How to Optimize Working with RAW Files in the Develop Module

As the name of the format suggests, RAW is a collection of raw data. This means that the camera has not applied any adjustments to this data with its algorithms, as it does with JPEG files. Camera algorithms optimize the appearance of files by correcting sensor imperfections or optical lens flaws. Compared to RAW, JPEG files can therefore be less noisy, better exposed, or free of unwanted vignetting.

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Why does my RAW look different in the Develop module than it does in the Manager?

The basics of working with RAW files include the functions found in the Camera and Lens tool in the Develop module. These functions are specifically designed to improve the interpretation of the data contained in the RAW file.

Camera Profile

Camera profiles are used to accurately display the colors of RAW images according to the characteristics of a specific camera. They determine how colors are interpreted when converting from the RAW format to an editable image. This makes it possible to achieve more faithful colors or a specific look right when opening the images in the Develop module, giving users greater control over the final color rendering.

For supported cameras, Zoner Studio provides a custom profile called Zoner Standard. This profile focuses on the most accurate possible color interpretation.

Camera profiles are also available from Adobe (known as DCP profiles = DNG Camera Profiles) and can be obtained by downloading and installing the Adobe DNG Converter. These profiles typically aim to mimic the look a photographer can achieve by setting a specific in-camera color profile (e.g., Vivid, Landscape, or Portrait).

You can add a camera profile from Adobe or another source to a file using the plus button in the Camera Profile section.

Optical Lens Flaws

Optical flaws occur due to the physical limitations of light refraction through the lenses of a camera lens. Light rays passing through a complex system of glass elements refract differently depending on the angle, color, and distance from the optical axis. Even with precise lens construction, it is not always possible to achieve perfectly accurate rendering under all conditions.

The most common optical lens flaws include:

• warp – barrel or pincushion distortion, which causes shapes at the edges of the image to deform,
• vignetting – darkening of the corners of the image,
• chromatic aberration – colored fringes around high-contrast edges, especially near the image borders.

Lens Profile

Because completely eliminating flaws through lens design is technically and economically demanding, they are often corrected later in software during image processing. In Zoner Studio, the Lens Profile section serves this purpose. Lens profiles are available in a drop-down menu — simply find the correct profile. Clicking “From list” first runs an automatic search.

If the automatic search does not find the lens, you can look it up manually in the list or download the appropriate profile from the internet and assign it to the photo using the “From file” option. Clicking the plus button opens file browsing on your computer.

After selecting the profile, optical flaws are automatically corrected according to the types of correction available in the profile.

Setting Default Adjustments

Below both of the above sections is the Set as Default button. This button is only active after making a change in that section. When you use this option, the selected profiles are automatically applied to every unedited RAW taken with that specific camera body and lens combination. If you have two different cameras, you don’t have to worry about incorrect profiles being applied to RAW files from one of them.