RawTherapee processing challenge

[jdc (Desmis)]

Hello all

Since the creation of this challenge, and I remind you that this was one of the goals, I have brought several remedies to more or less annoying bugs. Some were difficult to resolve. The “Local Adjustments” code represents approximately, between the algorithms and the GUI, more than 50,000 lines of code.
Thanks to everyone who pointed them out to me.

Your image production with truly different processes is a source of significant improvements. Without these challenges, there would have been no significant progress. Thank you all.

Among the latest improvements, there is in particular, when several Spot (using either Cam16 or Log encoding), a better correspondence between the desired settings and their taking into account.

From my point of view, even if it appears in a hidden corner, the most important recent improvement in terms of algorithm is what ends up with the “Highlight attenuation” header. In particular the “Scope based” part, which, depending on the settings used, is either a “simple” highlight attenuator (rolloff), or a powerful “Tone mapping” function (over 23Ev).

Technical section for interested parties only- (aficionados):
For those who may be interested, the original algorithm (MIT - Thatcher Freeman) that I’ve modified for RT (also used in ART for the “Rolloff” part - thanks to Alberto ), uses a final formula, which connects a variable gamma to a linear part and is similar in spirit to a TRC, but with a huge advantage: the highlights part is asymptotic.

The formula :
Result = (dr * (x / (x + b)) + c) * kmid;// dr = dynamic Range, b = take into account slope, WhiteEv, BlackEv, Yb scene, Yb viewing, etc. , c = black point, kmid = relationship between Yb scene and Yb viewing.
If you use console mode with Verbose=true, you can see the impact of the settings - a line with:
b, gamma, slope, DynRange (dr), kmid, black (c), Yb-scale. (lost in all settings Ciecam)

Thanks again to all, the challenge isn’t over yet

Jacques

[jdc (Desmis)]

Hello

I just updated the “lacam16n2” branch with “Dev”.
No changes to Cam16 features, but you get general RT improvements;

Executables “lacam16n2”
https://github.com/Beep6581/RawTherapee/releases/tag/pre-dev-github-actions

Jacques

[xpatUSA (Ted Cousins)]

Noticeable halos on high contrast edges:

[arturoisilvia (Arturo)]

@xpatUSA

Halos notables en bordes de alto contraste:

Rigth. I seem to have overdone it with the contrast by LA’s “contrast by level of detail” module.

[jdc (Desmis)]

Hello

This remark and exchange within the “Challenge” is very interesting in terms of learning.

On the one hand, the result is always subjective, linked in particular to the viewing conditions and the desired goal (exhibition in a gallery, striving for perfection, etc.).

On the other hand, and this is the point of this challenge, there are several ways of approaching the subject, and for me, they’re all good.

In this case, the “tester” has used Contrast By Detail Levels over the entire image, which is his choice. This results in a “little” (on a personal level, you may find it very important) haloing at the edges of the darkest areas.

“Local adjustments” offers alternatives to remedy this problem.

For example, an “Excluding spot” whose center is on the “stilt”. You may or may not associate it with a tool such as “Color & Light” and thus be able to modify a global change locally. Once again, it’s all subjective.

Thank you very much.

Jacques

[arturoisilvia (Arturo)]

@jdc

I just updated the “lacam16n2” branch with “Dev”.
No changes to Cam16 features, but you get general RT improvements;

I just installed the “dev” version: RawTherapee_dev_win64_release
version: 5.10-179 and within seconds of starting, RT shuts down.

I have configured:

Can't start the latest dev version of RawTherapee for Win64

It could be this annoying glitch in RT. From time to time, it may happen that in the option file/GUI section, the two parameters WindowX and WindowYare set to something like -32768. In that case the RT window is lost off screen. Setting these parameters to 0 cures the problem. Or you get back the window on screen: https://www.howtogeek.com/howto/windows/bring-misplaced-off-screen-windows-back-to-your-desktop-keyboard-trick/

And I have configured windows access to the dev folder.

No result.

However I have RT 5.10 installed and also the lacam16n2 folder and these work fine.

Does it happen to anyone else?
What else can I do to make the current “dev” 5.10-179 of
https://github.com/Beep6581/RawTherapee/releases/download/nightly-github-actions/RawTherapee_dev_win64_release.exe

Thanks.

[jdc (Desmis)]

@arturoisilvia

I am not at all (but not at all) a specialist in the production of builds.
I’ve been having issues recently with the new setup ( 2 screens).
https://github.com/Beep6581/RawTherapee/commit/bf8f385eb5a07d8af5510008c56d7ecb6c842681

Yesterday I tried the modification proposed by @Lawrence37 and everything works correctly, hence my “merge” with dev.

Maybe your “options” file is corrupted, but it’s curious that the “lacam16n2” branch works in this case. I don’t know if this concerns only “dev”, or only “lacam16n2”, or only “windows”, or only “Linux”… for me all this (no pun intended) is Chinese…

Try to save your “options” files which must be for windows in
C:\Users\YOURNAME\AppData\Local\RawTherapee5-dev
Delete this file… and run again…Rawtherapee… of course everything will be reset

Jacques

[arturoisilvia (Arturo)]

@jdc

Try to save your “options” files which must be for windows in
C:\Users\YOURNAME\AppData\Local\RawTherapee5-dev
Delete this file… and run again…Rawtherapee… of course everything will be reset

Thank you jacques,
After doing that, dev version 5.10-179 still doesn’t work.

The latest “dev” version I have and it works fine is:
(I have reinstalled it and it works):
Version: 5.10-64-g6dd99ca3d
Branch: dev
Commit: 6dd99ca3d
Commit date: 2024-02-18
Compiler: cc 13.2.0
Processor: generic x86
System: Windows
Bit depth: 64 bits
Gtkmm: V3.24.8
Lensfun: V0.3.4.0
Build type: release

From 5.10-64 to 5.10-179 I don’t have because I’ve been testing lacam16n and lacam16n2.

So the “dev” version 5.10-179: it starts and after a few seconds it shuts down.

I don’t know if it’s just me or someone else?

[jdc (Desmis)]

If you remember, this was the question I asked when I was acting strangely, to say the least. I switched from “lacam16n” to “lacam16n2”… and asked if there were other people who had this kind of problem (with Windows, with Linux, with Mac…), without response…

For me, now, all works fine… But where are the last “dev” executable version (windows, Mac, Linux) ?

I repeat, I am anything but a computer scientist…I like algorithms, mathematics… but that doesn’t have much to do (even at all) with configurations, builds, etc. Fortunately there are people who know about it (not me)

I hope this will work out…It’s not a code problem.

But this confirms that it is necessary to “fortify” and facilitate access

• Rawtherapee web
• Github with code
• release “dev”
• pre-dev builds
• documentation
• information
• tutorials, and so on…Retour d’expérience…

I confirm, I have found the builds… and the windows one 5.10-179, crash… Why ?
The compile version in github, works fine…Probably libs or dlls must be missing ?

Jacques

[jdc (Desmis)]

I’m opening the challenge to 2 new images (the last)

Raw File

Raw File

Thanks in advance

Jacques

[PD1 (PD)]

Here is my effort with the first one. I used RawTherapee_7010merge_5.10-509-g4f6ba8757 version. Admiteddly used modules other than CAM16 module as the pp3 file will show.

B.dng.pp3 (15.2 KB)

[jdc (Desmis)]

@PD1

Thank you

Jacques

[arturoisilvia (Arturo)]

With RT 5.10-505_lacam16n2_
I like that sunset, as it was taken, according to exif data, at 19h 41m.

In LA → Color Appearance (Cam16):
To get that sunset right, in the “source data adjustment” section, I have lowered the Gamma slider to 1.10 and the Midtones to -90.

20240331_B.jpg.out.pp3 (20,3 KB)

Greetings!

[PD1 (PD)]

Here is the second image. It’s a beautiful composition, and I enjoyed working with it. I used RawTherapee_7010merge_5.10-509-g4f6ba8757 version

IMGP2426.DNG.pp3 (15.3 KB)

[jdc (Desmis)]

@pd1 @arturoisilvia

Thank you
Wealth is in diversity

Jacques

[arturoisilvia (Arturo)]

With RT 5.10-509_lacam16n2_
The image was taken in July at 21:13 at sunset, when the sun has a very nice diffuse yellow colour.
Process with only:

1. Auto-Matched Tone Curve
2. Capture Sharpening
3. LA → Color Appearance (Cam16) basic mode:
   The most important thing in this module:
   a) Scene conditions: Surround: Dim
   b) Source Data Adjustments:
   → b1) Gamma: 1.93
   → b2) HighLight attenuation: Slope based
   → b3) Gray balance (slope): 0.67
   c) Viewing conditions: Chromatic adaptation/CAT16: 15.0

20240331_IMGP2426-1.jpg.out.pp3 (20,4 KB)

Greetings!

[jdc (Desmis)]

@arturoisilvia

Thank you very much

[jdc (Desmis)]

Hello

I’m following @afre suggestion to include this image in the challenge. It’s neither underexposed nor overexposed, the dynamic range is low, but it’s a difficult image because of the atmospheric haze.
Quantum of the Seas

This time, I’m including the pp3 I presented. Due to the evolution of “lacam16n2”, I’ve made a few (small) changes.
Raw File
CC BY-NC-SA 4.0

pp3

I hope the 2 links are good

But of course, this doesn’t close the “challenge” - you can still compete for the 5 + 1 images.

Jacques

[arturoisilvia (Arturo)]

With RT 5.10-509_lacam16n2_

20240323_DSC5286.jpg.out.pp3 (20,4 KB)

Greetings!

[jdc (Desmis)]

@arturoisilvia

Thank you

Jacques