In the Color/B&W color palette the s a “Built-in tonal balance” which can now be activated for iPhone ProRAW images. Activated it and the image was adjusted as expected. (see manual)
Next, from the curves tool I choose the slight contrast(luma) adjustment. The “Built-in Tonal Balance” switch was deactivated by this action! I could then go back and turn it on again.). This appears to occur for all default curve options, but not for manual curves adjustments. Not a big deal, but I expect this switch will be turned on for most of my photos as a starting point so would not want the extra step to toggle it back on after the curves step.
Is there a reason the tonal balance switch should be deactivated by the curves?
Glad to have someone else exploring ProRaw editing in PL9! So far, I have more questions than answers. Are you on a PC or Mac?
On my Win 11 set-up, I can’t seem to duplicate what you report. The built-in tonal balance box is on by default. None of the stock tone curves or manual adjustments of the tone curve toggle the box off.
What exactly is the built-in tonal balance providing? Is it local tone mapping (LTM) applied 100%, LTM + something else, or something else entirely? If LTM, it would have been great to be able to adjust the strength, not just turn it on or off. That’s how it is implemented in the Nitro app, for example – much more refined there. I find that LTM is the single most important adjustment to make in editing ProRaw files. It sets up all subsequent tonal adjustments.
Regarding the color rendering, I’m wondering if the DxO camera profile (default) is the best choice. So far, I’m liking the DNG embedded rendering better, but I need more experience with a more varied sample of images. But, wow, amazing that these files are even opening in DxO PL9 – right?
My system does not have the built-in tone balance “on” by default, although there may be a way in settings or presets to force it on. I haven’t explored yet. I generally use the iPhone for snapshots and accept the over-processed results, but there is an occasional landscape or “macro” I’d like to process better. Not as urgent for me though.
Not sure what this “built-in tone balance” does, but it brighten and add contrast balance just like converting from a truly flat (linear) RAW. It definitely “corrects” areas showing blown highlights and oversaturated in the “flat” version. My first impression is that it matches the iPhone processing (overdone).
I downloaded and looked at Nitro, but haven’t explored in detail for the same reason as above.
Not sure if LTM is the same, but I use PL’s Smart Lighting and tone curve for luma balance similar to the way @Joanna describes. This is adjustable and turns out better than the strictly tone curve settings I used previously in LR.
Looking forward to the simpler workflow and increased opportunities with this new option.
Thanks - me too! LTM will definitely affect color saturation if not counter-balanced by the algorithm. As implemented now in PL9, I will try starting with the DNG embedded rendering, built-in tonal balance on or off, Smart Lighting, then manual tone curve to finish up. I never touch the selective tone sliders.
As discussed earlier, the built-in tonal balance toggle is probably Apple ProRaw specific, for now at least, and addresses local tone mapping metadata and perhaps something else embedded in those files. In Nitro, a Tone Map slider appears when a ProRaw file is opened, but not for a RAW file. Instead, RAW files get a Boost slider, perhaps analogous to the rendering intensity slider in PL.
As an aside, exports from the Adobe Indigo camera app (iPhone only) do not open in PL9. They do open in Nitro and (unexpectedly) trigger the Tone Map slider to appear. The Indigo output shares some features of a true RAW file and others of a ProRaw file However, I’ve not seen any other camera export trigger the Tone Map slider in Nitro. Perhaps the grayed-out box in PL9 is just a place holder for future use that has no immediate affect on RAW images? Does seem odd, though.
Yes, indeed. The standard practice for a setting that has no bearing on a specific mode is that (when that mode is the current mode) the setting is greyed-out/inactive with the check-box cleared.
