P: Camera overexposing photos

[Liam Coleman]

Hello,

I have been observing for some time that the LR mobile in-app camera seems to consistently overexpose photos. It is most obvious when shooting DNGs (either on automatic or HDR modes) before making any adjustments in post. See attached photos for examples right out of the LR app camera with no adjustments made; these strike me as quite bright and look more properly exposed to me if I dial back the exposure slider in LR by about 0.50. I have been sure to confirm that I have not altered any other settings that might cause this and I have been using the most recent app versions over the past several updates. I am using an iPhone 14 Pro and an iPad Air (it happens on both devices) on consisterntly the most recent OS software. Can someone from Adobe please look into this and confirm whether there might be a bug here? Thanks very much.

[Charlie.D]

Hello @Liam Coleman 

Apologies for the slow response.  We've been busy getting the June app updates ready and released.

In short, what you describe is expected behavior per our LR developer team.  JPGs (even ones LR Camera captures) are heavily processed by the iOS platform, whereas LR camera DNGs and HDRs and other raw images you may import into Lightroom may require significant processing to reach a similar look. With the newer, larger sensors in the recent iPhone models, the apparent over-exposure you're talking about may seem more pronounced than old iPhone models.  A developer told me the LR Camera is simply recording the raw image data the iOS platform provides.  When you compare to Apple ProRaw images in the Photos app, what's not obvious is that Apple does apply a fair amount of processing.  Lightroom applies less processing upon capture/import.  The LR Mobile app's camera profiles are ment to help one get to a good starting point for editing, but some work is required to get the image to a desirable appearance.  A couple Presets I use often serve to decrease exposure after raw capture.

I find Lightroom's HDR capture mode more often provides me a good starting point for editing.  In the LR in-camera options that are opened by 'gear' button, I sometimes toggle on Save Unprocessed Original -- this saves the middle DNG image of the 3 bracket images that are merged for the HDR capture.  Sometimes that middle bracket image ends up being the one I keep, though I usually purge them as unwanted duplicates.

I do also use exposure compensation at times, especially in outdoor or very bright environments, to under-expose the image a notch or two.  I often snap a couple photos at different exposures if I'm worried about uneditable overexposure.

Posts like yours are appreciated, as it reminds the team to keep discussion going on how to improve this.

Kind regards,

Charlie

P.S.  Lightroom recently updated the help article on the LR Camera.  Maybe there's something in it that's useful to you: https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-cc/using/capture-photos-mobile-ios.html 

[Liam Coleman]

Hi Charlie. Thank you very much for that explanation. That makes perfect sense to me. I appreciate the response.

[Ineedafingscreenname]

Hi Charlie,

I've experienced the same problem on my iPhone 14 for some time now. Typically, I try to remember to underexpose the raw image by -.7, which tends to yield good results. However, sometimes I forget, which can caude problems with lost details in the highlights. Is there a way to create a preset so that all camera exposures are initially set at -.7 as a default (and that I can modify only if needed for a given photo)?

Thanks,

Scott

[JohanElzenga]

Select the 'Professional' setting in the camera app. Then set the exposure compensation to -0.7 and finally tap on the lock icon.

[Ineedafingscreenname]

Thanks Johan! That'll work perfectly.

[Ineedafingscreenname]

Hi Johan,

Actually, it looks like the lock gets cleared out when I close Lightroom. Reopening it, the default exposure is back to 0. Do you know if there is a way to permanently keep it at -.7?

[JohanElzenga]

Yes, I see the same. I would consider this a bug, because what is the usefulness of the lock if it unlocks itself?

[thecat2]

After recently getting an iPhone 14 pro I am also seeing dng photos looking over exposed in lightroom mobile. As noted the photo may not actually be clipping its highlights but does require more processing if just wanting a quick picture.  I understand we can change the exposure settings in auto or pro modes but this resets when we leave and re enter camera mode. Using the exposure lock, even if stayed set, is not the answer as you may not want same settings for subsequent photos.  The app needs the ability to keep any exposure compensation settings changed if required. Just like happens with aspect ratio and grid. Eg add an option to settings to maintain exp comp?,

[Ineedafingscreenname]

There has been a long-standing bug when using Lightroom on iOS with an iPhone 14 (perhaps other versions as well). When using the "Professional" mode to shoot digital raw files, Lightroom consistently overexposes the images. In my phone, it's about 0.7 stops too bright. When I try to use the exposure lock function (the little icon), it works but it resets as soon as I turn off my iPhone screen, I close Lightroom, or I temporarily switch to another app. When I return to Lightroom, the lock is unlocked and the exposure is set back to zero. What is the purpose of an exposure lock if it does not stay locked until I purposefully choose to unlock it? I suspect this is a bug, rather than an intentional design. Please fix this! (Or find a way to fix the over-exposure on the iPhone 14). Thank you.

For more information, follow this discussion thread:
https://community.adobe.com/t5/lightroom-ecosystem-cloud-based-discussions/lr-mobile-camera-overexpo...

[thecat2]

Sort of agree but dont think maintaining exposure lock is the answer as exposure can change between photo. Exposure lock is used to enable a specific exposure to be set and then you can refocus elsewhere without it changing. It the exposure compensation value, eg -0.5, used after the initial exposure settings have been calculated,  which needs to be maintained as weve observed all photos in dng mode appear over exposed.

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

@JohanElzenga  Due to the recent traffic, I am reviewing this behavior with the team,  and we will update this thread after discussing it. 

[Charlie.D]

Hello Everyone.
This is a long standing issue with the more powerful iOS camera sensors of the newer iPhones and iPads.  According to the developer for this area, this is a platform issue. Lightroom iOS is using the raw image data that iOS platform capture APIs passes over to the Lightroom app, like always.  With the stronger sensors of the last few years, images seem overexposed more often than with older sensors/devices, and this is due to greater image data. This is apparent with LR Mobile camera images, because the LR app does less post-capture processing on these DNGs than the native camera app does for iOS Camera raw image DNGs.

Until the team can figure out a solution that doesn't require manual exposure adjustments like those discussed in the thread, let me recommend HDR capture mode. The LR app does apply special processing to HDR captures from the LR camera, and these come out looking better by default. The downsides with these HDR captures is that HDR mode lacks all the Pro mode capture controls. Also Apple's platforms sometimes render the LR HDR capture funky, often with wild color distortion. There is a technical reason for this and a bug reported to Apple is still pending.

I will say that another possible solution is coming that should help with LR iOS DNG capture. I am not able to mention specific details or dates due to confidentiality rules, but I will share more info when I can.

[thecat2]

The problem I see with hdr is that as it takes 2 photos the 2nd photo tends to be a lot slower to not blow out the highlights, and hence more chance of blurring the shot.  Would be a lot easier to just have option to  maintain the exposure compensation value, like all SLRs allow you to do. Along with any other app enhancements.

[Lanther13]

I mainly use LrC but recently have been really enjoying editing on my commute to work on my iPhone/Lr Mobile. And I have been using the built in camera in Lr Mobile because I like the idea of a truly RAW image without apple processing. I have gotten some really great images but most of the time the experience is frustrating and hopefully someone can chime in with some help.

I’ve tried “auto” and “pro mode”.  In auto mode, if I lower exposure compensation to something I like on the screen and take the picture, the result is completely different. For example, I’ll make it -1.7 exposure before taking the picture. And then I go to the Lr camera roll, and it looks like it was taken with +3.0 exposure, super bright, over exposed, noisy. Even in broad daylight, not even low light. Sometimes randomly it will have good exposure or the exposure I set.

Also in “pro” mode, exposure compensation seems to have no effect. I even have tried manual mode shutter/iso, and most of my attempts produce some randomly different exposure, usually 3x as bright as I want, It’s as if when Lightroom mobile takes the picture, all the settings are ignored???

On a side note: in “pro mode”, exposure compensation has been stuck at -2.3. and every time I change it back to 0.0 or -1.0, leave Lightroom mobile, and come back, its back at -2.3. The whole experience doesn’t seem to work right.

Anyone else have this issue? I just want the image taken by Lightroom mobile camera to be what I saw on the screen before taking the pic.

[Aleke]

Hey @Lanther13! 👋

Sorry to hear about the frustrating experience with the integrated camera in Lightroom Mobile. Could you let us know what version of the app you're using? Are you in HDR mode by any chance? Also, check if you have Auto Exposure locked or unlocked.

Thanks!
Alek

[Lanther13]

Hi i am using v 10.1.3.

I tried with both lock turned on and off. by the way every time i launch the camera, the settings are reset. meaning, if i lock exposure. then close the camera, then open it again, its unlocked again, same with EV +/-. anyway, no matter what i do to lower exposure before taking a picture, the picture i get in the camera roll is much more over exposed than what was on the screen. maybe i should reinstall the app? i am on iphone

[Aleke]

Hi @Lanther13!

That's interesting. On my end, the settings don’t reset even after closing the camera or the app. Could you try reinstalling the app to see if that helps? If your photos are synced, reinstalling the app will keep all your assets safe. But be wary that if sync has been paused, any non-synced assets might be at risk. If assets aren't synced, photos and presets will be deleted when you delete the app.

Can you let me know what model of iPhone and iOS you're using? Overexposed images have been a long-standing issue with the more powerful iOS camera sensors of the newer iPhones and iPads. Lightroom iOS uses the raw image data that iOS platform capture APIs pass over to the Lightroom app. With the stronger sensors of the last few years, images seem overexposed more often than with older sensors and devices, and this is due to greater image data. This is apparent with LR Mobile camera images because the LR app does less post-capture processing on these DNGs than the native camera app does for iOS Camera raw image DNGs.

You could try using the HDR capture mode. The app applies special processing to HDR captures from the built-in camera, and these usually come out looking better by default. The downside is that HDR mode lacks all the Pro mode capture controls.

Thanks a bunch!

Cheers, Alek

[Jeff Bellune]

Premiere Pro guy here, but still a long-time user of Lr (classic and cloud).

I've got some DNG images taken with the Lr Mobile camera that I'm trying to get into Apple Photos as RAW files. The images were taken with various iPhone models, starting with the iPhone X. When snapped, I usually preferred the hdr-dng version to the regular dng version, so I deleted most of the regular dng's.

When I export now from Lr (either macOS 12.5 or iOS 15.5), the few regular DNG files I have export and add to Apple Photos perfectly. The hdr-dng files end up a blown-out white & magenta mess.

For reference, here are 2 screenshots of what the regular dng's look like in Camera Raw 14.4 and Apple Photos.

Camera Raw

Apple Photos

 

 Now here is what happens with the hdr-dng's:

Camera Raw 

Apple Photos (and in Preview on Mac, and in RAW Power, and in Pixelmator Pro, and so on): 

If I export as a DNG from Camera Raw, I get the same result as exporting from Lr.

I'd be grateful for any help or insight, even if that help starts with, "Hey Stupid!" 😀

Cheers, 

Jeff

[Charlie.D]

Hi @Jeff Bellune 

This issue is being tracked by the Lightroom team as an Apple Feedback issue.  I have not ETA for a fix date.  In the LR app export menu, you can use TIFF as a high fidelity rendition of your image that won't have the same display issue.

Also, I'll convert this to a bug, so I can tag this internally for tracking.

[Stephcout2011]

I do realize that the Iphone 14 is not fully supported at this time in LRM but i figured i would point out this problem i have been getting while shooting In HDR with the main and telephoto lens.

I have been getting a magenta color in some of my images while pointing at the sun, here are some images for reference. It only happens in HDR so it probably has something to do with the merge or the tone mapping of the images.

This HDR fonction is Lightroom is the single most important fonction in any app in the App Store that i could find for images where you really need a high dynamic range and this is the single fonction why i dont use my Sony A7R4 as often anymore.

Thank you and i hope this helps.

V7.5.2 A35FE5/58

Iphone 14 pro IOS 16.1

-Stephane

www.stephanecouture.com

[Elmira Pendleton]

Hello Stephcout2011, we've seen this issue before on iOS 16.0 beta. Just to confirm, have you installed iOS 16.1 Beta on your iPhone 14 Pro?

Thank you,

Elmira

[Stephcout2011]

Yes i have 16.1 Beta on my iphone 14 pro.

Stephane

www.stephanecouture.com

[twhite14]

 Recently upgraded to a iPhone 14 Pro Max. When shooting in Lightroom with HDR all the pictures have this purple hue (it varies by picture with size and intensity). Any thoughts on how to correct?

[Rikk Flohr: Photography]

updating status