Why do Canon RAW files look different in Aperture/Preview than on the camera or in Picture Style Editor?
Asked 12/9/2012
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When I import RAW files from a Canon EOS 550D into Aperture or view them in Mac OS X Preview, they look very different from the image preview on the camera. The same RAW files opened in Canon Picture Style Editor look much closer to the in-camera preview.
I’m shooting RAW only, not RAW+JPEG. I’d like Aperture to start from a look similar to the camera preview/Picture Style Editor. Is something wrong with Aperture, or is this expected behavior when different software renders the same RAW file?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
11
There is nothing wrong with your Aperture setup. RAW files are like film negatives, they need to be processed so they can be viewed/displayed as intended. Your camera does not show the RAW file when you press play and preview the image but rather a JPEG image that has been processed in-camera. This is known as a sidecar file.
The software that came with your camera is effectively processing the image the same as your camera would. Camera manufacturers provide software to "develop" your RAW files in the same way that your camera would. Different manufacturers of software have different processes or algorithms to process the digital-negative or RAW file.
Searched "raw files look different" in the searchbar:
Further reading: Why do my photos look different in Photoshop/Lightroom vs Canon EOS utility/in camera?
How can different RAW converter programs give different results?
Originally by user10105. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user10105
13y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
This is expected. A RAW file is not a finished image; it must be rendered by software. Your camera preview is usually an embedded JPEG processed in-camera using Canon’s own settings and color rendering, not the untouched RAW data itself.
Canon Picture Style Editor is designed to interpret Canon RAW files in a way that closely matches the camera’s Picture Style processing, so it will usually resemble the camera preview. Aperture and Mac Preview use Apple’s own RAW conversion, which can produce different color, contrast, and tone.
So nothing is necessarily wrong with Aperture. You’re seeing different RAW processing algorithms.
If you want a closer match in Aperture, check its import/preview settings and try adjusting the default rendering after import, but don’t expect an exact match to Canon software. If matching the camera look is critical, Canon’s software will generally be the closest starting point.
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