Nik Collection 6.3 release

[Wolfgang ([ Win10, PL+VP+FP, Nik6 (+3) ])]

@Egregius – to complement ( with PL7.02 Build83 and Nik6.4 ) …

I exported the very same raw-file ( nef / camera was set to AdobeRGB ) as TIFF

• to disk
• to the Nik Collection

.
Export to disk → Same as Soft Proofing or sRGB, P3, ARGB, Rec, DxOWG, ProPhoto

Softproof settings [ DxO Wide Gamut not listed ! ]

.
Export to Nik Collection → Same as Soft Proofing or sRGB, P3, ARGB, Rec, DxOWG, ProPhoto

• Export to disk
  The exported files always corresponded to the chosen target profiles.

• Export to Nik Collection
  The exported file only corresponded to the sRGB target,
  while all others were limited to AdobeRGB.

---

Then I repeated the same test with original *.tif files (AdobeRGB and ProPhoto color space).

In all cases the exported files corresponded to the chosen target profiles,
changing the color space accordingly to smaller or wider gamut !

[ While at first I had thought, that the Nik Collection was limited to handle sRGB and AdobeRGB color space only – and the other export options just a mistake, ‘exporting’ *.tif files ( → using the “Nik Collection” button ) proved that wrong. ]

---

… which means, when exporting a RAW-file from PL to Nik as TIFF
(and I tried Nik tools affecting color as well the ‘neutral’ Output Sharpener)
we get some misleading results !

( ed )

[Egregius ((Greg) - Windows 11)]

I’ve confirmed the behavior is as follows:

In my tests with Nik Collection 3, 4, and 6, the TIFF file initially created by PL from a RAW image and sent to HDR Efex Pro (using the “Nik Collection” button) seems to display just fine both in PhotoLab and in other applications. In the EXIF, color space = sRGB.

When HDR Efex Pro saves adjustments to the TIFF, things go badly. The modified TIFF displays just fine in PhotoLab, but not in, say, IrfanView. In the EXIF, color space is now Uncalibrated (-1). (If I strip the EXIF, the image will most likely display correctly as sRGB. That was the case in one of my previous tests.) I can find no settings in HDR Efex Pro to change this behavior.

That’s bad enough. But there’s more. As I said, this TIFF image displays correctly in PhotoLab on my sRGB monitor. If I then use PL to export it to a new TIFF with ICC profile “as shot”, the result is no different. If I use ICC profile “same as soft proofing” (sRGB) instead, the result is the same (bad) when the Soft Proofing palette is set to sRGB but turned off: the new TIFF still has color space=Uncalibrated in the EXIF and the colors are too dark. Soft Proofing has to be turned on for this to work. If I export with ICC profile = sRGB, I get the correct image and EXIF in the new TIFF. So this extra step seems necessary to get the desired result despite no visual feedback in my workflow.

This is all easily reproduced. What do you think? A real problem, or am I missing something?

[platypus (Canon & Mac (Intel and M1))]

@Egregius

the TIFF file initially created by PL from a RAW image and sent to HDR Efex Pro (using the “Nik Collection” button) seems to display just fine both in PhotoLab and in other applications. In the EXIF, color space = sRGB.

Have you checked if the profile is embedded or if the apps just say it’s sRGB because there is no profile?

What happens when you run the test with, say, AdobeRGB?

[Egregius ((Greg) - Windows 11)]

I tried “Export to application” from PL using AdobeRGB 1998 as the ICC profile. No difference in behavior.

These are the EXIF tags that I see returned from HDR Efex using my normal workflow. (EXIF data viewed using IrfanView.) I’ve tried with compression (LZW) and without compression - that doesn’t matter, fortunately. The two InterColorProfile tags intrigue me as does Color Space being set to an uncalibrated (undefined non-sRGB) state. But I have no control over these - they come from the Nik Collection, not from PhotoLab or the camera. PhotometricInterpretation=2 means RGB.

Filename - 3A213122_Nik-1.tif
ImageWidth - 5244
ImageLength - 2947
BitsPerSample - 16 16 16
Compression - 5 (LZW)
PhotometricInterpretation - 2
Make - OLYMPUS CORPORATION
Model - E-M1MarkIII
StripOffset - 110019843
SamplesPerPixel - 3
RowsPerStrip - 3
StripByteCount - 110023775
XResolution - 72.00
YResolution - 72.00
PlanarConfiguration - 1
ResolutionUnit - Inch
Software - HDREfex
DateTime - 2023:11:01 22:28:00
Artist - Gregory Vozzo
Rating - 0
RatingPercent - 0
Copyright - Gregory Vozzo
ExifOffset - 110031589
InterColorProfile - 110265663
ExposureTime - 1/1000 seconds
FNumber - 3.50
ExposureProgram - Aperture priority
ISOSpeedRatings - 200
ExifVersion - 0231
DateTimeOriginal - 2022:10:21 02:13:09
DateTimeDigitized - 2022:10:21 02:13:09
OffsetTime - -04:00
OffsetTimeOriginal - -05:00
OffsetTimeDigitized - -05:00
ExposureBiasValue - 0.00
MaxApertureValue - F 3.50
SubjectDistance - 128.00 m
MeteringMode - Multi-segment
LightSource - Auto
Flash - Flash not fired, compulsory flash mode
FocalLength - 12 mm
UserComment -
FlashPixVersion - 0100
ColorSpace - Uncalibrated/Unknown (-1)
ExifImageWidth - 5244
ExifImageHeight - 2947
FileSource - DSC - Digital still camera
CustomRendered - Normal process
ExposureMode - Auto
White Balance - Auto
DigitalZoomRatio - 1.00 x
SceneCaptureType - Standard
GainControl - None
Contrast - Normal
Saturation - Normal
Sharpness - Normal
Lens Info - 12 60 3.50 5.60
Lens Model - LUMIX G VARIO 12-60/F3.5-5.6

GPS information: -
GPSVersionID - 2.3.0.0

Maker Note (Vendor): -
Mode - Normal
CameraID - OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA
LensSerialNumber - 18LX5051410B
LensModel - LUMIX G VARIO 12-60/F3.5-5.6
LensFirmwareVersion - 1200
MaxApertureAtMinFocal - 4.2
MaxApertureAtMaxFocal - 5.0
MinFocalLength - 12
MaxFocalLength - 60
MaxApertureAtCurrentFocal - 3.7
LensProperties - 0xC140

Thumbnail: -
ImageWidth - 5244
ImageLength - 2947
BitsPerSample - 8 8 8
Compression - 1 (None)
PhotometricInterpretation - 2
StripOffset - 156629085
SamplesPerPixel - 3
RowsPerStrip - 6
StripByteCount - 156631053
PlanarConfiguration - 1
InterColorProfile - 156633027

[Egregius ((Greg) - Windows 11)]

I tried export to application again, unchecking EXIF and attributes in the export options. The TIFF file created and sent to HDR Efex has the Color Space and InterColorProfile tags:

Filename - 3A213122_DxO_2.tif
ImageWidth - 5244
ImageLength - 2947
BitsPerSample - 16 16 16
Compression - 1 (None)
PhotometricInterpretation - 2
StripOffset - 92724700
Orientation - Top left
SamplesPerPixel - 3
RowsPerStrip - 3
StripByteCount - 92728632
XResolution - 72.00
YResolution - 72.00
PlanarConfiguration - 1
ResolutionUnit - Inch
Software - DxO PhotoLab 7.0.2
DateTime - 2023:11:02 10:23:26
Artist - Gregory Vozzo
Copyright - Gregory Vozzo
ExifOffset - 92736238
InterColorProfile - 92736300
OffsetTime - -04:00
ColorSpace - Uncalibrated/Unknown (-1)
ExifImageWidth - 5244
ExifImageHeight - 2947

Thumbnail: -
ImageWidth - 163
ImageLength - 92
BitsPerSample - 8 8 8
Compression - 1 (None)
PhotometricInterpretation - 2
StripOffset - 92736868
SamplesPerPixel - 3
RowsPerStrip - 209
StripByteCount - 44988
PlanarConfiguration - 1
InterColorProfile - 92782018

But it displays just fine in IrfanView. After applying edits in HDR Efex, the image displays incorrectly (much too dark and not saturated enough) in IrfanView. EXIF:

Filename - 3A213122_DxO_2.tif
ImageWidth - 5244
ImageLength - 2947
BitsPerSample - 16 16 16
Compression - 5 (LZW)
PhotometricInterpretation - 2
StripOffset - 114995526
SamplesPerPixel - 3
RowsPerStrip - 3
StripByteCount - 114999458
XResolution - 72.00
YResolution - 72.00
PlanarConfiguration - 1
ResolutionUnit - Inch
Software - HDREfex
DateTime - 2023:11:02 10:28:36
Artist - Gregory Vozzo
Copyright - Gregory Vozzo
ExifOffset - 115006938
InterColorProfile - 115007000
OffsetTime - -04:00
ColorSpace - Uncalibrated/Unknown (-1)
ExifImageWidth - 5244
ExifImageHeight - 2947

Thumbnail: -
ImageWidth - 5244
ImageLength - 2947
BitsPerSample - 8 8 8
Compression - 1 (None)
PhotometricInterpretation - 2
StripOffset - 161370404
SamplesPerPixel - 3
RowsPerStrip - 6
StripByteCount - 161372372
PlanarConfiguration - 1
InterColorProfile - 161374346

Still no word from DxO about giving tech support.

[Wolfgang ([ Win10, PL+VP+FP, Nik6 (+3) ])]

In addition to my test above …

---

I exported another RAW-file (nef / camera was set to AdobeRGB / with colors really on the edge)
now to Nik HDR (export options set to 16 bit TIFF, ProPhoto)
and resulting in …

IFD0
Software = DxO Correction Engine

XMP-xmp
Creator Tool = DxO Correction Engine

ExifIFD
ColorSpace = Uncalibrated

Nikon
ColorSpace = AdobeRGB

ICC Profile & ICC Profile2
ProfileDescription = RGB bult-in

---

This new HDR.tif, with Export to disk (export options set to 16 bit TIFF, ProPhoto)
resulted in …

IFD0
Software = DxO PhotoLab 7.0.2

XMP-xmp
Creator Tool = DxO PhotoLab 7.0.2

ExifIFD
ColorSpace = Uncalibrated

Nikon
ColorSpace = AdobeRGB

ICC Profile & ICC Profile2
ProfileDescription = ROMM RGB; ISO 22028-2;2013

---

Visually comparing the files in PL7, FRV and IrfanView there was very little difference
(monitor set to Native, 6500K = similar to AdobeRGB and P3 combined).

---

---

Out of curiosity, I tried the same thing but exported to Nik HDR as 16 bit / sRGB …

IFD0
Software = DxO Correction Engine

XMP-xmp
Creator Tool = DxO Correction Engine

ExifIFD
ColorSpace = Uncalibrated

Nikon
ColorSpace = sRGB

ICC Profile & ICC Profile2
ProfileDescription = RGB bult-in

and then after exported that resulting HDR.tif again with Export to disk as 16bit / sRGB …

IFD0
Software = DxO PhotoLab 7.0.2

XMP-xmp
Creator Tool = DxO PhotoLab 7.0.2

ExifIFD
ColorSpace = sRGB

Nikon
ColorSpace = sRGB

---

Visually comparing the files in PL7, FRV and IrfanView, there was no crazy difference,
while the sRGB versions showed lesser saturation and such … (monitor set to sRGB, 6500 K).

.
( A ) FastRawViewer w/ monitor set to sRGB, 6500 K

the color managed preview doesn’t change much
(thumbnails look different)

• Nik HDR → ProPhoto
• Export to disk → ProPhoto
  .
• Nik HDR → sRGB
• Export to disk → sRGB

.
( B ) FastStone Image Viewer w/ monitor set to sRGB, 6500 K

showing the color managed 4x preview
(thumbnails look different)

---

@DxO_Support-Team – please have a look for the topic

[mikerofoto]

i haven’t tried HDR Efex and i never exported images from PL with soft proofing but only “as shot”.
i’ll have to try that soft proofing thing if it makes a difference, even though i never print from PL, now that you mention that, i’m getting curious!

[John-M (Melbourne, Australia - Win10)]

@Egregius

Thinking more about this, I wonder if DxO has outsourced development of the Nik Collection.

That’s interesting conjecture, Greg … It would explain the difference in the user-interface for Nik versus PL (the NIK UI being very hard to see/read !)

[John-M (Melbourne, Australia - Win10)]

@mikerofoto

i never exported images from PL with soft proofing but only “as shot”.

There’s a little “gotcha” in that practice, Mike … If you happened to have captured the image with your camera set to Adobe RGB - then you may not be getting the exported result that you’re expecting.

[mikerofoto]

@John-M

camera set to Adobe RGB

always been set to sRGB if i/when i shoot jpeg. on the export dialogue there’s also “preserve color details”.
i’ve never sent for prints or save as jpeg from PL. i do my soft proofing and save as jpeg in AP when i’m done.

[Egregius ((Greg) - Windows 11)]

@John-M

If you happened to have captured the image with your camera set to Adobe RGB - then you may not be getting the exported result that you’re expecting.

This doesn’t matter at all for RAW files.

[John-M (Melbourne, Australia - Win10)]

Yes, not in terms of the RAW file itself, Greg … But, it does matter if you have camera set to Adobe RGB and you Export To Disk with the option “As Shot” - 'cos then you’ll be getting an image exported with the Adobe RGB color-space … which may not be what you’re expecting.

[Egregius ((Greg) - Windows 11)]

Yes - that seems to be right, John. My camera’s set to sRGB.

Still no response from DxO. Nik 6.5 is out, release notes say only “minor bug fixes” and new optics modules. My problems continue to exist. I really wanted this to be worth upgrading to, but it isn’t really compatible with PhotoLab, is it?