1DX and 5D3 Picture style effect on RAW images

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1DX and 5D3 Picture style effect on RAW images

mcbane
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p.1 #1 · 1DX and 5D3 Picture style effect on RAW images

I'm sure that testing could answer this question but perhaps a raw file guru knows:

The manual isnt clear about the effect of picture style on raw images. Does the raw image file still contain the original data collected by the sensor, along with style-specific adjustment data that can be applied by raw file utilities on a computer? Or is the data altered before writing to the card, which means some information may be irretrievably lost?

Jan 23, 2013 at 04:07 AM

dwweiche
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p.1 #2 · 1DX and 5D3 Picture style effect on RAW images

The RAW file is simply tagged with the picture style information, so you can apply it with DPP or similar programs that recognize the tags.

The RAW itself is unaltered.

Jan 23, 2013 at 04:12 AM

Tenn.Jer
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p.1 #3 · 1DX and 5D3 Picture style effect on RAW images

Picture style settings do not affect the RAW files - but they do affect what you see on the LCD screen, which, I believe, is an in-camera jpeg...

Jerry

Jan 23, 2013 at 04:14 AM

Ernie Aubert
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p.1 #4 · 1DX and 5D3 Picture style effect on RAW images

The only effect a picture style has on the raw file is that DPP will apply that style when it presents the image to you. You can alter it at will. No other software pays any attention to it (at least none I've ever read of, here or elsewhere).

Edit: Ha - two others answered while I was typing!

Jan 23, 2013 at 04:14 AM

msalvetti
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p.1 #5 · 1DX and 5D3 Picture style effect on RAW images

Picture styles have no effect on RAW images. It may appear they do, because the picture style setting is used to create the small jpg that is displayed on the camera LCD, even if you are only shooting RAW (as opposed to RAW+jpg). But the RAW file saved to the card and downloaded to your PC is unaffected.

If you open a RAW in DPP you can convert it to any picture style you want, regardless of the picture style setting in the camera.

If you open the RAW in ACR, picture styles are irrelevant because ACR does not use them.

Mark

Jan 23, 2013 at 04:16 AM

Tenn.Jer
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p.1 #6 · 1DX and 5D3 Picture style effect on RAW images

Jan 23, 2013 at 04:17 AM

EB-1
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p.1 #7 · 1DX and 5D3 Picture style effect on RAW images

The settings affect the histograms, which may influence exposure.

EBH

Jan 23, 2013 at 05:34 AM

stanj
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p.1 #8 · 1DX and 5D3 Picture style effect on RAW images

EB-1 wrote:
The settings affect the histograms, which may influence exposure.

EBH

Correct. More specifically, they may influence how you _interpret_ exposure. Are the highlights blown? Someone running with the default style will see highlights blown way before I do with my custom super low contrast picture style. This puts a higher burden on me to watch highlights, but at the same time gives me a more accurate read on what DR the raw image holds. The 1DX light meter is such a gem that I rarely worry, but if in doubt, I bracket because I know my picture style makes me walk a narrow grade.

Jan 23, 2013 at 06:17 AM

saneproduction
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p.1 #9 · 1DX and 5D3 Picture style effect on RAW images

I shoot on faithful for a more accurate histogram and highlight alert. I know how much I can let my highlights "blink" and what I can recover in raw. This kind of exposure control lets me keep my shadows and not have to push them multiple stops and get banding etc.

Jan 23, 2013 at 06:45 AM

Will Patterson
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p.1 #10 · 1DX and 5D3 Picture style effect on RAW images

Yep, only affects JPG's.

Jan 23, 2013 at 12:56 PM

Poff Photo
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p.1 #11 · 1DX and 5D3 Picture style effect on RAW images

Jan 23, 2013 at 02:41 PM

saneproduction
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p.1 #12 · 1DX and 5D3 Picture style effect on RAW images

Poff Photo wrote:
I had read somewhere that "Faithful" is the closest setting to the unaltered RAW you will see when opening the file...

That is good to know. I chose it because it seemed right to me, but was not sure if other people were doing the same. Jim said he had a custom setting that he uses that is calibrated against the raw so I bet his is even more accurate knowing his amazing work. Faithful does seem to leave you a little room for error while helping push the exposure right. That is my general rule with the 5DII and 5DIII, expose to the right. If you do that, you don't need to worry about banding from bringing back the shadows in most cases that I shoot.

Jan 23, 2013 at 03:15 PM

AmbientMike
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p.1 #13 · 1DX and 5D3 Picture style effect on RAW images

I noticed a difference between files shot at one contrast setting versus files shot at lower contrast and raised contrast in dpp. All raw. Raw is compressed. Shoot it how you want it is a good rule, as long as you don't drive yourself nuts.

I haven't used the bodies you mention but don't see why it would matter.

Jan 23, 2013 at 05:36 PM

Vancouver47
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p.1 #14 · 1DX and 5D3 Picture style effect on RAW images

stanj wrote:
EB-1 wrote:
The settings affect the histograms, which may influence exposure.

EBH

Correct. More specifically, they may influence how you _interpret_ exposure. Are the highlights blown? Someone running with the default style will see highlights blown way before I do with my custom super low contrast picture style. This puts a higher burden on me to watch highlights, but at the same time gives me a more accurate read on what DR the raw image holds. The 1DX light meter is such a gem that I rarely worry, but if in doubt, I bracket because I know my picture style makes me walk a narrow grade.

Good point. I frequently see indications blown highlight on the LCD and histogram that don't materialize on the actual raw file.

In balance I agree that the 1Dx exposure is excellent however it seems to underexpose by 1/3 to 2/3 stop most of the time. (As do most canon bodies). Is that your experience as well?

Blake

Jan 23, 2013 at 05:45 PM

Ian.Dobinson
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p.1 #15 · 1DX and 5D3 Picture style effect on RAW images

A RAW file contains a JPEG which is how you can view the image on the camera screen etc.
newer Canon bodies (I think anything that had a higher res screen) contains a Jpeg which is full size but highly compressed . ie My 7D creats a Jpeg at its largest setting of about 7-8mb but the jpeg embedded in the raw is typicaly about 2mb (but its still the full 18mp)

As has been mentioned if you run the RAW file in DPP the program uses the camera settings as its default. while most other programs generate their own preview (which is why Lightroom shows an image that can quickly change its look) .

The best way to see this is to set the camera to B&W and shoot RAW. DPP will give you a B&W image on screen but if you click reset it will then be colour. in Lightroom you will see a B&W image which then will change to a colour one .

There is a neat little app for the PC called 'instant jpeg from RAW' once instlled on your PC you can right click a raw file and select jpeg. this will generate a seperate jpeg . its very quick and can do loads of files in 1 go. (ive had it do a whole folder of over 600 RAW images. it was done in about 3 mins if i remember)

Jan 23, 2013 at 06:48 PM

Shutterbug2006
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p.1 #16 · 1DX and 5D3 Picture style effect on RAW images

saneproduction wrote:
I shoot on faithful for a more accurate histogram and highlight alert. I know how much I can let my highlights "blink" and what I can recover in raw. This kind of exposure control lets me keep my shadows and not have to push them multiple stops and get banding etc.

I shoot raw too and set the picture style to Neutral. Here's what Canon says about the two;

"Neutral: Has lower contrast and saturation than Standard. It is therefore ideal for images you intend to post-process by selectively adjusting the color, saturation, contrast and sharpening of individual images.

Faithful: Similar to Neutral but produces images that are colorimetrically almost identical to the actual colors when shot under standard daylight conditions (i.e., an average color temperature of 5200° Kelvin.)"

Jan 23, 2013 at 06:50 PM

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