Help with Picture Colors!

[jamest26]

I've just started shooting in RAW mod and am quite enjoying the post processing portion. However, I came to a conclusion that there's something wrong.

1. After doing all the adjustments say in Canon's DPP, the picture is sharp and has good colors. Then I convert it to JPG.
2. I use zoombrowszer to open the picture and it looks sharp and has nice colors.
3. However, if I open it using the default viewer in Windows XP, "Windows Picture and Fax Viewer" or "Microsoft Office Picture Manager" the picture looks totally different. It's much softer and colors are softer as well.
4. If I open it in Adobe CS2, the colors and sharpness are different as well.

My concern is, if I make all the adjustments in Canon's DPP and have a nice looking picture, will it come out the same if I develop it? What version would I get? Is it going to be a trial and error process by adjusting the RAW image until I get what I want out of the photo processing machine. Cause I know the machine will have its own settings.

Help....

James

[EOS_JD]

XP uses the default version of your raw image without the enhancements you make to it. Each of the RAW programmes use their own algorithms to produce what they deem to be the best default for exposure, contrast etc.

[In2Photos]

What you might be seeing is that the Windows viewer is not color managed while the other programs are. Don't base anything on the Windows viewer. As far as printing goes there are several things that can happen here. Do a search for color management and read up. There are lots of threads that will lead you in the right direction. Then if you have more specific questions come back with those.

[maderito]

1. After doing all the adjustments say in Canon's DPP, the picture is sharp and has good colors. Then I convert it to JPG.
2. I use zoombrowszer to open the picture and it looks sharp and has nice colors.
3. However, if I open it using the default viewer in Windows XP, "Windows Picture and Fax Viewer" or "Microsoft Office Picture Manager" the picture looks totally different. It's much softer and colors are softer as well.
4. If I open it in Adobe CS2, the colors and sharpness are different as well.
Sounds like you have an image converted from RAW to Adobe RGB color space. After editing, convert it to sRGB color space - more suited for non-color managed applicatitions like most web browsers and Windows Picture and Fax Viewer. Go to Edit > Convert to profile > sRGB and then Save As a JPEG. If you want to continue to edit your original image, save a copy in Adobe RGB space.