Sharper unprocessed image

[tomsoper]

Lightroom Version Number

10.2

Operating System

1. macOS 11 Big Sur

Hi,

I have just noticed that when I press the backslash key to see the unedited image, the image I see is much sharper than the image when I don't press the key. I have not done any editing in LR, just imported the photo. I am attaching the example with the photo on the right the cleaner image that shows when I have pressed the backslash key and the image on the left the version LR has produce before any editing.

I'd like to understand why this is and whether I can import the images to ensure they stay as sharp and crisp as the image I see when pressing the backslash key.

Any help would be great.

Many thanks.

 

[Johan Elzenga]

If you haven't done any editing yet, then the 'unedited' image is probably the embedded preview. That is a jpeg that was edited by the camera software.

 

[tomsoper]

Ah right, I understand. So the camera has done a nice job! Better than lightroom raw processing. Interestingly if I put them same image through PS raw processing it looks a lot better. Thanks a lot Johan.

 

[Replytoken]

So the camera has done a nice job! Better than lightroom raw processing.

I am not sure that is a fair comparison. LR has left the raw image in an editable state so you can determine how much you want the image sharpened. The embedded preview is kept/used for your convenience.

--Ken

 

[Johan Elzenga]

Ah right, I understand. So the camera has done a nice job! Better than lightroom raw processing.

There is no Lightroom raw processing yet. Lightroom only generated a preview of the raw data. If you want to compare the two, then press the 'Auto' button in Lightroom so you don't compare apples and oranges.

 

[tomsoper]

I am not sure that is a fair comparison. LR has left the raw image in an editable state so you can determine how much you want the image sharpened. The embedded preview is kept/used for your convenience.

--Ken

Many thanks Ken. You make a great point. I guess I think it would be more useful to see the unedited raw image rather than the embedded preview. Do you know if this is possible?

 

[tomsoper]

There is no Lightroom raw processing yet. Lightroom only generated a preview of the raw data. If you want to compare the two, then press the 'Auto' button in Lightroom so you don't compare apples and oranges.

Excellent thanks I will try that, many thanks.

 

[Replytoken]

Many thanks Ken. You make a great point. I guess I think it would be more useful to see the unedited raw image rather than the embedded preview. Do you know if this is possible?

Unfortunately, to "see" a raw images requires a bit of interpretation by the software manufacturer, so what you would be seeing is what Adobe believes is the rendering they think you should see. The embedded jpeg is used by almost everybody because it is there, but it is also subject to what the camera company wants you to see, albeit adjusted by you in the camera settings. This is somewhat why some people prefer certain software programs over others. I tend to view Adobe as somewhat conservative in their offerings, with the idea that you are going to do the work of making the image look like what you want it to be. Granted, we have all kinds of presets and auto features, but for the most part, Adobe wants you to be the decision maker.

Looking at it another way, use the embedded preview as a guide to help you learn how to process a raw file. As you get better, you may stop using it as such as you will know how you want the image to look. In short, you want to train yourself to use the embedded preview for culling and evaluation, but work with the raw file when it comes time to actual post processing.

--Ken

 

[LRList001]

Many thanks Ken. You make a great point. I guess I think it would be more useful to see the unedited raw image rather than the embedded preview. Do you know if this is possible?

You probably don't mean that. If you would like to see the unprocessed raw image (or something close to it), a free raw processor called rawtherapee can do it. You will get a green biased image and it will look a mess. A raw file goes through many stages of processing before something like a recognisable image emerges, at what point in that process you would consider you have an unedited raw image is a matter of opinion. Adobe have provided their choice of starting point.

 

[tomsoper]

Excellent thanks I will try that, many thanks.

Do you know what button is equivalent to 'auto'

Unfortunately, to "see" a raw images requires a bit of interpretation by the software manufacturer, so what you would be seeing is what Adobe believes is the rendering they think you should see. The embedded jpeg is used by almost everybody because it is there, but it is also subject to what the camera company wants you to see, albeit adjusted by you in the camera settings. This is somewhat why some people prefer certain software programs over others. I tend to view Adobe as somewhat conservative in their offerings, with the idea that you are going to do the work of making the image look like what you want it to be. Granted, we have all kinds of presets and auto features, but for the most part, Adobe wants you to be the decision maker.

Looking at it another way, use the embedded preview as a guide to help you learn how to process a raw file. As you get better, you may stop using it as such as you will know how you want the image to look. In short, you want to train yourself to use the embedded preview for culling and evaluation, but work with the raw file when it comes time to actual post processing.

--Ken

Superb advice, many thanks Ken.

 

[Jim Wilde]

Do you know what button is equivalent to 'auto'

I'm not sure what you're asking here.....there's no button "equivalent" to "auto", there is just the "Auto" button itself which can be found in the Basic panel in the Develop module, and in the Quick Develop panel in the Library module.