Importing ARW files from Sony A7s2 in Sony Slog3

[kubak32700890]

Hi good people!!!

I have been fiddling with this for quite some time but still can't find the proper workflow.

I mainly shoot video but from time to time I like to take a picture. And it's usually a ARW file from my Sony A7S2 camera and I shoot in Sony Slog3.

Now, when importing these files into Lightroom the program automatically converts the log into a more contrasty curve. Something like I would do in a editing program say converting the log into rec709. How to avoid this automatic gamma conversion in Lightroom? Can anyone please tell me? I would like to start my developing process with the Slog3 settings. How can this be done? Thank you in advance. Have a great day.

[johnrellis · Accepted solution]

LR doesn't support SLog3 or any other log encoding applied to stills. You'll have to turn off the log encoding when taking a still.  Perhaps setting presets on your camera for SLog and no SLog might make that easier.

[kubak32700890]

Thank you very much John! That helps a lot. So no log there in LR.

I am tempted to ask: would you recommend some settings for the camera to reflect the LR in raw mode the most?

I will do some experimenting and maybe post the results here. Also: do you know any other software that would work in the log curve in the raw format? Thank you so much for your advice once again. Very useful help!

[johnrellis]

In general, there isn't any advantage to using log encoding with raw stills.  Log formats are designed to capture a larger dynamic range than traditional Rec 709 and sRGB, without increasing the amount of data storage. Raw formats capture the full dynamic range of the camera but at the expense of using much more data storage.  Once you've decided to use raw, you won't get any more dynamic range by also using log encoding.

[kubak32700890]

John thank you. That is very true what you are writing. I think it is about the pleasing looks of the log footage that I am missing on. And it seems like the software is not delivering what it should. I really like and I think a lot of people do as well the log look. The washed faded look. And many people would like to have that opportunity to develop their images with the staring point of a log. For example this is what one would do with Red footage (r3d files). They are called raw files and they really are. There is a lot of things you can change in post like white balance etc but you also can jump between the gamma curve and if you are in a grading suite with those you would most definitely start with a log rather than any other gamma. I understand the capacity of log and the amount of information that it can transport. It seems to me that LR is missing on that artistic freedom to work with the curve I choose to. Something to look up to in the future. Thank you very much for your time and your kind answers.

[Jao vdL]

Slog encoding for video is meant to make the relatively low bit depth video files retain more editing latitude. There is no point doing this for raw files as they always are linearly encoded and always have the maximum editing latitude possible as it has the direct sensor data and is not in any way treated. In fact a raw file has far more editing latitude than a Slog encoded video file or jpeg. Lightroom has the camera rendering profiles "Camera Clear, Camera Deep, Camera Landscape, Camera Light, Camera Neutral, Camera Portrait, Camera Standard, and Camera Vivid" built in for this camera. These mimic the rendering settings in camera. So if you select one of those in the camera and then select the same in the calibration setting in Develop, your image will look the same as the jpeg preview in camera. Camera Neutral is probably the one that you want to use to get low contrast. Just set this as the develop default for your camera. You do this by taking an unedited raw file in Develop. Scroll down to the calibration section and in "profile" choose camera Neutral. Then hold your option key and the reset button will change into "Set Default ..". Hit this and the default for newly imported files and files that you reset will now render using that profile.

[eugenioc9384865]

Hey man.. 6 years later and im making the same mistake (or misfortune i must say) you ve made once.. and cant find a solution. I really need this pictures, and need the raw look i saw on camera.. have you found a solution?

[delfosseb]

Hi everyone, I'm having the same issue.
I don't understand why on raw still files a such treatment is made by adobe lightrrom. It is supposed to be raw information so why picture profile set on sony cameras (such as slog) is affecting raw pictures shown in Lightroom ?
My problem is that I'm shooting mostly video (in slog to keep as much dynamic as possible) and sometimes I do shoot some still pictures. I don't want to change picture profile each time I switch between video and stills to avoid forgetting to switch back to slog when I shoot video.
My question is : Is there a way to display raw pictures shot with sony slog picture profile with no modification in Adobe Lightroom classic ? Thank you very much.

[Rob_Cullen]

"I don't understand why on raw still files a such treatment is made by adobe lightrrom."

That would be a question for Adobe. (We are mostly other community users here, like you.)

https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-classic/help/supported-file-formats.html

[JohanElzenga]

What you do not understand is that it's the opposite. Lightroom does not change anything to the raw files. The problem is that the SLog settings have no effect on the raw data. What your camera shows you is the effect of SLog on a JPEG preview. If you really want a still image that looks like what you saw on your camera LCD, then consider shooting in JPEG. Or shoot in RAW+JPEG and set Lightroom to treat these two as separate photos.

Alternatively, you could try to create your own custom camera profile in Camera Raw, that mimics SLog.

[delfosseb]

So if Lightroom does not anythong to raw files why is that If I import the same picture one shot with Picture profile OFF and the other with Picture Profile S-Log 3 it  is not at all the same result ?
I surely don't want to take picture in JPEG mode as I will have much less latitude in Lightroom. I just don't want to change my picture profile from S-log 3 to OFF when I switch frome video to stills capture. So could you explain to me why when I take pictures with s-log 3 picture profile my pictures imported in Lightroom are all dark and very contrasted ?
Thank you.

[JohanElzenga]

Maybe you have your Lightroom camera default set to read the camera settings. In that case Lightroom makes an attempt to mimic those settings. It does not have anything that mimics SLog correctly (that is why I suggested that you can create a camera profile yourself that does this), but it still may create some differences as a result. If I do the same thing I do not see any difference, because my camera default setting ignores this and uses the same default for all images from the same camera. Another possibility is that you use automatic exposure, and the camera uses a different exposure when you enable SLog. So make sure you are not comparing apples and oranges.

https://helpx.adobe.com/lightroom-classic/help/raw-defaults.html