P: on macOS JPG export color issues

[jargonjustin]

When exporting from Lightroom CC on macOS, the exported JPG takes on remarkably different colors (it looks like a lower/bluer color temperature, but I'm not precisely sure). The difference appears within the Lightroom CC export preview prior to exporting, as well as with the exported image when opened in other applications. Different images have different levels of impact, but I've seen visible differences in most of my images. The issue appears regardless of what Color Space is selected for the exported JPG.

I do not have issues when exporting the same image with Lightroom CC on iPad. I've tested by exporting the same image with the identical settings on iPad and the image is reproduced faithfully.

I'm running Lightroom CC Version 3.3 from the Mac App Store (20200611-1039-7df19f1 Build) on macOS 10.15.5 on a MacBook Pro (Retina, Mid 2012).

Screenshot editing the image (colors as desired):


Screenshot of export preview, displaying color issues (occurs regardless of Color Space selection):

Exported image from macOS, with color issues:


Exported image from Lightroom CC on iPad, identical settings selection, but no color issues:


For reference, I posted some details, including these screenshots of the issue and exported images, in the Lightroom community thread Trouble exporting image with my edits thread. Another user reported similar issues in a Pink hue rendered upon export thread.

[JohanElzenga]

You may have a problem with your monitor profile. Go to System Preferences - Displays - Color and select another profile, just to test. Take sRGB for example. See if that solves the problem. If it does, then create a new monitor profile.

[Landonplane]

This is not a monitor profile issue. See the latest post here where I exported the image and it was rendered with a pink color cast, then I imported the export back into Lr and the pink color cast was still there. You can even see it in the thumbnail. 

https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom/pink-hue-rendered-upon-export/m-p/11285419?page=1#M29426

[jargonjustin]

Thanks Johan, Landon.

As Landon mentioned, I don't believe that this is a display calibration issue. I've attached the actual exported JPGs from both macOS (the first one, color shifted) and on iPad (the second image, with correct colors). The images display consistently regardless of which display I use (laptop builtin display, laptop with external monitor, transferring to my iPad, or my phone), in that the color shifted one consistently displays shifted, while the color correct one consistently shows correct (i.e., I can open them both side-by-side on any monitor and see the same issue/difference). There's a difference in the exported image itself, that's not a property of the display.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

Did you try the test Johan suggested?

[jargonjustin]

Thanks Rikk. I tested with different color profiles (see screenshot below). While they shifted the colors displayed by my monitor further, the exported image continued to have the same issues, regardless of which monitor or calibration that I previewed with.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

Thank you for confirming. 

A preference reset might be a prudent next step:

1. Close Lightroom.
2. Hold down [Alt/Opt]+[Shift] while restarting Lightroom.
3. Overwrite the Preferences when prompted by the dialog.
4. Close Lightroom.
5. Restart Lightroom.

[jargonjustin]

Thank you Rikk. I reset the Lightroom preferences as you described (and then restarted the app following the rest). Unfortunately, the color shift persists as part of the export.

Please let me know if I can try anything else to troubleshoot or eliminate causes. I'd also be happy to upload the RAW + Settings of the example image here if that would help.

[Jao vdL]

There is another person with a very similar problem on Mac OS X here: https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom/pink-hue-rendered-upon-export/m-p/11287596?page=1#M29465

I can't reproduce it on my Mac Book Pro with current OS X install using the same files but issue is clearly there.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

A sample file would be great. If you can post a raw with the xmp settings for the edits.  I can get the settings for your export from the screenshot above.

[jargonjustin]

Thanks again Rikk. I've uploaded the sample image here: https://justinbonnar.com/lightroom/20200711-L1000119.DNG

The camera (Leica Q2) uses DNG as its native format, so exporting "Original + Settings" looks like it produced a copy of the DNG with my edits embedded.

Interestingly, when I imported that file, Lightroom on macOS would preview it (in the import window, Library, and areas like the film strip) with the color shifted view in some cases (viewing the Single Image or various Edit views all show the expected colors though still). It sounds like it might be a rendering issue, reflected in a cache for the smaller previews?

Anyway, thanks again for your help here, and hope this helps!

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

Unable to download. I receive a 403 error

[jargonjustin]

Whoops, that didn't work right. Let's try Google Drive instead: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HqgSJXih7ojVKVjGe0iyZJzblmQwf1Tv/view?usp=sharing

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

I got it that time:

Export Window:



Exported Image: 

It is looking more and more like a monitor/profile issue to me.  Do you have a BenQ monitor by chance?

[jargonjustin]

Thank you Rikk. I'm using a Dell U3415W with my Mac, as well as the MacBook's built-in display.

The image exports correctly with Lightroom CC on my iPad, and views correctly on any of my monitors. When I export from macOS, the image is shifted (as seen here), and that shift is present when I view the JPG on other monitors (including iPad, iPhone, etc).

Does monitor calibration impact the exported file, or just how it's displayed on that monitor? My understanding is that it should only be the display, and not the file itself. The images that I uploaded in the original post here are the direct exports from macOS and the iPad. It sounds like they appear differently on your displays as well. Unless Lightroom is applying calibration to the file itself, my monitor calibration shouldn't matter when you view them, right?

Thank you again for your help!

[Jao vdL]

Monitor calibration can only impact the exported file if you wrongly edited the file in an attempt to correct for a faulty display profile. The display profile is not (or at least should not in any way) involved in the export rendering. The fact that the same image with the same exact settings as synced through the cloud, exports blue from your Mac and normal on your iPad indicates an issue on the Mac. I can't reproduce it with your image on my Mac but your exported file you shared above shows the issue very clearly. 

[Landonplane]

I have the same issue which I've documented here: https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom/pink-hue-rendered-upon-export/m-p/11285419?page=1#M29426

It's not a monitor issue. I ran an experiment where I exported the image and it came out with a pink color cast. Then I imported that exported image back into Lightroom and saw that there was still a color cast. 

I did not do any edits to counter any pink color cast therefore I was not biased by my monitor to correct in that way. If this were really a monitor issue, I would only see the pink color cast on my MacBook Pro. But instead, I see it on all my devices (iPhone, iPad, Samsung TV via airplay). 

[Landonplane]

I have the same issue which I've documented here: https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom/pink-hue-rendered-upon-export/m-p/11285419?page=1#M29426

It's not a monitor issue. I ran an experiment where I exported the image and it came out with a pink color cast. Then I imported that exported image back into Lightroom and saw that there was still a color cast. 

I did not do any edits to counter any pink color cast therefore I was not biased by my monitor to correct in that way. If this were really a monitor issue, I would only see the pink color cast on my MacBook Pro. But instead, I see it on all my devices (iPhone, iPad, Samsung TV via airplay). 

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

What is the camera model used as the source to created these files?

[jargonjustin]

Hi Rikk, my files come from a Leica Q2 (which uses DNG as its native Raw format). It looks like Landon is using a Nikon Z6.

[jargonjustin]

Hi Rikk, my files come from a Leica Q2 (which uses DNG as its native Raw format). It looks like Landon is using a Nikon Z6.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

The Z6 is a known issue and likely unrelated to your issue. 

@landon - you should probably be following this issue: https://feedback.photoshop.com/photoshop_family/topics/lightroom-destkop-magenta-cast-on-export-niko...

[Todd Shaner]

One other thing to try that hasn't been suggested is to turn off the GPU in LR Desktop. Go to Edit> Preferences> Performance and set 'Use Graphics Processor' to Off. Close and then reopen LR and try again.

[jargonjustin]

Thank you Todd. I tried as you suggested (set 'Use Graphics Processor' to Off then restart Lightroom), but unfortunately the exported image color issues persisted.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

@landon - you should probably be following this issue: https://feedback.photoshop.com/photoshop_family/topics/lightroom-destkop-magenta-cast-on-export-niko...

[Landonplane]

Thank you Rikk! I'll be follow that issue.