Why does image change when developing raw photos?

[Cody Carson]

When I import a .CR2 file into Affinity Photo, the image appears one way when adjusting it in the 'Develop Persona', and changes completely after clicking 'develop'. Is there something I don't understand about how raw development works in Affinity Photos? The same thing happens when I attempt to develop other raw file types, such as the .DNG files from my Microsoft Lumia 950xl

Affinity Photos trial for Windows v1.7.3.481

.CR2 files from Canon EOS 70D

.DNG files from Microsoft Lumia 950xl

Example: As image appears in Develop Persona/Developing

Example: After developing finishes:

Edited October 27, 2019 by Cody Carson
Added extra information (affects more than just one file type/device)

[Ron P.]

I'm not seeing that here. I also have a 70D and tried to replicate this on several images, but could not. I"ve attached 2 screenshots, 1-from the Develop Persona after adjustments made, just before pressing the Develop button,  and the 2nd immediately after Developing. I could see no difference in them. 

What do you have set in the Assistant Manager? 

I noticed in your top screenshot, the Develop progress bar, indicating it has not finished developing the image. What is the Profile setting for your RAW files, 32HDR, Profoto, ?? This will affect how AP develops your image. 

[Cody Carson]

I have the Assistant Manager disabled. I took the screenshot while the image was still 'developing' to demonstrate how the appearance of the image changes during and after development without any extra input from me. 

I'm not really knowledgeable with digital colour spaces, which is why I'm seeking assistance for what I could have configured wrong somewhere in Affinity Photo. If you look at the second screenshot here, you can see how the image appears very dark in the develop persona workspace, but brighter in the navigator in the bottom right. The way the image appears in the navigator is how the image appears after developing. 

[Callum]

Hi Cody Carson,

Welcome to the forums

If possible could you provide one of the files in question so I can look into this further with you?

Thanks

C

[Cody Carson]

7 hours ago, Callum said:

Hi Cody Carson,

Welcome to the forums

If possible could you provide one of the files in question so I can look into this further with you?

Thanks

C

Okay. I would be inclined to believe the issue isn't specific the files I'm using, as the exact same thing happens to the .CR2, and .DNG files from three separate cameras. I'll provide a sample file from each camera.

Earlier in the post I have screenshots and more information of IMG_6021.CR2. (IMG_6021.CR2)

Here are screenshots of before/after developing two other types of raw files in the .DNG format, taken with the Nokia 9 (IMG_20190401_132620.dng) and Lumia 950xl (WP_20190201_22_08_22_Raw_LI__highres.dng) cameras. (to demonstrate) To be clear, there were no adjustments made to the before/after screenshots below between importing, and clicking 'develop'. 

IMG_20190401_132620.dng before/after:

WP_20190201_22_08_22_Raw_LI_highres.dng before/after

 

Edited October 28, 2019 by Cody Carson
Post saved out of order

[John Rostron]

@Cody Carson, I think that @Callum was asking for your original raw or dng files, not the screenshots. You need to click on the Click to choose files at the bottom left of the message-editing box.

John

[HuniSenpai]

Well, here's a way you can recreate a similar problem to his using a bug in the program.

Here's how you recreate this issue:

Make sure "enable assistant" is checked. Then turn on "apply tone curve." Then uncheck "enable assistant." Your image should now look punchy and high contrast, even though the assistant is not supposed to be doing the tone curve anymore. Click develop and watch as the adjustments dissapear and you're back to a neutral image.

Obviously he's not going through those convoluted steps every single image develop, but perhaps this issue is in some way related to this. 

Also, @Cody Carson, try checking "convert opened files to working space" under preferences -> color. I have it checked on mine, and it doesn't appear to be checked on yours. Additionally, try turning on assistant, and then changing "exposure bias:" to "apply exposure bias as initial state."

 

[Cody Carson]

2 hours ago, John Rostron said:

@Cody Carson, I think that @Callum was asking for your original raw or dng files, not the screenshots. You need to click on the Click to choose files at the bottom left of the message-editing box.

John

The original DNG and CR2 files are included in that post as links 

[Cody Carson]

1 hour ago, HuniSenpai said:

Well, here's a way you can recreate a similar problem to his using a bug in the program.

Here's how you recreate this issue:

Make sure "enable assistant" is checked. Then turn on "apply tone curve." Then uncheck "enable assistant." Your image should now look punchy and high contrast, even though the assistant is not supposed to be doing the tone curve anymore. Click develop and watch as the adjustments dissapear and you're back to a neutral image.

Obviously he's not going through those convoluted steps every single image develop, but perhaps this issue is in some way related to this. 

Also, @Cody Carson, try checking "convert opened files to working space" under preferences -> color. I have it checked on mine, and it doesn't appear to be checked on yours. Additionally, try turning on assistant, and then changing "exposure bias:" to "apply exposure bias as initial state."

 

Thank you for the suggestion! I've changed the color preference and tried changing the exposure bias in the assistant, and doing so only made the image appear even darker when importing. 

[HuniSenpai]

I'm using the same files as you with the same version of Affinity Photo (but the non-trial version) and i'm not able to recreate the problem. Affinity Photo definitely doesn't like something about your particular computer setup. Or maybe there is a problem with the trial version that doesn't exist in the regular edition, for some reason (I doubt that, though).

• What are your computer specifications? Be sure to include your graphics card model number.
• Is your computer monitor HDR, by chance? I'm testing your images on my non-HDR display.
• Do you have software for monitor calibration on your computer?
• Try this in a program called RawTherapee. Let me know if the issue persists (i.e. your image is really dark when you import)

One thing i'm noticing is that, for some reason, the exposure seems to be correct in the navigator window at the bottom right, and it's just incorrect in the main preview window  that's odd for sure

[Cody Carson]

45 minutes ago, HuniSenpai said:

I'm using the same files as you with the same version of Affinity Photo (but the non-trial version) and i'm not able to recreate the problem. Affinity Photo definitely doesn't like something about your particular computer setup. Or maybe there is a problem with the trial version that doesn't exist in the regular edition, for some reason (I doubt that, though).

• What are your computer specifications? Be sure to include your graphics card model number.
• Is your computer monitor HDR, by chance? I'm testing your images on my non-HDR display.
• Do you have software for monitor calibration on your computer?
• Try this in a program called RawTherapee. Let me know if the issue persists (i.e. your image is really dark when you import)

One thing i'm noticing is that, for some reason, the exposure seems to be correct in the navigator window at the bottom right, and it's just incorrect in the main preview window  that's odd for sure

Aha! I've figured it out. It was indeed a device configuration discrepancy. I have a new Surface Pro. Microsoft has been shipping many of their new devices with two in-built and togglable device display color profiles: 'sRGB' and 'Enhanced'. I just assumed their sRGB profile was appropriate for use with Affinity Photo, but as it turns out, I have to go into the Color Management settings and add a separate sRGB profile which matches the default profile selected Affinity Photo, and switch to that before launching the app. 

After doing this, the raw files appear correctly in the Develop persona workspace.

Thank you for helping me stumble upon this.  

Edited October 29, 2019 by Cody Carson
added information

[John Rostron]

14 hours ago, Cody Carson said:

The original DNG and CR2 files are included in that post as links 

My mistake!

John