LR CC - RAW Photos seems highly pixelized when zoomed

[Gregory_c1]

Hello all,

I started photography a while ago and decided to try shooting in RAW and editing in lightroom CC, just to see what I can do. I followed several training (video) tu understand lightroom features, but i have a strange problem I was wondering if it was due to my computer graphic "card" or screen (I'm using a Macbook Air from 11" with 8GB RAM and Intel HD Graphics 5000).

Every time I use the zoom fonction, for example use the brushes on specific areas, the image looks really bad.

I even can see the effect of the brush.

I don't know if the issue is coming from my cameras (i use one RX100m3 and one Canon T6), both RAW picture have the same quality issue when zooming. I attached some screenshots.

Here under are 2 Screenshots attached for references.

looking forward to know if the is a real "problem" and if there is a solution

Thank you

Gregory

[F. McLion]

We need to have some more details: ISO, zooming factor in LR as well as the resolution of the photo.

Are you looking at the image in Library or Develop module?

Are there and developments applied or is this just after import.

[Gregory_c1]

For both pictures, the zooming factor in LR is 1:1 and opened in Develop module.

There are no developments applied, just imported.

For the image with the eyes:

- ISO: 100

- Resolution: 3020x4032

For the image with the hand:

- ISO: 800

- Resolution: 4000x6000

Thanks a lot for the help.

Gregory

[richardplondon · Accepted solution]

Firstly, these images do look as if they have (not or barely corrected) normal image noise, to me.

1:1 zoom is merciless about that, and with any (relatively) small, (relatively) high-megapixels camera one must manage expectations so far as how the image's individual pixels are going to look before, and even after, noise reduction etc are set to the needed level.

You may be more accustomed to viewing camera JPG images which will have received considerable in-camera processing by default, including noise reduction. That in-camera processing has not happened with your Raw shots - this is part of the advantage of Raw, since this in-camera processing can be rather crudely done.

These things are now of course for you to control (including, having LR apply colour and luminance NR by default at whatever initial values you choose, or even calling on some external noise reduction utility, though I personally don't go that far).

The first shot is backlit and almost certainly will have had some compensatory lightening of less exposed areas, which tends to exaggerate any noisiness that is present.

Secondly, you mention that the effect of the brush is apparent. The local tools only have what you see to work with; they may be simply exaggerating those noise artefacts.

But one thing to check here, is whether you have Automask turned on. You will get a "blocky" result if this is active, whenever you drag the brush across a noisy looking image: because the underlying colour (which Automask is responding to) is not itself smoothly varying, such a mask will not be smoothly drawn on. So it's better IMO to paint on smoothly without Automask, and then you CAN use Automask to erase back the bits you don't want.

Alternatively, this blockiness of Automask is much less present if instead of making "strokes", you make a larger brush and "dab" (just clicking in one place, and then in another place, and so on).

[Abambo]

The eye picture seams to be too noisy for a ISO 100 picture. So I suppose that there was some processing going on, like adding exposure.

Stroke effects will be visible, if the size of the tip is very fine or the tip is very hard. It also depends on the parameters your changing. Adding a lot of exposure will obviously show all the areas, where the brush passed over in a different shape/colour.

[Just Shoot Me]

Both shots look to be slightly out of focus, If the areas you are Zoomed into are supposed to be In Focus, and they are both filled with noise.

More noise than I expect from shots shot at 100 and 800 ISO from that 20MP camera with a 1:1 zoom. The one with the face, are you sure you haven't adjusted it yet?

But neither look Pixelized as you stated in your original post and topic title.

This is Pixelized.

And that is a 4:1 zoom from a 10MP camera but on a much larger screen than your 11" Mac notebook. The only place you can see the pixels are at edges, where one color changes into another

[Gregory_c1]

Thanks everybody for your quick replies.

After double check, seems the WB setting was indeed changed for the eyes. But anyway, what I understand from all the answer is that this effect is mostly due to the processing or non-processing (due to RAW).

I will take more time to read all the answers in details.

And I think I need to work a bit more in processing RAW pictures.

Thanks again

Gregory

[Abambo]

White Balance does not induce noise, or you have a lot of noise in the eye picture. That's strange if not impossible for a ISO100 picture with no development going on. Development parameters can be applied as main parameters or via a filter (graduated, brush, radial). I'm sure that there are some parameter adjustments like "Shadows" or "Exposure" applied.

As stated before, the pictures are out of focus and at least for the eye picture, I would also assume some camera shaking or subject movement due to too long exposure times. That can't be easily corrected, even that Photoshop has now a tool to enhance such pictures.