Astro processing: The image on screen, before or after develop, is totally different from the mess that is created as a saved file.

[Mark W]

I take a Starless (by Starnet) tiff file from Siril. I import into Affinity (though this happens with many files I create - astro or not) and process it. What looks good on the screen, I then go into the Develop persona, develop it (without any further processing or with additional  processing in the develop persona) and what is then saved (I reopen in Siril or Preview) and it is a completely different rendition VEIL.tiffand a total mess. Affinity has you believe you have a perfectly processed and developed image but what it then saves is garbage. What is going on?

Below is the screenshot of what I see that I think I'm saving on the desktop. Granted, not an excellent image of the Veil nebula (very little integration time) but it's something.  The  actual file is ridiculous!

Edited July 7, 2023 by Mark W
When first written, I thought both photos would show in the post.

[NotMyFault]

Both screenshot and tiff look almost identical to me - putting aside expectable differences due to rgb/8 vs rgb/32 and different resolution.

so no idea why / what you rate as „total mess“. Can you elaborate in more detail in what exactly is bothering you?

 

 

[Mark W]

Well that's odd because this is what I get when I open the tiff file (either opened on my 2017 i5 Macbook or 2021 M1 Mac Mini). This is a screenshot...

[walt.farrell]

1 hour ago, Mark W said:

Well that's odd because this is what I get when I open the tiff file (either opened on my 2017 i5 Macbook or 2021 M1 Mac Mini). This is a screenshot...

I see the same in Photos on my iPad. However, in Affinity Photo it is correct, so I think perhaps you should try some other photo viewers.

I'm a little unclear on your workflow. You said when it looks good on screen, you go into the Develop Persona and develop it. That would only be needed for a RAW image, and if you had a RAW image you wouldn't need to "go into" the Develop Persona, as you'd already be there. Some more details on your workflow might help.

But I have a guess: whatever you're doing, you're either Saving a TIFF file that you Opened (which will produce a TIFF file with Zip compression) or you're Exporting to TIFF, and leaving Zip compression enabled in the Export Options. And the viewing programs you've tried so far may not like that compression. I'll do some more checking when I'm at my Windows computer, later.

Edit: Or perhaps they don't understand EDR images?

[Mark W]

Thanks Walt, I'll have to take another look at what exactly, I'm doing then. I'm very new to Affinity (and processing in general). I'll work on it and see if I can identify the issue (sounds like it could revolve around what you suggest but I need to check). If it doesn't resolve, I'll return and give a full breakdown on the 'workflow'. If it does resolve it, I'll let you know.

[Mark W]

That said Walt, you say you see the same in Photos on your ipad? So your ipad is showing the messed up version? So why would that be? Yes, if I open in Affinity, it is correct, as you say, but I need to be able to reopen in Siril (or Preview or Photos) and get what I expect to get. 

Another thing to set me straight: If I open a clean, RAW image from my camera, yes, Affinity has opened it  in the Develop persona. However, if I wish to then use layers etc, can I process it in the develop persona first then transfer to the other 'persona' for layers etc (I forget the names of the personas), do further processing then back to develop persona for final tweaks and develop?

[NotMyFault]

The tiff is rgb/32.

you need to utilize 32 bit preview, and activate „icc“ preview mode. This will simulate how the image will look with gamma 2.2 (or any value you can input).

otherwise it is shown in linear gamma (1.0).

It depends how you have configured Photo how the image will be rendered.

[NotMyFault]

Depending on your PC and display capabilities, Photo can switch to HDR / EDR mode to render RGB/32 documents. If anything is mis-configured (e.g. display color profile), it will impact the rendering.

To check, use my attached file to create a RGB/16 file, and a copy in RGB/32 Mode. Inspect both files, and make yourself familiar with 32-bit preview panel, and HDR/EDR.

Both files should look identical. if not, your setup needs to be adjusted.

 

[Mark W]

Thanks guys. It appears, if I export it as a "Siril built in sRGB" profile (which I hadn't looked at in the drop down box), it saves (or exports I should say) properly. I don't know why because I have no idea what any of this jargon means, I just wish to use the app but apps are developed by people who seem to think we all like to research every single tech/geek aspect about saving files and doing coding etc.

Anyhow, thanks again. Appreciated. If you hadn't prompted, I'd have been no further forward.