Losing significant shaprness converting RAW in DPP

I have read many many post on the web and on here about people having trouble with the sharpness sticking when converting raw files in DPP. I am having the same problem and haven't found the answer. I have default noise reduction setting turned to zero.

When I sharpen an image it looks great while viewing in DPP. However, after the conversion, the jpeg has lost all sharpness and looks worse than the original in some cases. I know there is SOME sharpness loss during conversion but not this much. I am sure it is user error but for the life of me I can't figure it out.

Any help would be greatly appreciated. I am going to Lightroom 3 but I still want to figure this out!!!

What is your export quality setting?

silvrr wrote in post #10987822
What is your export quality setting?

I have tried 8 and 10.

Comparing sharpness at 100% view? In what software?
Exporting without resizing?

It's the latest version 3.8 or 3.9..can't remember but it came with my 7D. I am not resizing them.

Assuming you converted them to jpegs, what are you using to view them?

Along with the above, could you post a screen shot (or two) showing two views together that clearly illustrate the problem?

Yes, unfortunately I can't post them until tomorrow. I'm traveling for work and my WD Pasport external HD is not being recognized! I had planned on going through 250 pics tonight. Luckily I have them backed up on my other external at home. Tech support was no help either.

So, maybe you can clear something up. People refer to different things for "sharp". Technically, "sharp" is the way fine detail in an image is rendered -- it comes across as either fine and clear, or blurred/out of focus. But, many people use "sharp" to mean a lack of contrast or "pop" in the image, whether fine detail is in focus or not.

This difference leads to some wasted time trying to diagnose "lack of sharpness", because they are two different things!

So, which "not sharp" are you referring to?

Technically sharp. The images are are exactly how I like them in raw. When I convert them, they lose the sharpness and become soft. I am not applying any noise reduction, save them at quality 10, and I am not resizing them. If you google the subject, you will see hundreds of discussions about the same thing. I haven't found any real answers.

I am sure it is user error and something is off in my settings but I just can't figure out what it could be. I can go into another program like gimp or even picnik and sharpen the jpegs but that's a time consuming step if there are a lot of shots.

You haven't answered some questions that were asked above.
How are you viewing the jpgs (program) and at what zoom level?
In what color space are you outputting the jpgs?

Try exporting from DPP to Photoshop or whatever post processer you use and save from there without further processing. How do they compare? If theres a difference, it might suggest that as you suspect, its the DPP preferences at fault.

tzalman wrote in post #10992451
You haven't answered some questions that were asked above.
How are you viewing the jpgs (program) and at what zoom level?
In what color space are you outputting the jpgs?

The sharpness is lost in any viewer I use. Windows and Gimp are mainly the two I use. I normally view them at fit to page but I know to look at them at 50% or 100% for sharpening. I am using sRGB.

Lowner wrote in post #10992465
Try exporting from DPP to Photoshop or whatever post processer you use and save from there without further processing. How do they compare? If theres a difference, it might suggest that as you suspect, its the DPP preferences at fault.

I am getting Lightroom this afternoon and will try it in there and compare.

Post a screenshot of two viewers side by side, at 100%.
They should be identical sharpness-wise. Windows might be different because it might not be color managed, but that shouldn't alter sharpness.