Why does a RAW photo look different in Lightroom before it finishes loading?
Asked 5/2/2015
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2 answers
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When I first open a newly imported RAW file in Lightroom, the image briefly looks more vibrant and brighter while the loading spinner is visible. A moment later, once Lightroom finishes loading, the photo changes to a flatter, lower-contrast version. If I open the same file again later, I only see the final version.
What is Lightroom showing during that initial moment, and what changes once loading is complete? Does Lightroom apply default RAW settings automatically, and can those defaults be viewed or changed?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
11y ago
2 Answers
3
As far as I know Lightroom shows the JPG preview which is stored in the RAW file when you first view a picture. This preview is created in camera based on the current settings and is used for things like the histogram in-camera as well as reviewing pictures in-camera.(This is the higher contrast, vibrant picture)
After Lightroom has applied its default settings you then see the "rendered" RAW file in Lightroom. (This is the lower contrast, duller picture) You can apply develop presets when importing if you want perform some default processing on a batch of images.
As a result of this I find it useful to shoot with very netural in-camera settings when shooting RAW to avoid this issue and get a better idea of what I have actually captured.
Originally by user22113. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user22113
11y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Lightroom is typically showing the JPEG preview embedded inside the RAW file first. That preview was generated by the camera using its current picture settings, so it can look more contrasty, saturated, or brighter.
Once Lightroom finishes loading, it renders the actual RAW data using Lightroom’s own default processing. RAW files need interpretation, so Lightroom applies default develop settings to produce the final image you see in the Library/Develop view. That’s why the second version can look flatter or less vivid than the camera-made preview.
Yes, Lightroom does apply defaults to RAW files, and you can change that behavior by applying develop presets on import or by adjusting your default RAW rendering workflow. A practical tip: if you shoot RAW, using more neutral in-camera picture settings can make the embedded preview closer to the eventual Lightroom rendering, reducing the visual jump.
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