Picture not having the same appearance inside and outside Affinity

[bru]

Hello all !

 

I encounter a problem that may be linked to some extent to the definition of profiles. This is a topic that has been discussed a lot in the forum, but I didn't find any explanation to the problem I encounter.

 

When I load a picture in Affinity (whatever is the format - I tried JPEG, 16 bit PSD, 32 bit EXR), I observe that pictures have a lower contrast when viewed in affinity than in any other image editing or presentation tool I have (Gimp 2.8, Photoplus X8, Paintshop pro X8, Windows 10 Photos, Cinema4d Visualiser), while they look identical in all these tools.

 

I also observe that, if I save the picture in a file, the file looks identical to the original one.

 

In Affinity, this loss of contrast looks mainly important in dark areas.

 

To make sure, I have drawn a rectangle with RVB colour 2, 4, 2 in Affinity Photo. Then I made a screen copy and paste it in Photoplus X8. If I get the colour of the rectangle pixels, I find RGB 13, 13, 10.

 

Please note that I use calibrated monitors (using a X-rite I1 profiler sensor) and therefore ICC profiles are set in the Windows colour management panel. I don't know if there is a relationship with the monitor profile.

 

The problem is that I generate pictures to be seen mainly on screen, so I need to see them as they will be displayed outside Affinity. Do you know a way to solve this issue ?

 

Thank you a lot.

[Lee D]

Hi bru,

 

In Preferences > Colour,  have you set the colour profiles you've created using your sensor to be used. As I repeated your process of creating a shape setting the colour to RGB 2,4,2 and taking a screenshot. When using the Colour Pickup Tool it reported the same value, RGB 2,4,2. My system is setup to use sRGB IEC61966-2.1.

[emmrecs01]

Hi bru,

 

In Preferences > Colour,  have you set the colour profiles you've created using your sensor to be used. As I repeated your process of creating a shape setting the colour to RGB 2,4,2 and taking a screenshot. When using the Colour Pickup Tool it reported the same value, RGB 2,4,2. My system is setup to use sRGB IEC61966-2.1.

I think the first part of this post may well be the answer to this question https://forum.affinity.serif.com/index.php?/topic/31554-colour-profiles-and-affinity-designer-and-photo/ to which I did not receive a direct answer, I think.  

 

Can I assume from the above that I should set the Preferences>Colour for both AP and AD to be the calibrated monitor profile which the X-Rite ColorMunki Display is set to create each month?

 

Jeff

[bru]

Hello all,

 

First thank you to attempt to answer.

 

Nevertheless, modifying the profiles in "preferences/colour" does not produce any change to the display ! :(

 

I was understanding that these profiles in preferences were the default profiles for the file, and to my understanding, for a picture to be presented on screen, it should be sRGB IEC61966-2.1 anyway. Am I wrong ?

 

Please have a look to the picture below. It is a screen capture with the same picture presented in Affinity Photo (on the left) and in Windows 10 Photo (on the right). Please look to the difference in dark levels. The screen capture has been performed in one shot, with the two windows overlapping. Please don't take care that Windows Photo smoothes the picture a little. Anyway, it is easy to see that pixel colours are significantly modified, and the Windows Photo colours are identical to those presented by all the other software I have.

 

 

Note also that, if I disable colour management in Windows, the problem dissapears. But in this case, there is no longer any correction anywhere and the visual appearance will never be the right one. So this is clearly not a solution.

 

Note also that the problem is only in display, not in the file. In the experiment here over with RGB values, if I save the file and open it with another software, the pixel values are correct.

 

Finally, why Affinity photo would modify its display as a function of the display profile of the colour management module of Windows ? I was understanding that these profiles are used there to correct transfer functions at graphic board DAC level, to make the display matching the sRGB colour space. So, there should be no need for a correction at application level. Please explain me why I am wrong ! :(

 

Anyway, again thank for your help !

[SanTu]

Hi Bru,

 

I am sorry that I cannot be of help, but I am having the same issue. 

 

Hopefully someone from Affinity tech support will provide us with a resolution.

 

Fingers crossed.

 

San.

[bru]

May-be I have a work-around, but it looks very strange. I think there is a bug or something not properly supported.

 

To solve the issue, I simply disable the colour correction for my main monitor before starting affinity in the colour management panel of Windows. Once Affinity is started, I re-enable colour management. As long as do not restart Affinity, I do not see the problem while loading pictures.

 

Anyway, this is not very comfortable, And I am affraid having misunderstood something.

 

Finally, what I observe is this has no impact on file content, but only on display. I also observe that, when the problem is present, it is something like if Affinity would apply a correction on display that "counteracts" corrections due to the profile: my profile makes dark pixels darker, and affinity try to make them lighter, with quite a similar intensity.

 

If somebody from Serif staff may have a look and either explain or report...

[bru]

This message just to bring this topic up. Should be nice to get an answer... ;)