Hello,
I'm using Lightroom to process and merge the photos, the problem is the DNGs are way too dark once imported in the software.
When I llot at the photos in Windows, both the JPG and DNG files look similar and alright, but once imported in Lightroom everything is way too dark.
What am I doing wrong ?

Here some screen captures:

JPG Windows 10



DNG Windows 10



DNG Lightroom

They are not way too dark, you just need to bring the shadow detail out. I showed this is possible in a previous post. If you want to make the DNG file available I can show you. I will leave that decision up to you. PM me and I can send my email address.

Hello there neodraig. Thank you for reaching out and for giving out these information with us. I hope that our fellow DJI co pilots who are using the Lightroom software to process there work can give out the best information and recommendation with regards to this matter. Thank you.  

GLOBAL HAWK Posted at 6-1 00:25
They are not way too dark, you just need to bring the shadow detail out. I showed this is possible in a previous post. If you want to make the DNG file available I can show you. I will leave that decision up to you. PM me and I can send my email address.

Thanks for the offer, that's really nice of you.
I know how to bring out the details of the shadows in Lightroom though, I've used it a lot with the bracketed photos from my Sony A6000, but I find the DNG photos of the Mini 3 Pro way too dark once imported in Lightroom (they don't match what I saw on the remote when I took them or the previews in Windows).
Even cranking the shadow slider at 100% isn't often enough to bring enough light in the shadow as the "original" photos are too dark (in Lightroom) to begin with.
I always take 5 photos in AEB and because of that problem I end up only using the 3 brightest photos in the HDR merge, and even with doing that the result is too dark.

neodraig Posted at 6-1 05:14
Thanks for the offer, that's really nice of you.
I know how to bring out the details of the shadows in Lightroom though, I've used it a lot with the bracketed photos from my Sony A6000, but I find the DNG photos of the Mini 3 Pro way too dark once imported in Lightroom (they don't match what I saw on the remote when I took them or the previews in Windows).
Even cranking the shadow slider at 100% isn't often enough to bring enough light in the shadow as the "original" photos are too dark (in Lightroom) to begin with.

Are your exposure settings accidentally underexposing?
Upload one of the problem images to Google Drive or similar and post a link, someone can investigate the metadata to see if the answer is in there.

It also happen to me in another editor.  So I stopped editing DNG !!!

There is a setting in L/R that reads your camera settings as opposed to the L/R default settings, I done it for my Nikon camera and it now reads the camera settings. Hope this helps.

Swoop999 Posted at 6-1 06:12
There is a setting in L/R that reads your camera settings as opposed to the L/R default settings, I done it for my Nikon camera and it now reads the camera settings. Hope this helps.
[view_image]

Thanks but it didn't work.
I tried to apply the "camera settings" in the presets, but Lightroom will always end up darkening the photos (by about 2 stops I believe).




The camera settings of the Mini 3 Pro don't seem to be recognized by Lightroom and it will always apply the default profile as this note says : If you select Camera Settings and there are no matching settings in Lightroom Classic, the Adobe Default settings will be applied.
I wish there was a way to prevent Lightroom applying any profile as before importion, the photos look alright.

Labroides Posted at 6-1 05:32
Are your exposure settings accidentally underexposing?
Upload one of the problem images to Google Drive or similar and post a link, someone can investigate the metadata to see if the answer is in there.

No, I let the EV at 0 when I took the photos.

Before importing the photos, the photos will look exposed correctly in the importation thumbnails of Lightroom:


But once Lightroom imports the photos, it will apply some kind of profile (which I tried to deactivate without success) which darkens the photos by about 2 stops:

neodraig Posted at 6-1 12:20
No, I let the EV at 0 when I took the photos.

Before importing the photos, the photos will look exposed correctly in the importation thumbnails of Lightroom:

Is the issue due to a camera problem or your composition?
Your examples are tricky with the top 1/3 of the image bright sky and the bottom 3/3 being dark shadow foreground.
Your camera can't expose the whole scene properly with so much contrast in the scene.

When you shoot a well lit scene with uniform brightness, is there still a problem?

I'm curious why you have selected "DJI FC3582" as the camera profile for the DJI Mini 3 Pro.  Is it specified somewhere this is the DJI Mini 3 Pro camera profile?  My LR Classic has several DJI camera profiles.  Have you tried any other DJI profiles?  Perhaps other profiles might yield different results.

K9JDN Posted at 6-1 19:14
I'm curious why you have selected "DJI FC3582" as the camera profile for the DJI Mini 3 Pro.  Is it specified somewhere this is the DJI Mini 3 Pro camera profile?  My LR Classic has several DJI camera profiles.  Have you tried any other DJI profiles?  Perhaps other profiles might yield different results.

DJI FC3582 is the correct camera name for the Mini 3 Pro.

neodraig Posted at 6-1 12:20
No, I let the EV at 0 when I took the photos.

Before importing the photos, the photos will look exposed correctly in the importation thumbnails of Lightroom:

Couple of thoughts ..

1. When importing in LR are you doing "Copy as DNG"?
2. Do you have any Develop Settings being applied during Import?

LR does not fiddle with .DNGs when importing unless Develop Settings are specified, therefore your .DNG images should look identical pre/post Import.

A frustrating issue, but there will be a simple explanation. And don't listen to anyone if they try to tell you to stop using .DNG

Cheers

Labroides Posted at 6-1 15:39
Is the issue due to a camera problem or your composition?
Your examples are tricky with the top 1/3 of the image bright sky and the bottom 3/3 being dark shadow foreground.
Your camera can't expose the whole scene properly with so much contrast in the scene.

I know it's a tricky shot, but it's the whole point of taking bracketed shots so I can merge the photos in HDR and bring back the details in the foreground while keeping the sky well exposed.

But this is not the problem, the problem is as I shown in my before/after exporting thumbnails examples is that Lightroom darkens the photos once imported, which makes bringing back the details in the shadow difficult.

K9JDN Posted at 6-1 19:14
I'm curious why you have selected "DJI FC3582" as the camera profile for the DJI Mini 3 Pro.  Is it specified somewhere this is the DJI Mini 3 Pro camera profile?  My LR Classic has several DJI camera profiles.  Have you tried any other DJI profiles?  Perhaps other profiles might yield different results.

There are not profiles available for the Mini 3 Pro  (and many others DJI models), only a few are available.

forbsie Posted at 6-1 19:46
Couple of thoughts ..

1. When importing in LR are you doing "Copy as DNG"?

Yes I thought about that as I was using Lightroom for my Sony camera, but I checked and nothing seems



But the weird thing I've just noticed is the darkening of the photos (after importation) only applies to the 12MP shots, not to the 48MP

48MP photo in Windows 10 vs Lightroom imported photo:


12MP photo in Windows 10 vs Lightroom imported photo:


48MP photo in Windows 10 vs Lightroom imported photo:


12MP photo in Windows 10 vs Lightroom imported photo:


I really can't understand why Lightroom would darken the 12MP shots (and not the 48MP ones).

Has anyone have a similar issue ?

This is lens vignetting !!!
DJI has a mistake here, because this vignetting was not calculated out.

neodraig Posted at 6-2 01:05
Yes I thought about that as I was using Lightroom for my Sony camera, but I checked and nothing seems

[view_image]

That's very strange. If you uploaded one of the 12mp images somewhere I could import and see if I get the same issue (I'm using a Mac)

forbsie Posted at 6-2 04:05
That's very strange. If you uploaded one of the 12mp images somewhere I could import and see if I get the same issue (I'm using a Mac)

Thanks.
Here is the link, I put the 12MP and 48MP photos if you want to compare:
https://drive.google.com/drive/f ... iv-Qs2s?usp=sharing

neodraig Posted at 6-2 11:40
Thanks.
Here is the link, I put the 12MP and 48MP photos if you want to compare:
https://drive.google.com/drive/f ... iv-Qs2s?usp=sharing

Hi Neodraig,

Here are my results (same as yours)



Lightroom Preview while importing



In Lightroom browser after import

The reason for the difference between the two, based on the metadata, is they were taken at different exposure settings. Whether this is physically the case, or a problem with your drone only you can know. In the images below the 48mp image had a little over 1 stop extra exposure.




I cannot explain why the 12mp image looks like it is exposed the same until it is imported into Lightroom, but its representation in Lightroom would appear to be correct. I am guessing it may have something to do with the Exposure Bias being read (or not read) when imported.

Did you take the images using Manual Exposure? If automatic, metering may vary between a 12mp and 48mp image (although it shouldn't). If they were automatic settings try again with Manual. Let me know how you get on.

Nice image BTW. I have deleted all images.

Cheers

neodraig Posted at 6-2 01:05
Yes I thought about that as I was using Lightroom for my Sony camera, but I checked and nothing seems

[view_image]

Incidentally, I meant to say that the underexposed 12mp image is a way better starting point as it has retained detail and colour in the sky whereas the 48mp sky is blown out

forbsie Posted at 6-2 16:24
Hi Neodraig,

Here are my results (same as yours)

Hello forbsie,

Thank you VERY much for your time and for testing the photos.

The photos were taken in automatic exposure, I'll try to run some tests and use the manual exposure to see if it makes any difference. Also most of the time I take bracketed photos, so I'll take some single ones to compare with the 48mp ones.

Still it's weird that the 12mp photos look good (as I took them) before importation, and that after they look so dark. Even without doing comparisons with the 48mp shots, the 12mp photos are definitely too dark when imported in Lightroom and not as I shot them.

I'll test that and keep you updated.

Tanks again for your help.

forbsie Posted at 6-2 22:57
Incidentally, I meant to say that the underexposed 12mp image is a way better starting point as it has retained detail and colour in the sky whereas the 48mp sky is blown out

Hello again,
I did a quick test and took a couple of shots in manual mode (so same speed and iso).
The results is the same, once imported in Lightroom the 12mp picture will be darkened when the 48mp is not.
I also imported the photos in Capture One and the result is the same, the 12mp photos get darkened.
I've updated my shared folder with the 2 new test shots.
Cheers.

I downloaded the new images and sure enough the 12MP image is darker than the 48MP with the same settings.

Intrigued, I just booted mine up and took and took two images into the garden while it was sitting on a table. Initial image was 12MP and compensated -0.7 to control the highlights in the left of the frame. Kept the same settings and took a 48MP image. Sure enough, once imported into LR the 12MP image is darker, but personally given how I set it up, I'd say the 48MP image has been brightened rather than the 12MP darkened.



12MP on left
(excuse the building work )

I've done a few more comparisons and I'm definitely siding with the notion that the 48MP images are being brightened rather than the 12MP darkened, possibly as a byproduct of the jiggery pokery that the 48MP  requires

Are you on manual exposure?

I'm getting the same thing and posted about it here:

https://forum.dji.com/forum.php? ... p;page=1#pid2762265\

To me it looked more like vignetting but the result is pretty much the same. 12mp photos are darker than 48mp photos even when shot with the same settings.

Montfrooij Posted at 6-3 10:56
Are you on manual exposure?

I cannot speak for Neodraig, although his previous notes suggest he was, but I know I was in manual mode.

Montfrooij Posted at 6-3 10:56
Are you on manual exposure?

I took the photos you can see in that thread in automatic exposure.
I did a new test today and took a couple of photos using manual settings, and the results are the same, once imported in Lightroom, the 12mp photos looked noticeably darker.
That darkening is applied after the importation as on import thumbnails (or in the Windows 10 image viewer) the exposition looks correct.

Lobster Posted at 6-3 07:11
I downloaded the new images and sure enough the 12MP image is darker than the 48MP with the same settings.

Intrigued, I just booted mine up and took and took two images into the garden while it was sitting on a table. Initial image was 12MP and compensated -0.7 to control the highlights in the left of the frame. Kept the same settings and took a 48MP image. Sure enough, once imported into LR the 12MP image is darker, but personally given how I set it up, I'd say the 48MP image has been brightened rather than the 12MP darkened.

Thanks for the tests.

I was wondering if it was a problem only with my Mini 3 Pro.

Lightroom doesn't have any profile for the Mini 3 Pro and I don't believe there are any profile build-in the DNGs as even when the camera profile is selected in Lightroom, no corrections are applied to the photos (I have to manually correct the purple fringing and vignetting), but maybe it applies a wrong correction to the 12mp.

But I agree, sometimes it's the 48mp photos that look too bright, but for me most of the time it's the 12mp photos that look too dark .

fans8f487c1d Posted at 6-3 11:11
I'm getting the same thing and posted about it here:

https://forum.dji.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=266379&utm_source=djiforum&utm_medium=forum&utm_campaign=emailnote&pbc=dapforum&page=1#pid2762265\

Hi,
I have the same problem (as you noticed in the other thread).
And I believe you're right, the 12mp photos seem to have a REALLY strong vignetting.
I tried in Lightroom and Capture One, and I have to apply a +75 correction to get rid of that vignetting  and have a similar image to the 48mp photos.
I don't know what's wrong and if DJI can fix that in a firmware update.
I can't understand why the 12mp DNG files get such a strong vignetting/darkening once imported in Lightroom (or any other image editor).

neodraig Posted at 6-3 12:37
I took the photos you can see in that thread in automatic exposure.
I did a new test today and took a couple of photos using manual settings, and the results are the same, once imported in Lightroom, the 12mp photos looked noticeably darker.
That darkening is applied after the importation as on import thumbnails (or in the Windows 18 image viewer) the exposition looks correct.

Aha, I see.

Lobster Posted at 6-3 11:34
I cannot speak for Neodraig, although his previous notes suggest he was, but I know I was in manual mode.

Check.
Just ruling things out here.

neodraig Posted at 6-3 06:26
Hello again,
I did a quick test and took a couple of shots in manual mode (so same speed and iso).
The results is the same, once imported in Lightroom the 12mp picture will be darkened when the 48mp is not.

Hi Neodraig,

From what you and others are posting it would appear that the 12mp and 48mp are metered or adjusted differently by the drone. I would reiterate though that in your first example I think the 12mp image is a better starting point as highlights and sky detail is retained whereas it is lost in the 48mp version.

I am unable to test because I don't yet have the M3P

Cheers Steve

Lobster Posted at 6-3 07:44
I've done a few more comparisons and I'm definitely siding with the notion that the 48MP images are being brightened rather than the 12MP darkened, possibly as a byproduct of the jiggery pokery that the 48MP  requires

I agree, I think 48mp images are overexposed.

I have a similar problem, which I posted about here:

https://forum.dji.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=266379

My issue is clearly vignetting and not overall darkening or lightening. I made a test again a bare wall and it's very clear. Both shots on manual exposure. ISO100 at 640 shutter speed. I think I was on auto white balance, though.

fans8f487c1d Posted at 6-5 10:24
I have a similar problem, which I posted about here:

https://forum.dji.com/forum.php?mod=viewthread&tid=266379

Thanks for the tests, it really shows the vignetting problem.
I can't understand why such a strong vignetting is applied to the 12mp DNGs once they are imported in Lightroom (or Capture One).
Could there be a bug in the informations embedded in the file ?
What is weird is the image viewer of Windows (10) shows the 12mp DNGs correctly (without vignetting), and same thing with Lightroom in the preview thumbnails (before the importation).
Anyway I really hope DJI will fix that.

Hi, there. Hello, there. Sorry for your inconvenience. Could you please give the original files of DNG and JPEG for us to double-check? You could upload them to Google Drive/ Dropbox and send the link to us. We will forward it to our engineer for further analysis. Thank you.

DJI Thor Posted at 6-5 19:06
Hi, there. Hello, there. Sorry for your inconvenience. Could you please give the original files of DNG and JPEG for us to double-check? You could upload them to Google Drive/ Dropbox and send the link to us. We will forward it to our engineer for further analysis. Thank you.

Hello,
Here you are:
https://drive.google.com/drive/f ... 9KKC6NJkLi7eiv-Qs2s
12mp DNGs are way too dark once imported in Lightroom / Capture One. Needs a +75 lens vignetting correction.

neodraig Posted at 6-6 01:53
Hello,
Here you are:
https://drive.google.com/drive/f ... 9KKC6NJkLi7eiv-Qs2s

Hi, there. Thanks for your reply. We have forwarded it to our engineer for further analysis. If there is any feedback, we will keep you updated. Thank you.