Does it make sense to apply a camera preset to a RAW file?

[PhilBurton]

I'm considering the i1 Profile Pro with ColorChecker bundle X-Rite i1Display Pro and ColorChecker Passport Bundle EODIS3CCPP, which can create a DNG camera profile based on the color grid target. This camera profile can then be applied in Lightroom (or other applications) to one or more images.

My question is: If I am processing RAW files (NEF), is there any benefit to using this camera profile, or is there a "dis-benefit?"

Phil

 

[Deleted member 39308]

Depends on what type of photos you take. If you are a professional taking product shoots then accurate colour reproduction is critical and a camera profile will help achieve this.

If you take landscape photos and use the temp and tint sliders to change the colour to an artistic impression then the camera profile would not have any value.

 

[PhilBurton]

Depends on what type of photos you take. If you are a professional taking product shoots then accurate colour reproduction is critical and a camera profile will help achieve this.

If you take landscape photos and use the temp and tint sliders to change the colour to an artistic impression then the camera profile would not have any value.

Let's say I do car about accurate color reproductiion, even though I'm not a professional taking product shots. The ColorChecker creates a camera preset as a DNG. However, I shoot RAW, Nikon NEF, and I don't want to convert to using DNGs. Are there any issues here because I'm using NEF, not DNG, or because I'm using any kind of RAW, not a TIFF or JPG?

Phil

 

[Rob_Cullen]

As I understand ColorChecker-
You do not have to convert all your images to using DNG.
The ColorChecker profile maker only uses a dng file to create the profile. And you only need to convert one NEF to DNG in order to create the camera profile.
The profile applies equally well to NEF images (or CR2 for Canon).
Because the raw data in a NEF is exactly the same as in a DNG, and the camera profile is correcting the way that the camera sensor raw data is shown in Lightroom for more accurate colors.

 

[PhilBurton]

As I understand ColorChecker-
You do not have to convert all your images to using DNG.
The ColorChecker profile maker only uses a dng file to create the profile. And you only need to convert one NEF to DNG in order to create the camera profile.
The profile applies equally well to NEF images (or CR2 for Canon).
Because the raw data in a NEF is exactly the same as in a DNG, and the camera profile is correcting the way that the camera sensor raw data is shown in Lightroom for more accurate colors.

Thank you. A while back I had a debate with myself about changing my workflow to DNG but ultimately decided to stay with NEF. (Not trying to re-discuss this issue in this thread!!)

The ColorChecker comes with a Lightroom plug-in that processes the camera's images of the ColorChecker card and produces the DNG camera profile.

Phil

 

[Rob_Cullen]

"...produces the DNG camera profile."
Phil- A slight amendment to your statement- the ColorChecker "...produces the camera profile." (DNG is not part of the profile created)

 

[Deleted member 39308]

Let's say I do car about accurate color reproductiion, even though I'm not a professional taking product shots. The ColorChecker creates a camera preset as a DNG. However, I shoot RAW, Nikon NEF, and I don't want to convert to using DNGs. Are there any issues here because I'm using NEF, not DNG, or because I'm using any kind of RAW, not a TIFF or JPG?

Phil

Just to confirm Adobe does refer to custom camera profiles as DNG profiles. I can see how this confusing but such a custom profile appears in the camera calibration panel and can be applied to all Raw files not just DNG files. Adobe use the .dcp file type but call them DNG profiles. It is worth creating a custom profile as you are looking for accurate color reproduction.

This is the Adobe explanation:

The name "DNG camera profile" is used because (1) the underlying camera profile format comes from the DNG 1.2 specification and (2) these camera profiles can be embedded in DNG images.

The name does not mean that these profiles can only be used to process DNG images. In fact, the new AS and CM profiles
can be used to process both DNG and non-DNG images.

A DNG camera profile is a file (with a .dcp extension) that describes the colorimetric interpretation of digital raw
image data. Note that profiles are usually camera-specific and may be embedded in DNG raw files.

 

[PhilBurton]

Just to confirm Adobe does refer to custom camera profiles as DNG profiles. I can see how this confusing but such a custom profile appears in the camera calibration panel and can be applied to all Raw files not just DNG files. Adobe use the .dcp file type but call them DNG profiles. It is worth creating a custom profile as you are looking for accurate color reproduction.

This is the Adobe explanation:

The name "DNG camera profile" is used because (1) the underlying camera profile format comes from the DNG 1.2 specification and (2) these camera profiles can be embedded in DNG images.

The name does not mean that these profiles can only be used to process DNG images. In fact, the new AS and CM profiles
can be used to process both DNG and non-DNG images.

A DNG camera profile is a file (with a .dcp extension) that describes the colorimetric interpretation of digital raw
image data. Note that profiles are usually camera-specific and may be embedded in DNG raw files.

Thank you.

I think a LOT of my confusion comes from the video tutorial on the Xrite site for the ColorChecker where the speaker says that the camera profile is expressed as a DNG because that is what she uses as her RAW file format. You dispelled that confusion for me and now I feel comfortable in ordering the ColorChecker bundle as opposed to just the i1 Display Pro screen calibration tool.

Phil

 

[Rob_Cullen]

Thanks Ad Astra, great explanation putting myself and Phil on the right track.