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Thread: DPP Workflow - Levels

  1. #1
    Jonathan Michael Ashton
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    Default DPP Workflow - Levels

    I am using DPP and when I adjust the levels Histogram in RAW it is different when I look at the Histogram in RGB with or without Luminance. If for example I "optimise" the RAW Histogram and I check in the RGB I sometimes find the RGB has been "overdone"
    I am guessing the RGB with Luminance gives the optimal settings but I am guessing - could anyone advise please

    Thanks

    Jon

  2. #2
    Robert Amoruso
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    Unfortunately I do not use DPP or even have it loaded so not sure how to answer this in the context of your workflow.

    Anyone reading that is using Canon's DPP software?

  3. #3
    Alfred Forns
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    Jonathan your better using any of the other programs like ACR or LightRoom I have used DPP but only as a last resort when the raw format was not supported. Haven't gone back any more since images can be converted to DNG.

    btw if you want to try LR there is a free trial period !!!

  4. #4
    Jonathan Michael Ashton
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    Thanks Robert/Alfred, I did download Light Room, it is a very comprehensive programme and probably unnecessarily sophisticated for my purposes and it costs several hundred pounds. I removed it from my PC after a day - perhaps a little too hastily.
    DPP is free and seems to cover all the aspects of RAW processing I require, from there I can move to Photoshop without incurring additional expense.

    Jon

  5. #5
    Alfred Forns
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    Jonathan Why not process the images in PS with ACR? It is basically the same as LR? Easy to use and will get excellent results !!

  6. #6
    BPN Member Kerry Perkins's Avatar
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    Jon,

    I have been using DPP for conversion for a few months now and learned some things by trial and error. I find the histograms to be not so good, but there is a technique that might help you out. Are you aware of the clipping warnings in DPP? You can use "option M" and "option N" to show the same type of clipping warnings as in PS. M gives you highlight warning and N gives black clipping. What I typically do is turn those on and adjust the "brightness" (which I think is really exposure) so that there are no red pixels showing. If your image also has clipped blacks, you can usually resolve that with contrast adjustment. I generally set contrast at -2 or less in DPP anyway. I find it best not to try to do any curves or level adjustments in DPP, but once you have your dynamic range tamed in DPP then export the image to PS and do the levels, curves, and color work there. I find DPP to be a very good converter for Canon cameras and I like the browsing capabilities.

    Also worth noting that DPP will give you very contrasty images if you don't set the contrast very low and turn off "Auto Lighting Optimizer", which you can do as a preference setting. I use the "standard" picture style in the camera and don't try to add saturation or sharpness in DPP. I've been very happy with the way DPP presents the image right out of the camera with these settings and find it gives you a good starting place to work in PS. Photoshop does a much better job of fine tuning the image, so I think it's best to do that there.

  7. #7
    Jonathan Michael Ashton
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    Thanks Kerry, I seem to be doing the same things as you do, and I too am quite happy with DPP. I was just curious over why the histograms appear to give different results but i think the RGB histogram is the one to keep an eye on.

    Jon

  8. #8
    Jonathan Michael Ashton
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    Quote Originally Posted by Alfred Forns View Post
    Jonathan Why not process the images in PS with ACR? It is basically the same as LR? Easy to use and will get excellent results !!
    Hi Al, is ACR the same thing as Adobe Bridge? If so I am caught betwixt between. The latest Bridge accommodates the 50D files but it will not interface with CS2, the version of Bridge that I have will not read the 50D files. Same old story software seems to be designed to keep on attacking your wallet!!

    Jon

  9. #9
    Alfred Forns
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    Hi Jonathan It is not the same. Bridge is more of a browser.

    You could get an oder version of CS to read the new files if you convert the files to DNG. Adobe has a free converter for download. Best to update to CS4 when you are able, besides reading all the different raw formats it has many new features. Highly recommende !!

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