Lightroom Classic RAW images from Photo Mechanic

[pipernails]

Lightroom Version Number

15.1

Operating System

1. macOS 26 Tahoe

Hi,

I'm new to the board and could really use some help! When I ingest my images to Photo Mechanic, the embedded JPEGS look clean with no noise or grain even at high ISO (3200 and higher). When I import from Photo Mechanic to Lightroom Classic, it reverts to the unprocessed RAW files and they are super noisy. My question is... Is there a way to import to Lightroom Classic so the images look like they do in Photo Mechanic?

Attached is a small screenshot of the Photo Mechanic image.

Thanks so much!

- Laura

 

[clee01l]

RAW files SOOC are not a image in Pixels but rather Photosite values. Your camera produces an 8 bit JPEG based upon setting that you chose before you even left your house. Your camera takes your RAW data, demosaics it and creates pixels based upon your previously determined settings. It then creates a JPEG thumbnail and includes that along with the RAW data. It is this 8 bit JPEG that you see in Photo mechanic. When you import the RAW file into Lightroom, it uses ACR to demosaic the RAW data into RGB pixels.These pixels are by default flat, toneless and somewhat noisy. The default color profile is applied and you have a basic image to work with. Anyone with a little Lightroom develop experience can produce a better image than the in camera JPEG. And now you have a 16 bit color image to improve and export.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Replytoken]

You could use the embedded files for your previews in LR, and see similar results as in PM, but you are still going to be editing your raw files in the Develop module, so the question I would ask is what is your desired outcome? If you like the look of the embedded jpeg, then you could use that file. You could also use your camera manufacturer's native software which may be able to adjust your raw file to look like the embedded jpeg. Or you could work with LR to learn how to adjust your raw files to look more like what you want them to look like. Many folks who stick with LR tend to do the latter, as they generally have a vision beyond the embedded jpeg file.

--Ken