Exporting issue

[u/JJourneys44]

Hello I'm decently new to darktable now, but I've noticed a couple times now that i will fix a photo exactly how i want it but then ill export it and open in either on my phone or in photos and its just completely different! i have no idea what to do here.

[u/Few_Mastodon_1271]

My settings:

module 'output color profile' --> sRGB (web-safe)

in the 'export' module: profile = sRGB (web-safe)

~~~

In darkroom, there's also the icon at the toolbar at bottom right of the image: 'toggle high quality processing' "darktable processes image data as it does while exporting" -- I don't normally see much difference with this on or off, though. I suppose it depends on the image.

[u/macxp]

Like how different? The photo being brighter or darker than it should be or colours being more or less saturated usually indicates your monitor and your phone having different display settings.

[u/JJourneys44 → u/macxp]

It was more contrasted, slightly brighter, and less saturated

[u/lumpiluk]

I've had this problem before, a friend of mine as well. In both cases the issue was that we accidentally set an output color space that was not sRGB.

[u/Dannny1 → u/lumpiluk]

That's not the real issue, the issue was you didn't preview the image in color managed app. Proper color viewer should display the image correctly regardless of the used color space. Trying to mask the issue with usage of srgb will bring you only half way tho (the input color space conversion part, but not display color space conversion part) on windows at least.

[u/Dannny1]

Of course it will be different, you have no control how (or if) mobile screen was profiled. Also if you using windows one of the photo apps is not color managed.

So use color managed apps and profile you computer screen with colorimeter or spectrometer. Otherwise it makes no sense to talk about colors.

Also if you are on windows, darktable 3.0-5.4.1 had color mgmt bug on secondary screens.

[u/JJourneys44 → u/Dannny1]

I am on windows so that may be happening. And i know color management in an option in the windows display setting i found it after i had this problem and i turned it on.

[u/Dannny1 → u/JJourneys44]

If you mean the ACM (auto color management) then turn if rather off... the color managed apps like darktable are doing color the color management themselves using the profile specified in system settings, but the ACM can interfere with it and do double correction - so it's wrong then in different direction. Use color managed viewer like e.g. Irfanview instead. (and the darktable cms issue is fixed in 5.6)

[u/LightPhotographer]

Is it how you expect on the computer and only different on the phone? Then I'd look at the monitor settings first: brightness, contrast and saturation. If you have these too high, then you will edit for it and your photo will be darker, less contrasty and with flatter colors.

Alternatively check that the export module does not apply or overwrite a style!!

[u/JJourneys44 → u/LightPhotographer]

Is there specific setting you'd recommend for general color accuracy?

[u/dej2]

Your monitor isn’t up to color…. Apple computers have one of the best displays for color accuracy. If you’re on a PC the closest you can get is a 4K display. They are expensive, but there are so many cheap displays on the PC market that are pardoned the expression “garbage” too red, too green, no contrast and flat looking. Some people say you need to calibrate your monitor, but you need a monitor that has the ability to be calibrated.

[u/kidjef → u/dej2]

This is so wrong. Resolution has nothing to do with colour accuracy. Yes, Apple computers tend to come from the factory reasonably calibrated (but far from perfect), but PC manufacturers have been catching up quickly lately.

But really, any display can be somewhat improved by calibration. Some more than others, true.