topic Re: DPP 4.7.20 Convert and Save Issues in Camera Software

DPP 4.7.20 Convert and Save Issues

GenXRailmedia — Thu, 30 Nov 2017 19:35:00 GMT

Lately I've been having some unusual issues. When I try to edit photos (not taken by me, but photos that I've downloaded from different websites) the Convert and Save function doesn't seem to work right. After I click Convert and Save, and select the file name and save location, the conversion dialog box opens, but it opens and closes very quickly -- like for 1/4 of a second. The green bar progress bar only seems to go to less than 50% before it disappears.

When I open the converted file, the image looks horribly over-sharpened.

I should note that when I convert RAW images to jpeg, it works fine. If I revise and overwrite that jpeg, again, the result looks overprocessed.

Any ideas on what is happening here? Did I somehow screw up the settings?

Re: DPP 4.7.20 Convert and Save Issues

shadowsports — Thu, 30 Nov 2017 19:58:55 GMT

Greetings,

You can export an edited RAW image as a JPEG or TIFF using the Convert and savecommand in the File menu. To speed up your output workflow DPP offers a Batch process tool icon in its main window toolbar. This enables you to take a folder of RAW files and output them to a more shareable JPEG or TIFF format.

Convert and Save supports RAW > JPEG or TIFF

Re: DPP 4.7.20 Convert and Save Issues

GenXRailmedia — Thu, 30 Nov 2017 21:00:04 GMT

As I mentioned, the convert and save from a raw files works fine. It's trying to save a jpeg that's the issue. And I tried using the batch process option and the result was the same -- the images looked overprocessed.

When that dialog box opens during the conversion, should it not stay open until the process is done, and you can see the green bar progress until it hits 100 percent?

Re: DPP 4.7.20 Convert and Save Issues

jrhoffman75 — Thu, 30 Nov 2017 21:35:00 GMT

I just tested this by downloading a random image I found on internet and executed "Convert & Save" as jpeg.

The dialog box closed quickly, but the exported file was fine - identical to the original.

Re: DPP 4.7.20 Convert and Save Issues

RobertTheFat — Thu, 30 Nov 2017 21:45:34 GMT

GenXRailmedia wrote:
As I mentioned, the convert and save from a raw files works fine. It's trying to save a jpeg that's the issue. And I tried using the batch process option and the result was the same -- the images looked overprocessed.

When that dialog box opens during the conversion, should it not stay open until the process is done, and you can see the green bar progress until it hits 100 percent?

What's the point of doing a "Convert & save" of a JPEG to a JPEG? Just "Save" it (if you've made changes). No conversion is necessary.

Re: DPP 4.7.20 Convert and Save Issues

GenXRailmedia — Thu, 30 Nov 2017 22:57:22 GMT

I tried to do a "Save" and "Save File As." My changes (cropping, color adjustments, etc), were not saved. Besides, I've been using the "Convert and Save" method for over a decade and only now is it screwing up. I've only noticed this since I started using 4.7.2.

After I finishing typing this, I'll go back and try just the "Save" method one more time and see what happens.

Re: DPP 4.7.20 Convert and Save Issues

GenXRailmedia — Thu, 30 Nov 2017 22:19:38 GMT

Just tried it again. I took a stock photo, cropped it, made a few adjustments, clicked "Save As" under a different jpeg file name to preserve the original. When I retrieved it in the destination folder, my cropping was non-existent.

Re: DPP 4.7.20 Convert and Save Issues

RobertTheFat — Fri, 01 Dec 2017 01:59:23 GMT

GenXRailmedia wrote:
Just tried it again. I took a stock photo, cropped it, made a few adjustments, clicked "Save As" under a different jpeg file name to preserve the original. When I retrieved it in the destination folder, my cropping was non-existent.

Interesting. I've used DPP for more than ten years and didn't realize that it works that way. I rarely edit JPEG files, so it's possible that I've just forgotten. From what you describe, it does sound like what's happening to you is a recently introduced bug.

Re: DPP 4.7.20 Convert and Save Issues

GenXRailmedia — Fri, 01 Dec 2017 02:11:21 GMT

I just uninstalled and reinstalled the software (FWIW, I'm running Windows 10) to see if it would make a difference.

It didn't.

I've been sitting here messing around with it, trying different things. I first noticed this when one of the pics that I cropped and edited appeared horribly grainy when I uploaded and viewed it on Flickr. I viewed both the edit and the original in the DPP viewer. The downloaded images were probably already in the 18 MP range, but I viewed the edited one at 300%, there were artifacts and it looked like I had just moved the sharpness slider all the way to the right, whereas, the original was quite sharp and clear with no artifacts.

At this point, I've got two choices: either use my other software for non-raw editing (which is a pain sometimes), or revert to the earlier version of DPP. I'm thinking the former, because I actually do like 4.7.20 now that I'm used to it, and it does allow some finer adjustments.

Re: DPP 4.7.20 Convert and Save Issues

jrhoffman75 — Fri, 01 Dec 2017 03:13:17 GMT

Save and Save As save the file with the DPP recipe appended, so that if you re-open the file in DPP you see your edits.

If you open in different software you don't see the edits.

Convert and Save applies the edits and saves an edited file.

You can see the three files on my desktop and in DPP.

The Save and Save as on the desktop are the same, and reflect the downloaded image. In DPP you can see the applied edits.

The Convert and Save looks the same on desktop and in DPP.

I don't see, and can't explain, the degradation you seem to be getting.

Re: DPP 4.7.20 Convert and Save Issues

GenXRailmedia — Fri, 01 Dec 2017 03:49:36 GMT

I'm going to try one more thing: tweak the output image quality to see if that makes a difference in the output file. Should have thought of it sooner.

Re: DPP 4.7.20 Convert and Save Issues

RobertTheFat — Fri, 01 Dec 2017 04:48:19 GMT

GenXRailmedia wrote:
I'm going to try one more thing: tweak the output image quality to see if that makes a difference in the output file. Should have thought of it sooner.

I was about to suggest that. You're at least a jump ahead of me.

I believe you mentioned that some of the pictures that are causing you trouble were created by others. Maybe they had been saved with a sub-optimal image quality, which would compound any effect of you saving at a low quality level. Conceivably, raising the quality level could even make the problem worse. In that case you might want to do the conversion at several quality levels to see what gives the best result.

Re: DPP 4.7.20 Convert and Save Issues

GenXRailmedia — Fri, 08 Dec 2017 21:18:52 GMT

Update: No, this made no difference at all. So now, I guess I'll just have to use DPP strictly for RAW conversion and do all of my other editing in GIMP, which is a pain in itself because I prefer the thumbnails in DPP. GIMP only shows you a small preview window as you scroll through a list -- which for me, is sometimes a huge folder with 1000 images.

I may just revert to my earlier version of DPP...