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Archive 2013 · Help with Capture One Pro 7 Color/Contrast

  
 
Jman13
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p.1 #1 · p.1 #1 · Help with Capture One Pro 7 Color/Contrast


I recently got a Fuji X-E1. As you may be aware, ACR/Lightroom sometimes (but not always), has some issues with the demosaicing of the X-Trans sensor on the Fuji (creating a watercolor effect). I downloaded the C1 7 Pro trial to see how it handles the images. I used Capture One in the past as my RAW converter, so I know my way around the program a bit (but a lot has changed too).

Anyway, on the few images where Lightroom takes a dump on these files, I've used C1, and it does a very nice job in many cases. However, since it's the trial period, I've also tried using C1 on many other images (even ones Lightroom does quite well with), and, especially for indoor portraits, I'm finding it very difficult to get decent color, and the contrast by default is much harsher. Lowering contrast or playing with the DR sliders does reduce contrast, but in an odd unnatural sort of way. Since so many people praise C1 for color accuracy and detail, I figure I'm probably doing something wrong, so I wonder if anyone can give me some tips or settings they use for indoor candids.

Also, I've noticed that exposure in C1 comes in about a half stop darker than the same file in Lightroom at default, which is kind of annoying.

Example below, just quick shots of my daughter playing this morning, processed quickly in each. The LR version took me about 15 seconds of minor adjustment and a white balance click. The C1 version was similar, though a little more fiddling done to try and get things looking less harsh. White balance was taken off the same part of the shirt in both programs:

Lightroom, minor adjustments:
http://www.jordansteele.com/2013/chloe_lr1.jpg

Capture One 7, minor adjustments:
http://www.jordansteele.com/2013/chloe_c1-1.jpg

And here are how the files look on import:
Lightroom:
http://www.jordansteele.com/2013/chloe_lr2.jpg

Capture One, which I see as dark, overly orange and too contrasty:
http://www.jordansteele.com/2013/chloe_c1-2.jpg

I know the easy answer is 'just process those images in Lightroom.' And, you have a point. However, before I dismiss C1 as just for certain hand-picked images, I'd like to figure out what I'm doing wrong or get some better default settings to start from a cleaner slate. I've also noticed that saturation adjustments in C1 can go bad quickly...is there a more subtle saturation tool, similar to the 'vibrance' slider in LR?



Feb 23, 2013 at 10:14 AM
buggz2k
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p.1 #2 · p.1 #2 · Help with Capture One Pro 7 Color/Contrast


Hello,
I am interested in this also.
While don't have an answer for you, I suggest posting also on Luminous Landscape forum, where there is a Capture 1 dedicated forum.
I have posted questions there, and have gotten great replies, even from Capture 1 people themselves.
They seem to monitor that forum.



Feb 25, 2013 at 05:22 PM
blob loblaw
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p.1 #3 · p.1 #3 · Help with Capture One Pro 7 Color/Contrast


Hey, I don't have answers to a lot of your questions, but here's my thoughts:

- I had a struggle between LR and C1 as well, trying to get one to match the other. This never worked at the end, and to avoid frustration I ended up committing to C1.
I found after some time, I was able to get results that I wanted and quickly. There was more detail in C1 and because of that it was more sensitive to changes.
There was definitely a learning curve.

- The question of whether it 'does a better job' seemed silly to me, because all it needs to do is apply the settings that I envisioned in my mind quickly and process as much of the detail in the RAW file as it can.

- this is ISO1600 and it looks to me like LR kills a bit more of the detail compared to C1: eyelashes, hair strands, skin texture.

- 'subtle saturation' to me is done with clarity sliders, mainly 'clarity' in the 'punch' setting

- I generally hit the 'auto' button to preview what C1 should settings be and go from there. I can then reset or change individual sections like 'exposure', DR, WB.

- There seem to be 2 or 3 different lighting sources of different color temp, so IMO it was pretty hellish to white balance well. I feel like because LR compresses or crushes things down just a little bit more (high ISO NR?), it does it easier, to my eyes.

I tried to adjust the 'JPG'; see below if this does anything for you.
It should be pretty subtle relatively speaking. I took the C1 'import' JPG, tried my best to color correct and changed the DR sliders, and contrast to -2. I doubt these settings will carry over because this was a small res JPG.
I personally would not go for this 'look' but I tried my best to match what I thought you might have been looking for.


http://imgur.com/DeNvwsL.jpg



Feb 26, 2013 at 05:18 AM





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