Photomatix looks different in PSE7

[Sepiana]

Happy New Year, everyone!

Here's my first problem for 2009.

The image on the left is a screen shot of the result of Tone Mapping (Detail Enhancer) in Photomatix. I then saved it as an 8-bit TIFF. The image on the right is the way it looks when I open it in PSE7. Why such a difference? Is it the white balance or color temperature? I'm at a loss.

To process in Photomatix I used 3 RAW files, autobracketed (-2, 0, +2). I kept the White Balance "As shot" and the Color Primaries HDR Image as "Adobe RGB."

I'd very much appreciate your input. Thanks in advance.

EDIT: I did no enhancement in the PSE image, except for cropping. That's exactly how it looked when I opened it.

[jhzich]

Although I've used Photomatix quite a lot, I've not used it with RAW images. Also, I don't use the Detail Enhancer--I use the Tonal Enhancer, and I save my results as JPEGs.

But, the question I have for you is, how did you put the small image of a photograph (with hyperlink) in your post. I've tried doing something like that and just get a "red X"...

Happy New Year, everyone!

Here's my first problem for 2009.

The image on the left is a screen shot of the result of Tone Mapping (Detail Enhancer) in Photomatix. I then saved it as an 8-bit TIFF. The image on the right is the way it looks when I open it in PSE7. Why such a difference? Is it the white balance or color temperature? I'm at a loss.

To process in Photomatix I used 3 RAW files, autobracketed (-2, 0, +2). I kept the White Balance "As shot" and the Color Primaries HDR Image as "Adobe RGB."

I'd very much appreciate your input. Thanks in advance.

EDIT: I did no enhancement in the PSE image, except for cropping. That's exactly how it looked when I opened it.

[Sepiana]

But, the question I have for you is, how did you put the small image of a photograph (with hyperlink) in your post. I've tried doing something like that and just get a "red X"...

I don't use Pixentral. Here is what I do:

When you are in the "Post Reply" screen, scroll down to Additional Options > Manage Attachments. Here you can upload your image from your pc or an url. There is also information on image size limits.

[Ric Cisson]

Sepiana, are you using the free standalone version of Photomatix? I am wondering if it is a color management issue. I am using the Pro Version and I have not experienced what you are experiencing. I understand your concern because there is such a wide disparity in tonal values, and there should not be if you are staying within 8 bit.

[Sepiana]

Ric, thanks for your response!

I'm using Photomatix Pro 3, the full version, which I purchased last November. I had used it before but just with one JPEG file, which I ran through ACR and created files with 3 different exposures.

EDIT:

1. I opened the same image in PSE4 (in the same pc) and got the same results -- two different images.

2. I've just installed Photomatix in my laptop. I ran the same RAW images with the same settings through and got an image like the the one on the right. When I opened the image in PSE4 (I don't have PSE7 in the laptop), the two images were identical. No problems.

3. In short, it's in my pc that I'm getting such a difference between the image in Photomatix and the one I open in PSE7.

This maybe a clue. When I launched PSE7 for the first time after installing it, I got a message saying something like this: "ICC profiles .... Ignore .... Continue" I clicked on "Continue" and when I opened PSE7 everything had this brownish tint to it (like in the Photomatix image). I relaunched it and clicked on "Ignore," and then I got the regular colors (grayish) one sees in PSE7.

[Sepiana]

Ric, I think I solved the problem.

I changed my monitor color profile (sm204t) to sRGB and made it the default. Then I went through the whole Photomatix processing again, this time selecting "sRGB." This time, the colors in the Photomatix image and the colors when I open it in PSE7 are the same.

P.S. I checked the color space in my camera and it says sRGB. So, I should be OK, shouldn't I?

Once more, thanks for the help!

[Ric Cisson]

Sepiana, sounds like you got things under control. Images out of all my cameras are RGB, and my working color space in PSE 7 is RGB. Working space within LR is Pro RGB. My monitor is profiled, and all my printers, paper and ink combinations are custom profiled and that is why I thought it might be a color management issue initially. Have fun with your HDR creations. I enjoy Photomatix, but I usually convert anything I do within Photomatix to B&W, Duotones and Sepia tones. I love the effect when converting them over to B&W, reminds me of my darkroom days of playing for hours on end.

[Sepiana]

Sepiana, sounds like you got things under control. Images out of all my cameras are RGB, and my working color space in PSE 7 is RGB. Working space within LR is Pro RGB. My monitor is profiled, and all my printers, paper and ink combinations are custom profiled and that is why I thought it might be a color management issue initially. Have fun with your HDR creations. I enjoy Photomatix, but I usually convert anything I do within Photomatix to B&W, Duotones and Sepia tones. I love the effect when converting them over to B&W, reminds me of my darkroom days of playing for hours on end.

Ric, I hope so. But I owe it to you. When you mentioned it may be a color management issue, it triggered a recollection of a link (http://homepage.ntlworld.com/colin_w/colour%20problems.htm) Colin provided in one of my threads a long time ago. I located it in my bookmarks and went from there. It took me quite a few hours (had to refer to The Missing Manual for Windows XP), but I did it. Not too bad for an aging brain!:D

After I get more experience with HDR/Photomatix, I intend to try some b/w conversion. I love b/w images. It goes without saying that I'm a big fan of Ansel Adams.