RAW files looking "dull" when first opened in Affinity Photo

[Jon Haines]

I use a Cannon DSLR camera and shoot/save images as RAW(*.CR2) and JPEG files.

When I open the RAW and JPEG files of an image in Affinity Photo , the JPEG image looks "correct" in terms of colour, brightness and contrast etc., but the RAW image is much "duller" and no where near looking "correct". To make the image look correct and get the most of the RAW detail, I obviously use the tools available and then "develop" the image.

It's the same with RAW and JPEG files from my wife's Panasonic camera.

Can anyone give me some help here please.

When I open the RAW and JPEG files of an image in Canons own Digital Photo Professional v4, both images are very similar in terms of brightness, colour and contrast etc., with the RAW file being better quality.

Thanks, Jon Haines.

[Lee D]

The JPEG images have already been processed by the camera, auto adjustments applied and data discarded. Whereas a RAW file has no processing applied, you have all the data taken by the camera to use and adjust, this allows you greater control over the adjustments made you make to the image.

Have a read through this Spotlight article we have on RAW files.

[v_kyr]

@Lee D

One of those many questions which periodically/regulary pops up and which I would thus expect to be handled in APh related Faqs.

[HVDB Photography]

54 minutes ago, v_kyr said:

@Lee D

One of those many questions which periodically/regulary pops up and which I would thus expect to be handled in APh related Faqs.

+1

[R C-R]

18 hours ago, v_kyr said:

@Lee D

One of those many questions which periodically/regulary pops up and which I would thus expect to be handled in APh related Faqs.

Think that would really do any good? Consider how many of the questions the FAQs already answer & how often users still post new topics asking about them. 

[v_kyr]

2 hours ago, R C-R said:

Think that would really do any good?

YES - That's what Frequently Asked Questions are usually meant and used for. Also maybe better than again and again answering the same boring questions repeatedly. So you can point to a FAQ which then hopefully deals with those most used Q instead, might also ease work for their support people here. They can give it a try, it doesn't hurt to offer this.

[R C-R]

7 minutes ago, v_kyr said:

They can give it a try, it doesn't hurt to offer this.

Maybe it won't, but from what I have seen over the years, when a single FAQ tries to cover too many topics, a lot of users simply won't read it, even when told whatever they are looking for is covered in the FAQ.

For whatever reason, they seem to want a more personalized reply.

[v_kyr]

Don't know what the majority of people prefer and thus can't speak for all others here, but personally the first I do when I encounter a software specific problem is, to look into possible available manuals, FAQs, HowTo's, in order to see if those already deal with my software related problem. Beside I search the net for related informations.

[MarcelJM_M]

Probably too late (hope too) for you Jon, but didn't you find it funny to see how 1 question can lead to so many Oracle of Delphi-like answers?

I posted it anyway because a Google search led me to this page. 

In the Develop persona on the toolbar, there is a knob called "Assistant Manager".

Enable this and a good deal of "initial-developing" your RAW file will be performed. 

You can still apply further corrections, but the initial and indeed not very motivating "dullness" is gone.