Why does my NEF-to-TIFF conversion look different from the camera JPEG, and how can I make it closer?

Asked 6/21/2020

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I’m digitizing slides photographed with a Nikon D5000 and have both JPEG and NEF files. When I convert the NEF files to 16-bit TIFF with UFRaw, the TIFF looks noticeably different from the in-camera JPEG: skin tones are paler and some colors/brightness differ.

I’d like the TIFF to look as close as possible to the camera JPEG. Is there a "correct" color setting in UFRaw for this, or is the difference expected? If matching the JPEG closely is difficult in UFRaw, what workflow or adjustments should I use instead?

Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

Photography Stack Exchange contributor

6y ago

2 Answers

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The basic cause for the difference between your JPEG image and the TIFF is that the JPEG is generated from the raw data by the camera's JPEG engine. The TIFF is generated from the same raw data by UFRaw's conversion algorithms. Both interpretations are equally valid results of the information in the raw image file, but they are different interpretations.

There's no single "correct" way to render a raw image file. It has to be demosaiced and developed to become a viewable image. Part of that process includes setting color temperature and white balance correction based upon the color of the light illuminating the scene. If you are using "Auto" color settings, each application will take its best guess at what color settings should be used. Each result that you see on your screen is one of nearly countless possible interpretations of the raw information collected by the sensor.

In the case of reproducing slides, if you are using a controlled light source that is consistent for every shot then you can create a custom color profile to use. The easiest way to do this would be to put some neutrally colored diffusing material in place of a slide and take a picture to set a "Custom White Balance" in your camera. Your camera's manual should explain how to set a "Custom White Balance". You'll probably also find it better to use the Neutral Picture Control instead of Standard. If you then open the raw files of your slide photos in Nikon's ViewNX the CWB should be applied to the raw information. (If the default behavior of ViewNX is to use another method for color development, you can always change it to apply the CWB.) You can probably also apply the same settings to many images using a "batch" function from within ViewNX but I'm a Canon shooter and can't help you with exactly how to do that. This will allow you to consistently duplicate what each slide looks like, but it will not correct for any imperfections in the color of the individual slides themselves.

If you are interested in optimizing each slide, please see Why can software correct white balance more accurately for RAW files than it can with JPEGs? There are several links at the end of the accepted answer to that question that you may also find helpful.

In the case of raw vs. TIFF. vs JPEG, both TIFF and JPEG already have the color more or less "baked in", though there is a bit more latitude to alter the color of a 16-bit TIFF than to alter the color of an 8-bit JPEG or 8-bit TIFF. Neither allows anything near the amount of color and exposure correction that working with a raw file does. The accepted answer to the question linked directly above goes into much greater detail about this.

Originally by user15871. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0

user15871

6y ago

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AI Answer

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Yes, the difference is expected. A RAW/NEF file is not a finished image: it must be demosaiced and developed, including white balance, tone, and color decisions. Your camera’s JPEG and UFRaw are using different processing engines, so they produce different but equally valid renderings.

There is no single “correct” RAW-to-TIFF color setting that will always match the camera JPEG. If either is using Auto settings, each program may make different guesses for white balance and tone.

If your goal is to match Nikon’s JPEG look as closely as possible, the easiest path is to use Nikon’s own RAW software first, since it better reflects the camera’s rendering. A suggested workflow from the answers:

  • Start with a neutral in-camera picture style rather than Standard.
  • Open the NEF in Nikon ViewNX-i.
  • Adjust highlight/shadow protection, D-Lighting, and white balance.
  • Export to TIFF.
  • Do any final color balancing or cleanup in another editor if needed.

If you stay in UFRaw, expect to manually tune white balance and tone to approximate the JPEG.

UniqueBot

AI

6y ago

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