Presets appearing different on the same set of photos

[bonnien90661077]

I have been using lightroom for 10+ years for color processing my RAW images. I've been having this issue for the past 3 months and I can't figure out a solution. I will color grade an image and then try to either sync or paste on other images in the same lighting/same settings  - No camera settings changed, nothing different, same exact settings - and the same settings will appear different on some images, but the same on others. Its EXTREMELY noticeable on studio images.

I have tried starting a new catalog which did not fix the issue. I also reset my camera and that didnt fix the issue either. I have no idea how this has started but I'm desperate for a solution. I am using MAC and my lightroom classic is updated to the current version. I've attached an example below of the issue. The settings are the exact same on each image. Same lighting, same camera settings. 

[moved from bugs to discussions according to the community rules - Mod.]

[John R Ellis]

Troubleshooting steps:

1. Do the LR menu command Help > System Info and copy/paste the entire contents here so we can see exactly which versions of hardware and software LR thinks you're running and important LR options that are set.

2. Select two of the photos having the problem, do File > Export As Catalog with the options Export Selected Photos Only and Export Negative Files. Zip the exported catalog folder, upload it to Dropbox, Google Drive, or similar, and post the sharing link here.

This will be the most efficient way of diagnosing the issue.

[bonnien90661077]

Lightroom Classic version: 12.5 [ 202308091523-68a7abd6 ]
License: Creative Cloud
Language setting: en-US
Operating system: Mac OS 12
Version: 12.6.9 [21G726]
Application architecture: x64
Logical processor count: 16
Processor speed: 2.3GHz
SqLite Version: 3.36.0
Built-in memory: 32,768.0 MB
Real memory available to Lightroom: 32,768.0 MB
Real memory used by Lightroom: 8,328.3 MB (25.4%)
Virtual memory used by Lightroom: 51,012.2 MB
Memory cache size: 1,312.7MB
Internal Camera Raw version: 15.5 [ 1595 ]
Maximum thread count used by Camera Raw: 5
Camera Raw SIMD optimization: SSE2,AVX,AVX2
Camera Raw virtual memory: 1594MB / 16383MB (9%)
Camera Raw real memory: 1598MB / 32768MB (4%)
Standard Preview Size: 3360 pixels
Displays: 1) 3360x2100

Graphics Processor Info:
Metal: AMD Radeon Pro 560X
Init State: GPU for Image Processing supported by default
User Preference: Auto

Application folder: /Applications/Adobe Lightroom Classic
Library Path: /Users/bonnienichoalds/Pictures/2019/2019-2-v12.lrcat
Settings Folder: /Users/bonnienichoalds/Library/Application Support/Adobe/Lightroom

Installed Plugins:
1) AdobeStock
2) Aperture/iPhoto Importer Plug-in
3) Flickr
4) Nikon Tether Plugin

Config.lua flags: None

[bonnien90661077]

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/w98t6vqysg8tvfr/AADjklLEG84FOLFxYGUkUk17a?dl=0 

[bonnien90661077]

https://www.dropbox.com/sh/w98t6vqysg8tvfr/AADjklLEG84FOLFxYGUkUk17a?dl=0

[John R Ellis]

In the sample images, I see the color differences too.  The unprocessed versions have very similar colors, but after applying the identical settings, the colors are noticeably different, especially the backgrounds.

Some experimentation shows the culprit is Dehaze. If you set Dehaze to 0 on the first photo and then copy all its settings to the second, the colors are very similar.

I think the underlying issue is that the sliders in the Basic panel are "image-adaptive".  The Lightroom Queen's Missing FAQ explains:

"Lightroom’s Basic panel Tone sliders are image-adaptive (intelligent). The range and effect of the sliders changes based on the content of the photo and the values of the other Basic panel sliders."

The algorithms used by the image-adaptive sliders are usually what mathematicians call "stable" -- small changes in the input photo cause small changes in the resulting output photo. But you've encountered a case where Dehaze is "unstable" -- a small change in the input photo causes a proportionately larger change in the output. 

Recently another user encountered a similar problem with Highlights and Shadows -- a very small difference in the two original photos caused a very large difference after Highlights and Shadows were applied with the same settings:

https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-classic-discussions/fehler-nach-kopierten-entwicklungseinst...

In that situation, there was an easy workaround -- use the Tone Curve instead. (The Tone Curve isn't image-adaptive.) I don't know of a similar workaround for Dehaze.  And it's possible that other instances in which you see large changes in color could be caused by other Basic sliders (e.g. Highlights and Shadows).

You could file a feature request to make the algorithms used by Dehaze more stable, but I think it's unlikely that Adobe would act on that any time soon (if ever).

[C.Cella]

A possible solution (for Dehaze and other settings) is also to apply them via a "Full Image" mask, those settings should produce more consistent results across images.

[bonnien90661077]

it's just so strange because I've always use the same kind of presets and
I'm only coming into this issue in the past three months. I just don't
understand why it's suddenly happening this way on so many images. I will
try your work around and hopefully it will help! I appreciate you looking
into it. I may also send you a Studio image sample so you can see if it's
the same issue there as well. It's much more noticeable in the Studio
images. I may just have to start color grading in capture if this is going
to keep happening.

[Sabrina30183020a809]

Hi,

I have the same issue, and it also started around 3 months ago! Even though the pictures were taken in a studio. Really frustrating, as previously I have been able to just insert the wanted preset to any kind of picture.

[Ash37745803dzna]

I'm also experiencing the same issue too, and its only been happening this year too.