ICC Profile now maks my photos very dark & default ICC Profile changed

[GraceUnfolding]

Not sure if this is a bug. I just updated to 25.4.0 and now my  ICC Profile is Linear Rec. 2020. It changed on it's own.  And when I go to Edit > Assign Profile and change it back to Working RGB sRGB IEC1966-2.1 it darkens the photo significantly. Am I missing something obvious here? Why are my photos now so dark with my regular profile?

Update: This issue has been resolved... it was actually related to the new Camera Raw update that had changed it's default color profile when it was updated.  So when I opened a NEF file, it would open into Camera Raw and once I opened it in PS (from  Camera Raw) then I couldn't save it with my default ICC Profile... it had been changed in Camera Raw. So when I tried to assign a new profile the image would darken. After fixing the color profil in Camera Raw I can now save with my default ICC Profile "Working RGB IEC1966-2.1".

[D Fosse]

That's entirely expected. Don't assign! Convert is what you want.

[GraceUnfolding]

So now my ICC Profile is Display P3. Why does it keep changing?

[GraceUnfolding]

What is to be expected? I have never had this issue before. Usually I edit a photo and than when I save it my default ICC Profile is already selected. Now I am seeing various other profiles show up. And why would it darken a photo which it didn't darken yesterday? Thanks

[Per Berntsen]

Please post a screenshot of your color settings. Edit > Color settings.

Use the Insert Photos button in the toolbar to insert the screenshot.

[GraceUnfolding]

This is the exact same settings as last night. Last night I had a default ICC Profile that would appear when I saved a photo. Now it shows other profiles when I save. I never had to use Edit > Covert To Profile before today. I guess I am wondering why my default is no longer staying as my default.

[GraceUnfolding]

I have been doing some testing and here is what I noticed.

If I open a png file in PS then when I save it my default ICC Profile is there in the save as dialogue box

If I open an NEF file through Camera Raw and then try to save it through PS then my default ICC Profile has changed

If I open an NEF file in LRc  and then open it in PS then my default ICC Profile  is there when I try to save the file

So the only time my defualt ICC Profile gets changed is if I open a NEF file in Camera Raw file before opening it in PS.
This had never happened before I updated PS and Camera Raw this morning. Does this make sense?

[davescm]

When moving from Camera Raw to Photoshop the profile used is that set in Camera Raw Preferences > Color Space

Dave

[GraceUnfolding]

Yes, I just noticed that before I saw your reply. The color space got changed when I updated Camera Raw... I hadn't changed it. Thank you! 🙂

[Per Berntsen]

It appears that the default profile was changed to Display P3 in the latest update for some reason.

But you mentioned Linear Rec 2020 in your initial post – at what point in the process did you notice that profile?

[GraceUnfolding]

The very first NEF file I worked with tried to save with the Linear Rec 2020 profile. After that I think it kept using the Display P3 profile. I am wondering though if it had anything to do with me using the HDR option in Camera Raw. I am pretty sure that was the first and last time I saw Linear Rec 2020 show up. Does that help?

[Per Berntsen]

Yes, I was just curious.

As for assign/convert to profile – convert will preserve the appearance of the image, but RGB numbers will change.

When you assign a profile, the RGB numbers will be preserved, but image appearance will change.

Assign profile should only be used for untagged images (without an embedded profile), or if you know that the embedded profile is not the correct one.

[GraceUnfolding]

I found out what the issue was. When I opened an NEF file in Camera Raw it changing the defualt ICC Profile. I looked under Settings > Workflow > Color Space and saw that it had been changed in the update that I did this morning. Set it back to my proper profile/space and now when I save a NEF file in PS it remembers my proper default ICC Profile. Phew!

[NB, colourmanagement]

@GraceUnfolding Just in case youre making print files, do note that png is not a format that’s ideal for printing 

I hope this helps
neil barstow, colourmanagement net - adobe forum volunteer - co-author: 'getting colour right'
google me "neil barstow colourmanagement" for lots of free articles on colour management
Help others by clicking "Correct Answer" if the question is answered.
Found the answer elsewhere? Share it here. "Upvote" is for useful posts.

[NB, colourmanagement]

@GraceUnfolding Just FYI: 

Assign profile - means

Replace an image file's ICC profile label (the profile "tag") or add a profile tag to an untagged file -

Tagged files: the Assigning of a profile is required very rarely for tagged files and when misused almost always alters appearance negatively, due to a change in interpretation of the image data by the colour management process.

Untagged files: Assigning a suitable ICC profile is necessary, even vital so that a colour managed program can correctly interpret pixel data.

After assigning - the image pixel data is unchanged, but the assigned profile is now used by the colour management process, so appearance may change. 

Convert to profile - means

translate the file's colour information to a new colourspace retaining image appearance*

(*within the limits of the destination gamut). 

The image pixel data is changed, to retain the image appearance whilst shifting it to a different colour space

A files profile tag provides information to the profile tag for any conversion, even sending data to the screen involves a conversion in the background, from file.icc to display.icc

you can see that is file.icc is changed the interpretation changes - since assigning replaces the right ICC profile with the wrong one that means the colour is messed up. As you have seen

I hope this helps

neil barstow, colourmanagement net  - adobe forum volunteer - co-author: 'getting colour right'

google me "neil barstow colourmanagement" for lots of free articles on colour management

Help others by clicking "Correct Answer" if the question is answered.

Found the answer elsewhere? Share it here. "Upvote" is for useful posts.