Using DNG Profile Editor to generate DCP profiles

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi,

Color Checker Passport has stolen all the attention, but Adobe has also an excellent product for building colour profiles.

When I got my P45+ (an older generation MF digital back from Phase One) I started generating a new DCP profile. This is what my first test shots looked like Adobe Standard on the left, my new profile on the right:



Generating this profile was very easy with DNG Profile Editor (a free product from Adobe):


Select the DNG file containing the Xrite ColorChecker


Move the markers over the corresponding patches on the colour checker.

Select 6500K only profile (I will discuss dual illuminant profiles later on)

Now all colours of the ColorChecker can be edited.

Export the file, and restart Lightroom, that's it!


Best regards
Erik

[sankos]

Erik,
wouldn't you white balance before you start generating the dcp? I think if you added that step then you wouldn't have to reset the WB in LR after you changed from the Adobe Standard to your custom dcp. That's one of the differences that I find between using the X-rite generated dcp's and Adobe Profile Editor.

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi,

I don't think so, hopefully great guru Eric Chan chimes in this question :-)

Best regards
Erik

Erik,
wouldn't you white balance before you start generating the dcp? I think if you added that step then you wouldn't have to reset the WB in LR after you changed from the Adobe Standard to your custom dcp. That's one of the differences that I find between using the X-rite generated dcp's and Adobe Profile Editor.

[sankos]

What struck me when I created my first dcp with the X-rite Passport LR plug-in was that when switching from the default Adobe Standard to the custom profile the WB setting in LR would show a changed value for the "As shot" default setting (white, rather than greyed out number values). If you double-click the Tint and/or Temp it greys the number(s) out and gives a more appropriate value for the changed profile, at least that's the case for my cameras and my profiles. Have you noticed this?

Yes, it would be great if Eric chimed in and explained why this happens

[edited to add]: Alternatively do this: before changing the profile from Adobe Standard go to the WB setting and switch from the default "As shot" to "Custom", without changing anything. Then switch to your custom profile. Notice that if you now go to the WB section the "As shot" values differ from the initial Custom settings.

[ErikKaffehr]

Hi,

No, I didn't notice. I can try to duplicate when I have some time.

When I got the P45+ I tried Xrite ColorChecker Passport, Adobe DNG Profile Editor and QPCard. I decide I felt most comfortable with the Adobe product.

Here is a small write up: http://echophoto.dnsalias.net/ekr/index.php/photoarticles/79-p45-colour-rendition

With the Sony Alpha 99 the Adobe Standard profiles were pretty satisfactory, so I felt I could as well use that profile as default.

Best regards
Eik

What struck me when I created my first dcp with the X-rite Passport LR plug-in was that when switching from the default Adobe Standard to the custom profile the WB setting in LR would show a changed value for the "As shot" default setting (white, rather than greyed out number values). If you double-click the Tint and/or Temp it greys the number(s) out and gives a more appropriate value for the changed profile, at least that's the case for my cameras and my profiles. Have you noticed this?

Yes, it would be great if Eric chimed in and explained why this happens

[sankos]

When I got the P45+ I tried Xrite ColorChecker Passport, Adobe DNG Profile Editor and QPCard. I decide I felt most comfortable with the Adobe product.

Right. It gives me less saturated (more natural?) profiles, plus you can tweak them if you wish to. The X-rite app is almost fully automatic, without the ability to really customize the profile, but in my instance I actually prefer that more saturated profile and it actually is more effective with getting rid of the magenta tint that was driving me nuts with the Sony RX100.

[deejjjaaaa]

Right. It gives me less saturated (more natural?) profiles, plus you can tweak them if you wish to.

what stops you from using alternative software to tweak dcp profiles generated by XRite OEM software ?

[ErikKaffehr]

Which alternative software would you recommend?

Best regards
Erik

what stops you from using alternative software to tweak dcp profiles generated by XRite OEM software ?

[sankos]

what stops you from using alternative software to tweak dcp profiles generated by XRite OEM software ?

What I meant was that the software doesn't allow you that (and the plug-in does all its magic almost completely without user intervention). I haven't investigated all these profile tweaking options yet (bought the Passport last summer), so it's good to know there's some room for development. For now I have a LR dcp that satisfies me but I'm fighting with C1's icm's (will have to try the RawDigger and makeinputicc route when I have some time to re-shoot my test photos).

[deejjjaaaa]

Which alternative software would you recommend?

Adobe PE for example