How do I processing RAW images in the same way my camera processes JPEGs?

[stephband]

I have a Panasonic Lumix S5. It captures a RAW file and saves both that and a JPEG version of the same image. I have filters switched off. When I import the two files into an image editor they look completely different. Sometimes, I want to recreate the way my camera has processed the JPEG while editing the RAW image but I'm struggling to understand what it is doing and why.

An example. Here's an image I shot last night. It's not terribly good, but it illustrates the problem...




the JPEG produced by the camera




A screenshot of the RAW image



We can see that that lava river in the JPEG produced by the camera is yellow, as it was on the night, whereas the RAW image has regions that are bleached white. Presumably it still carries the data to unbleach those white patches.

At first I thought this was simply a question of white balance, which I assume is not applied to the RAW image. But adjusting the white balance in an image editor does not solve the problem.

So what is the camera doing and how can I recreate what it is doing?

 

[TorsteinH]

Of course, if you lift the shadows you get a different picture. But as OP stated, he wanted something as close as possible to the original proseccing in camera as possible, so that was what I gave him. ( As far as default in DXO gives that...)

Sure, but I was simply comparing my PL5 defaults with your image that used DxO's original defaults. I didn't explicitly lift the shadows, it's just what my preset does by default. Neither image replicates what the camera produced, and nor should you expect it to. I certainly aim to produce better images than OOC JPEGs, and almost always tweak the settings after my defaults have been applied, as I did here. Depending on whether I wanted the people to be seen, I would tweak it differently.

This is an illustration of how raw development isn't just an automatic conversion process, but one where you modify the appearance of the exported images, depending on what you want them to look like.

Mostly I believe we agree.

Usually I try a lot of different settings to get my RAW files to develop into something I want. Occasionally even some of the FP filmatic looks to give the photo the mode I want.

 

[Digital Nigel]

Of course, if you lift the shadows you get a different picture. But as OP stated, he wanted something as close as possible to the original proseccing in camera as possible, so that was what I gave him. ( As far as default in DXO gives that...)

Sure, but I was simply comparing my PL5 defaults with your image that used DxO's original defaults. I didn't explicitly lift the shadows, it's just what my preset does by default. Neither image replicates what the camera produced, and nor should you expect it to. I certainly aim to produce better images than OOC JPEGs, and almost always tweak the settings after my defaults have been applied, as I did here. Depending on whether I wanted the people to be seen, I would tweak it differently.

This is an illustration of how raw development isn't just an automatic conversion process, but one where you modify the appearance of the exported images, depending on what you want them to look like.

Mostly I believe we agree.

Usually I try a lot of different settings to get my RAW files to develop into something I want. Occasionally even some of the FP filmatic looks to give the photo the mode I want.

Yes, I must remember to try the FP film renderings more often. They're not part of my normal workflow, so I usually forget about them. I do use Leica M9 colour renderings for all my images, however (I'm not sure if that's a native PL feature, or only comes if you have FP)

 

[stephband]

Yes, it is giving us more picture than ANY other editor that has been tried in this thread.

I went to the DXO website to look for supported cameras/lenses, and when I searched for Lumix S5 with Sigma 14-24mm 2.8f DN it said 'no support'. So are you sure that is applying any lens correction at all? Because not applying lens correction would be a sure way to get the whole image back. I have been trying to find ways to switch it off in other apps!

This is the module it downloaded and installed

Is that not your lens?

Yes, that's it. I stand corrected.

Perhaps you have another detailed image with straight lines (eg, buildings or just a carefully shot, rectilinear picture of tiles) that we can check? Upload the OOC JPEG (and maybe one from another raw developer) and share the raw file.

No, but it's a good idea. I shall take one. Can't right now, I'm in the mountains and nothing has straight lines.

 

[s_grins]

SilkyPix. The version they offer is out of date (8, current version 11) and pretty clunky.

There is a SilkyPix PRO 11 for Panasonic cameras only. Price is $30 Sales end at August 31.

Here is the link

Good luck

 

[Digital Nigel]

Yes, it is giving us more picture than ANY other editor that has been tried in this thread.

I went to the DXO website to look for supported cameras/lenses, and when I searched for Lumix S5 with Sigma 14-24mm 2.8f DN it said 'no support'. So are you sure that is applying any lens correction at all? Because not applying lens correction would be a sure way to get the whole image back. I have been trying to find ways to switch it off in other apps!

This is the module it downloaded and installed

Is that not your lens?

Yes, that's it. I stand corrected.

Perhaps you have another detailed image with straight lines (eg, buildings or just a carefully shot, rectilinear picture of tiles) that we can check? Upload the OOC JPEG (and maybe one from another raw developer) and share the raw file.

No, but it's a good idea. I shall take one. Can't right now, I'm in the mountains and nothing has straight lines.

Make sure you shoot at 14mm, and see if you can get a shot with people near the edges. Low light would be good, too.