couple of times to get your settings just right. I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer, and it took me a couple of times before I got it the way I wanted it.

How to set camera defaults in Lightroom Classic 

[Jao vdL]

This is the exact right answer. Just set your settings to camera defaults and for most (mostly the Canikony triumpherate), Lightroom will mimic the in camera settings.