Can a manufacturer's RAW software exactly match the camera's in-camera JPEG output?
Asked 10/14/2013
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2 answers
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If you shoot RAW+JPEG and then convert the RAW file using the camera maker’s own software, should the result be identical to the in-camera JPEG, or only very close?
For example, with a Canon EOS 550D and Canon Digital Photo Professional, the converted JPEG can look extremely similar to the camera JPEG but not perfectly identical, with small differences such as sharpening or noise reduction. Is an exact match generally possible, and does this vary by manufacturer?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
12y ago
2 Answers
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In theory the camera manufacturer can make the processing exactly the same or completely different since they have full control over what goes into the camera and the raw processor.
It's both "common knowledge" and "common sense" that the in-camera an stand alone raw convertor from the same company will produce the same results, except for the converter version: software is easier to update than firmware, the stand alone converter may have a different version of the same raw processing algorithm than what you have in camera (this is especially true for older cameras that no longer have regular firmware updates like the 550D).
However, an opinion that is both "common knowledge" and "common sense" doesn't have to be true - this is especially true since those two processing systems have different target audiences (pro/serious hobbyist for the external processor and the full-auto crowd for the built in processing) and that some camera companies outsource their raw processor entirely (for example Nikon) so it's possible the two will use completely different algorithms.
There's really no way to know for a specific camera model except to test it.
Originally by user2481. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user2481
12y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Usually you can get very close, but not necessarily an exact match.
In theory, a camera maker could make its desktop RAW converter produce the same output as the camera’s JPEG engine, since it controls both. In practice, exact matches often do not happen.
Common reasons include:
- different processing algorithm versions in firmware vs desktop software
- camera firmware not being updated as often as computer software
- in-camera processing steps that are not exposed as user controls
- differences in sharpening and noise reduction, which are often the hardest to match
So the answer is:
- Possible in theory: yes
- Guaranteed in practice: no
This is not specific to Canon; the same can apply with other brands as well. Even with the manufacturer’s own converter, you may only get a very close approximation rather than a byte-for-byte or visually perfect match.
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