I've recently noticed that when I import JPEGs from my 5DII into Lightroom (v2.4) or open them in PS CS4, there is a massive difference in exposure than what is visible in Explorer or BreezeBrowser (or on the back of the camera, for that matter). In BB, the exposure is perfect, the colors are vibrant and the contrast is punchy. If I open the identical file in PS or import it into LR, the contrast is flat, the colors are muted and the exposure is up a solid stop in the shadows, bringing out nasty noise that is otherwise not there. Looking at the histograms between LR and BB, they are identical, but what I see, and thus will edit, is completely different. Hence, when I edit the photo to bring out the contrast and add punch and export it out of LR, it's WAY overprocessed. Any help on this?

If you have indeed correctly calibrated your screen, it's the Ps and LR previews that should be trusted. Your apps that you think look fine are, in fact, not color managed and have no way to use both the working space and monitor profile to display your image. The difference you are seeing between your color managed and non color managed apps is basically the difference in color spaces between you working space and your monitor space. This is completely normal.

Interesting. Yeah, my monitor is calibrated with Huey Pro. It's odd that they wouldn't look the same in BB. I thought that had color profiles built-in.

Seth,

If it's an exposure difference only, then it would point toward a gamut mismatch between your files and you screen. If you have calibrated to a recommended gamma of 2.2 and your files are in a gamma 2.2 color space - Adobe RGB, sRGB, etc., then your overall luminance should be very close. If, and this sounds closer to the case, you are using gamma 1.8 ProPhoto RGB as your color space, and viewing those gamma 1.8 files on a gamma 2.2 monitor, then you would indeed expect the files to look more contrasty and darker in the non color managed applications.

Is it possible that in BB there is additional post processing when you open/import the file?

Yes, BB applies a mild unsharp mask, but it I leave it disabled. Toggling between the two doesn't change the apparent exposure. Also, as I mentioned above, it looks the same in Explorer and BB. Only in LR and PS are they different.

Forget Explorer. It's not colour aware so it is impossible to use it for accuracy. It may be right, or not. You'll never know. I'm not sure whether Breeze is colour managed properly.

1. Is LR or Photoshop applying any import presets? Especially for LR you want everything zero'd.
2. Are you using a narrow or wide gamut monitor?
3. Are you shooting in aRGB or sRGB. It could be a profile mismatch. Breeze and explorer assume sRGB. LR uses ProPhoto and PS could be anything. So if your image is untagged it will look different in different applications. Do a test shot setting the camera to SRGB and see if the image looks similar in each program. You caouls also try converting to sRGB in PS to see what happens. Check your images are properly tagged with a colour space (probably sRGB if they look best in explorer and Breeze).

Gordon

Seth ... what kind of monitor are you using? Is it a wide gamut monitor? If so, your color will look much more intense in non-color managed applications. These applications are displaying your images incorrectly.

My monitor is a Dell 2709W 27'' LCD. I always shoot in sRGB. I use no importing settings in LR.

Check out THIS screenshot. Sorry for the downloaded version. The difference just seems too dramatic to me.

That is a wide gamut monitor. You will ONLY get accurate color in color managed applications. All other applications will be junk. The junk will look very vivid/intense (especially in the reds/greems). There is a lot more to this topic, but here is the short version.

1. Accurate color in color managed apps only.
2. For web browsing, use the FireFox browser with color management enabled.

Rely on your Photoshop and LR color ... that is the real color in your images.

Breeze Browser Pro is a color managed application but in its default setting Color Management is not turned on. The fact that your images appear the same in Explorer and BB Pro leads me to suspect that you don't have Color Management enabled.

To do so go to File > Preferences > Image Display and check the "Enable monitor color profile" option. If you also enable the "Use default monitor profile" that will ensure that BB Pro will always use the profile active in your operating system even when you change/update it.

Okay, so I've put PS in "Monitor RGB" and it actually matches BB (which is also in sRGB), but LR is still way, WAY off. To further throw a wrench in the engine, I had some prints made (with no adjustments from either me or the lab) and they match the BB and PS profiles; no where near what LR is displaying. Check out the below screenshots. Look at the difference in the general exposure; the shadow noise is incredible.

Lightroom

Photoshop

(Feel free to link these directly in FM.)

Monitor in Photoshop will NOT give you accurate color on a wide gamut monitor. Instead of using sRGB in BB, you need to use the profile that your Huey created. That should bring Photoshop, LR and BB to the same level. If there is something wrong with that level, than you need to recalibrate your monitor and start to look for problems in your color management process.

Make sure your system is using the profile created by your Huey.

ADDED: You might check the Huey Pro site to see if there some guidance there on calibrating wide gamut monitors (ie. possible startup conflicts with other programs like Adobe Gamma, other issues).