Author Topic: 32bit to 16bit  (Read 7658 times)

2015-02-26, 14:42:26

hrvojezg00

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Hi, I started working saving as 32bit exr (used to save as 16bit tiff) and all looks good untill I want to save for web. I tonemap to 16bit and all looks washed up, whats casing that? can it be fixed?

2015-02-27, 15:02:15
Reply #1

CiroC

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Do you mean when you convert the file from 32bits to 16bits?? In Photoshop?

2015-02-27, 17:09:36
Reply #2

Juraj

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I answered this elsewhere:

Quote
Photoshop makes this slightly un-obvious but this is the procedure:

CS6 (or older) --) HDR Toning; select method: "Exposure and Gamma" Leave at default to keep identical image

CC (newer ) ---) In settings (preferences) you can decide if you want to use 'HDR Toning' or 'CameraRaw'.
                           If you choose HDR Toning, same as above, choose Exposure and Gamma. If you have few layers, it will simply ask you to merge, say no. No need to select anything.

                           If you select 'CameraRaw' instead, go to 'Camera Calibration' tab, and choose "2010". The default is 2012, which will try to sort of 'equilize histogram' by default for 32bit files.

Gamma when saving openexr/hdr files: 3dsMax 2013 and older : 1.0
              3dsMax 2014/2015: Automatic (which is 1.0 for 32bit OpenExr./Hdr.)

{note: The first time you use CameraRaw, it will clamp the image, so you will loose dynamic range, and cannot do actual tonemapping second time, even if you stay in 32bit mode. You will simply be in linear mode, with 32bit color depth, but with clamped file, so you might as well just go lower to non-linear 8/16bit and continue post-production there}
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2015-02-28, 09:07:51
Reply #3

hrvojezg00

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Hi Juraj,

thanks, but when I do HDR toning all is good untill I turn to 16bit/channel-all turns up washed out and asks for additional contrast/curves adjustments.

2015-02-28, 10:05:00
Reply #4

Juraj

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You're supposed to do it while clamping/tonemapping from 32bit linear to 16bit flat image.

Quote
select method: "Exposure and Gamma" Leave at default to keep identical image
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2015-02-28, 13:35:01
Reply #5

hrvojezg00

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I did. I`ve read somewhere that it might have something to do with photoshop color settings, will try to check it out.

2015-02-28, 19:27:28
Reply #6

Juraj

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Are you sure you're doing the whole process correctly ? Can you post screenshot of when the issue occurs ?
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2015-04-06, 17:36:40
Reply #7

hrvojezg00

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Crap, I never saw you answered this one, sorry! Here is the 32bit exr image opened in photoshop. I go to 16bits/per channel which openes HDR toning window and choose Exposure and Gamma metod, leaving all at default. After that, everything is washed out.
Can it be something with my monitor/photoshop color settings? Monitor is Dell U2711 set at Adobe RGB preset mode. I am also attaching my photoshop color settings. Every once in a while I realize colors and contrast looks differently on other monitors then my own and its really frustrating. Also, every render I save I have to reopen in photoshop and save with ICC Profile of photoshop color settings to appear correctly in Windows photo viewer or alike. I must be doing something wrong.

2015-04-06, 18:30:42
Reply #8

Juraj

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Quote
Every once in a while I realize colors and contrast looks differently on other monitors then my own and its really frustrating. Also, every render I save I have to reopen in photoshop and save with ICC Profile of photoshop color settings to appear correctly in Windows photo viewer or alike. I must be doing something wrong.

Yes, because you are using wide gamut color space of AdobeRGB (because your monitor supports it), but not managed environment. Also, it's bad habit to save display color profile into images. Obviously, they will look correct on yours, but not on others. Most people don't have wide gamut monitors (average LCD display still displays <97perc. of sRGB, let alone ARGB), and if they have, they are not Dell2711 with same calibration. Basically it's not consistent approach.

There are few options to go from here:

1)The harder one: Keep fully managed workflow. Not easy as neither 3dsMax nor most web browsers and apps are color managed. Keep HW calibration (or use default factory ARGB profile as long as it still looks good), that's the one in your diplay, not Windows (lesser displays can only do SW calibration). Keep note where your images will be used, if you're sending them as previews, don't attach ARGB, if they're to be printed, the guys printing will have calibrated workflow (hopefully), so it doesn't matter anyway.

2)The easier one. Most modern displays (including 2711) have near perfect sRGB emulation mode. This basically "downgrades" your color gamut to standard that is used across everywhere. I use this 95perc. of time. Unless you're directly responsible for printing the imagery, you hardly loose anything, but you make your life much, much easier. 3dsMax--)Photoshop---)Windows Explorer---)IE10/Chrome/etc...---) Your client's email= 100perc. identicle (minus his shitty calibrated display :- ) but you can't avoid that).

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2015-04-07, 07:47:10
Reply #9

hrvojezg00

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Juraj, thanks a bunch! I cannot tell you how frustrating this workflow is.
So what you advice is to change monitor preset and photoshop working space to sRGB. Everything else as it is?