LR Classic Contrast Shift Between Develop View and Library Image

[Phila3884]

Hello, I've read previous support posts about shifts in tone when opening images in LR, PS, Camera Raw and how they appear on your monitor. (This is not the same issue which seems to get anwers related to color profiles). In the two screen shots below I've edited an image from a Ricoh Z1 360 camera that outputs in RAW DNG (displayed as two fish-eye halves, but that shouldn't be an issue). It only happens with low-light images from this camera. As you can see, in the develop view the image has one histogram, but when I open the image in the Library view, the image contrast obviously looks different, but more importantly- the histogram is completely different! This carries through to export. opening in LR, etc. Very frustrating because my careful edits in Develop don't carry over the Library image. There's got to be a simple answer, but I can't seem to find it.

[josephlavine]

The Library module uses the Adobe RGB color space and the Develop module uses Melissa RGB, which is ProPhoto RGB color with an sRGB gamma curve, and thus some images will see a tonal and color change.

warmly/j

[Todd Shaner]

Differences like this between the Develop and Library module previews with high ISO and/or long exposure images is generally due to noise and/or over-sharpening. Try adjusting the Sharpening and Luminace noise reduction controls at 1:1 Zoom view to reduce any visible noise. The previews should then look the same as well as the export files.

[GoldingD]

But why does the OP see very different Histograms?

[Todd Shaner]

"It only happens with low-light images from this camera."

I assume that means it only happens with high ISO and/or long exposure image files. The reason for the drastic histogram difference remains a mystery, but it probably has something to do with the raw data DNG file the Ricoh Z1 360 camera creates.

[Phila3884]

Thanks for the replies so far. I will try the suggestion playing with the noise settings first- the effect is really noticeable in the black spaces between the halves, but it happens even at 1:1 comparisons. I think we are getting close to the mark-with your help maybe we can get to the bottom of this. I like the how the Develop view looks, I just can't get that same view to output!

To expand- I believe the shift is only noticeable in high-ISO low light raw images, but similar images from other cameras don't seem to have this problem in LR. The histogram shift is most troubling, but in the very next image in the sequence, I see the same undesirable contrast change between Develop and Library views, and that histogram stays the same!?! Very confusing. Bottom line- I want the Develop edits that I SEE when working in Develop to "stick" in the Library image (and exports). If there is some funky reason LR is creating two different versions (I really don't believe it's color space related- it's more a dramatic than that), then LR is unusable for these images.

[Todd Shaner]

"If there is some funky reason LR is creating two different versions (I really don't believe it's color space related- it's more a dramatic than that), then LR is unusable for these images."

LrC Library and Develop module use different resizing interpolation types for creating the loupe preview. The Develop module uses the faster and less accurate bilinear interpolation and the Library and Export modules use the more accurate and slower bucubic interpolation. The two should look near identical, but high noise levels in the image can make the Library and Export look lighter and lower un contrast. This is due to the noise pixels becoming integrated with the image pixels during the less than 1:1 Zoom view settings (i.e. Fit). So yes LrC uses two different versions of Loupe previews, but it shouldn't be an issue if the Sharpening and Noise Reduction controls are properly applied.

[josephlavine]

It's important to consider the purpose of the two modules. The Library module enables you to import and edit your files in a relatively rapid manner, and the Develop module is for image processing. Generally, most files will at most show a small difference, but there are circumstances where the differences become more noticeable.

warmly/j