LrC AI Denoise won't process some DNG files

[MrGiff]

Hello,

A small mystery here, hoping someone can advise or help 🙂

Why will LrC AI Denoise (aka Enhance afaik) process some RAW files but not others, from the same (now quite old) Canon 400D 10MP Camera? Even if I 'reset' the DNG file to remove all changes.

Thanks!

Andrew

[Noel Orridge]

Hi @mrgiff! Thank you for reaching out! Help's here! Lightroom's AI Denoise works directly on the raw sensor data at the earliest stage of image processing. It's likely that the problematic files are no longer in this pristine state, and the 'reset' function in Lightroom doesn't revert them to it. The 'Reset' button in Lightroom primarily resets the development settings—things like exposure, contrast, and color adjustments that you've applied within Lightroom.

Please share some more details so that we can dig a bit deeper, like your system configuration. From Help> System info> Copy and paste it into a text file and attach it to your response. Did you convert your RAW file to DNG using the "Convert to Linear Image" option enabled at some point? Could you please share a screenshot of the metadata of the problematic files in the Library module? Can you share the problematic image itself? 

Thanks a bunch! 

[MrGiff]

Thanks Noel, this gives a little helpful context.

I've attached an example file where I can't seem to run AI Denoise. I did 'Export as DNG' but please instruct me if that's not the correct method.

These files were made 15 years ago, stored in LrC on a Win10 machine, then ported to MacOS and latest LrC more recently. 

Let me know if there's some specific metadata that would be useful. There's nothing in the Default or DNG metadata beside dates, file name, dimensions etc.

Thanks again!

[MrGiff]

Sorry, that DNG Export wasn't acceptable to upload here. Not sure why. 

[MrGiff]

Lightroom Classic version: 14.1.1 [ 202412150940-551fb044 ]
License: Creative Cloud
Language setting: en-GB
Operating system: Mac OS 15
Version: 15.5.0 [24F74]
Application architecture: arm64
Logical processor count: 10
Processor speed: NA
SqLite Version: 3.36.0
Power Source: Plugged In, 87%, Charging
Built-in memory: 32,768.0 MB
Dedicated GPU memory used by Lightroom: 5,050.8MB / 21,845.3MB (23%)
Real memory available to Lightroom: 32,768.0 MB
Real memory used by Lightroom: 7,235.3 MB (22.0%)
Virtual memory used by Lightroom: 435,682.8 MB
Memory cache size: 2,064.3MB
Internal Camera Raw version: 17.1 [ 2098 ]
Maximum thread count used by Camera Raw: 5
Camera Raw SIMD optimization: SSE2
Camera Raw virtual memory: 1036MB / 16383MB (6%)
Camera Raw real memory: 1062MB / 32768MB (3%)

Cache1:
Final1- RAM:80.0MB, VRAM:0.0MB, 20100102-_MG_1518.JPG
NT- RAM:80.0MB, VRAM:0.0MB, Combined:80.0MB

Cache2:
m:2,064.3MB, n:200.9MB

U-main: 482.0MB

Standard Preview Size: 3456 pixels
Displays: 1) 3456x2234

Graphics Processor Info:
Metal: Apple M1 Max
Init State: GPU for Export supported by default
User Preference: Auto
Enable HDR in Library: OFF

Application folder: /Applications/Adobe Lightroom Classic
Library Path: /Users/andrewgifford/Pictures/Lightroom/Lightroom Catalog-v13-3.lrcat
Settings Folder: /Users/andrewgifford/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Lightroom

Installed Plugins:
1) AdobeStock
2) Aperture/iPhoto Importer Plug-in
3) Flickr
4) Negative Lab Pro v3

Config.lua flags:

[MrGiff]

Re "Did you convert your RAW file to DNG using the "Convert to Linear Image" option enabled at some point?" Sorry Noel, I have no idea. Afaik I've just followed whatever is default in LrC's current and earlier versions. 

[MrGiff]

Just to clarify my file handling workflow has be entirely bog standard, just importing from the memory card then staying 100% within LrC, no third party products used at any stage. My settings have all been default.

[Jao vdL]

You will lose the ability to denoise a dng image if it is a HDR merge, a panorama merge, or if it was exported using the lossy compression option. It is also possible that it originally was a raw image shot at reduced resolution in camera. That also creates a linearized raw file. If that later gets converted to dng, you would not be able to denoise that image.

[MrGiff]

Thanks Jao, helpful to know and appreciated. None of those a factor in this case, fwiw.

[johnrellis]

Upload a couple of the problem files to Wetransfer, Dropbox, Google Drive or similar free service and post the sharing link here. We can put the file under the microscope and see whether the issue occurs on other installations or just yours, and file a bug report if appropriate.

[johnrellis]

And upload a file from the same camera that doesn't have the problem, to make it easier to identify the variables causing the issue.

[drtonyb]

@Jao vdL wrote

"You will lose the ability to denoise a dng image if it is a HDR merge, a panorama merge, or if it was exported using the lossy compression option."

Not true. I can Denoise an HDR Merge DNG, a Panorama Merge DNG and an Exported DNG with lossy compression just fine.

[johnrellis]

"I can Denoise an HDR Merge DNG, a Panorama Merge DNG and an Exported DNG with lossy compression just fine."

Right. LR 14.0 enhanced Denoise to handle linear raw formats: Apple ProRaw, Samsung ExpertRaw, DNGs created by Photo > Photo Merge, and lossy DNGs created by Library > Convert Photo To DNG and File > Export:

https://www.lightroomqueen.com/whats-new-in-lightroom-2024-10/

[Ian Lyons]

@Jao vdL 

@drtonyb  is correct. Like you. I thought that merged files (pano and hdr) weren't support, but it seems that they are.