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DNG Profiles:FAQ

From Adobe Labs


FAQ about Camera Profiles and the DNG Profile Editor

This page is maintained by the Camera Raw engineering team

Last updated: November 25, 2008

The purpose of this page is to answer common questions about the new camera profiles and DNG Profile Editor.

Abbreviations used on this page:

AS Adobe Standard camera profile
CM Camera Matching camera profile
PE DNG Profile Editor
CR Camera Raw
LR Lightroom
PS Photoshop

Click here to return to the Camera Profiles Resources & Notes page.

Questions by Category

General Information

Workflow

Troubleshooting

Technical Details

DNG Profile Editor (General Information)

DNG Profile Editor (Technical Issues)

DNG Profile Editor (Chart Wizard)


General Information

Where can I download the latest camera profiles?

There is no longer any need to download the camera profiles separately. They are shipping with the latest Camera Raw update (5.2 at the time of this writing) and will be shipping with the next update of Lightroom (i.e., 2.2).

When were the new camera profiles and DNG Profile Editor announced?

The first public beta was released on July 29, 2008, along with the release of CR 4.5 and LR 2.0. A second public beta (called "beta 2") was released on October 22, 2008, along with the release of CR 5.1 and LR 2.1. The public beta period is now over. (You may continue using the beta profiles if you wish.)

The profiles are now shipping with Camera Raw 5.2. This means it is no longer necessary to visit the Adobe Labs site to download camera profiles separately. The same profiles will also ship with Lightroom 2.2 (coming soon).

What changed between beta 1 and beta 2?

First, we added new profiles for several new cameras. After all, many new cameras were announced and began shipping since the beta 1 profiles came out in July. There are now Adobe Standard beta 2 profiles for the following cameras:

In addition, Camera Matching profiles have been added for the following cameras:

Furthermore, there have been minor color improvements between existing Adobe Standard beta 1 and Adobe Standard beta 2 profiles, in response to user feedback. Please keep in mind that in many cases the adjustments are subtle and may not even be visible on particular images.

There have been more significant adjustments between the Camera Matching beta 1 and Camera Matching beta 2 profiles. Some of the previous Camera Matching beta 1 profiles (i.e., for specific cameras) suffered from harsh highlight tonal transitions and/or color banding in the highlights. These issues have been fixed in the beta 2 profiles.

Beta 2 of the DNG Profile Editor contains the following bug fixes (there are no feature changes or additions):

What changed between the beta 2 and release profiles?

For existing beta 2 profiles, nothing changed. In other words, the "beta 2" suffix was simply dropped from the name of the profile.

The release profiles (from November 24, 2008) contain additional profiles for new cameras, coinciding [http://blogs.adobe.com/lightroomjournal/2008/11/camera_raw_52_and_dng_converte.html with the release of Camera Raw 5.2].

Is it safe to delete beta 1 profiles? What will happen if I do?

Yes.

Note that the Camera Profiles beta 2 installer will NOT delete existing beta 1 profiles (assuming you have beta 1 profiles in the first place). This is intentional. You may continue to use beta 1 profiles indefinitely, if you wish.

Let's say you now have the beta 1 profiles installed. You've been using them to process your raw files. Now you install the beta 2 profiles. As noted above, the installer doesn't delete the older beta 1 profiles. So now you have both beta 1 and beta 2 profiles on your computer. If you open your existing images in Camera Raw or Lightroom, they will continue to use the beta 1 profiles, since that's how the image settings (i.e., in the metadata) were saved. So far, so good.

But now what happens if you delete the beta 1 profiles from your computer? Camera Raw 4.6, 5.1 and Lightroom 2.1 will automatically switch to using the beta 2 profiles instead. So if you open those same images in CR 4.6 or 5.1, or LR 2.1, the colors for those images will be rendered using the beta 2 profiles.

Is it safe to delete beta 2 profiles? What will happen if I do?

Yes. The answer is very similar to what happens if you were to delete the beta 1 profiles (see above).

Note that the Camera Profiles installer that ships with Camera Raw 5.2 and later will NOT delete existing beta 1 or beta 2 profiles (assuming you have beta 1 or beta 2 profiles in the first place). This is intentional. You may continue to use beta 1 and beta 2 profiles indefinitely, if you wish.

Let's say you now have these beta profiles installed. You've been using them to process your raw files. Now you install the final (i.e., non-beta) profiles. As noted above, the installer doesn't delete the older beta 1 or beta 2 profiles. So now you have both beta 1 and beta 2 profiles on your computer. If you open your existing images in Camera Raw or Lightroom, they will continue to use the beta profiles, since that's how the image settings (i.e., in the metadata) were saved. So far, so good.

But now what happens if you delete the beta profiles from your computer? Camera Raw and Lightroom will automatically switch to using the final profiles instead. So, for example, if you open those same images in CR 4.6, 5.1, 5.2, or LR 2.1, the colors for those images will be rendered using the release profiles.

I now have the final (non-beta) profiles and want to delete the older beta profiles. How do I do this?

See here for an explanation of where the profiles are installed. Delete the Adobe Standard beta 1 and Camera beta 1 folders to delete the "beta 1" profiles. Delete the Adobe Standard beta 2 and Camera beta 2 folders to delete the "beta 2" profiles.

Why did you have a public beta for the profiles and DNG Profile Editor?

The new profiles and PE represent a significant step forward in color rendering for CR / LR. There have been many under-the-hood changes in the camera profiles and PE is a brand new tool. Thus, we wanted to give photographers the opportunity to work with them and provide feedback before we baked them for final release.

The public beta period ended on November 24, 2008. The final profiles became available on the same day as part of the Camera Raw 5.2 release.

What's the best way to get started with the new profiles?

First, visit this page for some basic instructions on getting started with the new profiles.

We recommend that you first try the new Adobe Standard profile for your camera. If you have a Canon or Nikon DSLR, you can also try the additional CM profiles. Try the new profile(s) with a large number of images to judge the results. Compared to earlier profiles, you should notice improved colors, particularly in warm tones (reds, oranges, and yellows).

If you are unhappy with the default profiles, you can adjust them using the new DNG Profile Editor (PE). These tutorials should help you get started. If you are accustomed to running calibration scripts with earlier versions of CR, try using PE's Chart Wizard feature.

What are Adobe Standard profiles?

The new Adobe Standard (AS) profiles are designed to improve color rendering compared to our previous camera profiles (e.g., ACR 4.4 and earlier), especially in reds, oranges, and yellows.

In some cases, deep saturated reds with our earlier profiles came out undersaturated and/or orange-ish. This issue has been fixed with the new AS profiles without adversely affecting skin tones.

All AS profiles are identified with the prefix Adobe Standard in CR / LR's Profile popup menu.

Note that our profile-naming (and version-numbering) conventions have changed, hopefully for the better.

What are Camera Matching profiles?

These profiles match the color appearance produced by the camera vendors' software, under specific settings (described below). They are intended for photographers who appreciate the workflow and toolset provided by CR / LR but prefer the color rendering provided by the camera vendors' own software.

All CM profiles are identified with the prefix Camera in CR / LR's Profile popup menu.

Please note that the CM profiles are NOT expected to match the embedded in-camera JPEG, especially if you have established custom in-camera settings. To understand the abilities and scope of the CM profiles, please read the following description carefully.

As of July 29, 2008, we have created CM profiles for Canon and Nikon DSLRs only. Photographers who want CM profiles for other cameras are encouraged to use the DNG Profile Editor.

In general, there are 5 CM profiles per Canon DSLR, one for each of the default Canon Picture Styles. These five Picture Styles are called Standard, Portrait, Landscape, Neutral, and Faithful. The CM profiles will match the Canon Picture Styles with all Canon sliders (i.e., Contrast, Color Balance, and Saturation) set to their default values of 0.

Similarly, in general there are 8 CM profiles per Nikon DSLR, one for each of the Nikon Picture Controls. These Picture Controls are called Standard, Neutral, Vivid, Landscape, Portrait, D2X Mode 1, D2X Mode 2, D2X Mode 3. The CM profiles will match the Nikon Picture Controls with all Nikon sliders (i.e., Saturation, Tone Compensation, etc.) set to their default values of 0. Note that the D2X name is applicable to all Nikon DSLRs, even non-D2X models. This is not a bug.

Are the new profiles camera-specific?

Yes. Every profile that we build is camera-specific. Even the older profiles (e.g., ACR 3.3, ACR 4.4) are camera-specific. In fact, the profile menu in CR/LR will only show profiles for your camera. Note that the profiles you see in the profile menu do not include the camera's model name (e.g., Canon EOS 40D). This is intentional (for several reasons).

I only see generic profiles in the Profile popup menu, but not profiles specific to my camera. What's wrong?

Actually, all the profiles listed in the Profile popup menu are specific to your camera. See related question.

I only see an "Embedded" profile in the Profile popup menu. What's wrong?

You probably have a JPEG or TIFF file selected. The camera profiles discussed here only apply to raw files, not already-rendered images such as JPEG and TIFF images.

The older profiles were named ACR 3.3, ACR 4.4, etc. Why are the new profiles named Adobe Standard?

Older camera profiles were assigned a number (e.g., "3.3") corresponding to the CR release in which they first appeared (e.g., CR 3.3). Many users found this naming convention confusing. Therefore, with our new camera profiles built around DNG 1.2, we are dropping the CR version number from the profile name.

The first public beta profiles have the "beta 1" suffix. The second public beta profiles have the "beta 2" suffix.

What happened to the older profiles (e.g., ACR 3.3, ACR 4.4)?

They're still around (we didn't delete them) and you can still use them if you prefer.

What version of Camera Raw or Lightroom do I need to use the new profiles?

CR 4.5 / LR 2.0 (final release) or later. The new profiles will NOT work correctly with earlier versions of CR / LR, because they do not fully support DNG 1.2. In particular, the new profiles will NOT work correctly with the public beta of Lightroom 2.0.

Will the new profiles work with the public beta of Lightroom 2?

No. See related question here.

Why are the new profiles called "DNG camera profiles"? Can they only be used with DNG images?

The name "DNG camera profile" is used because (1) the underlying camera profile format comes from the DNG 1.2 specification and (2) these camera profiles can be embedded in DNG images.

The name does not mean that these profiles can only be used to process DNG images. In fact, the new AS and CM profiles can be used to process both DNG and non-DNG images.

Are the new profiles compatible with both Mac and Windows?

Yes. In fact, DNG camera profiles are completely platform-independent. Specifically, an external profile (which has the .dcp extension) will work on any platform, including Mac OS X, Windows XP, and Windows Vista. Similarly, a profile exported from PE on a specific platform (e.g., Mac OS X) will work on any platform.

Where are the new profiles installed on my computer?

On Mac OS X:

/Library/Application Support/Adobe/CameraRaw/CameraProfiles

On Windows 2000 / XP:

C:\Documents and Settings\All Users\Application Data\Adobe\CameraRaw\CameraProfiles

On Windows Vista:

C:\ProgramData\Adobe\CameraRaw\CameraProfiles

Can Camera Raw or Lightroom use ICC camera profiles to render raw images?

No. When rendering raw images, CR / LR only support profiles in the DNG camera profile format (described in the DNG 1.2 specification).

Also see related question.

Can Camera Raw or Lightroom use camera profiles built by third-party software?

Not currently. Software tools such as ProfileMaker and MonacoPROFILER build ICC camera profiles. When rendering raw images, CR / LR only support profiles in the DNG camera profile format (described in the DNG 1.2 specification). We hope this situation will change in the future (i.e., third-party tools will add support for the DNG camera profile format).

Also see related question.

Why does the installer for the DNG Converter also install the camera profiles?

Beginning with version 5.2, the DNG Converter installer will install not only the DNG Converter application, but also the camera profiles. This is necessary because when the DNG Converter produces a DNG from a non-DNG raw file (e.g., a CR2 or NEF raw file), the DNG Converter needs to embed a camera color profile into the DNG. This requires the profiles to be installed on your system.

When I go to the profile pop-up menu, I only see a profile called "Matrix." What is this?

If Camera Raw/Lightroom cannot find any external profiles for a camera newly supported in CR 5.2 and LR 2.2, it will show you a baseline profile titled Matrix which is similar in color rendering to our legacy profiles (e.g., named ACR 4.4). By default, when external profiles are available (such as the default Adobe Standard profile), the Matrix baseline profile is hidden.

Workflow

How can I set a given profile to be my default camera profile in Camera Raw?

First, open an image in CR and select your desired profile from the Camera Profile popup menu in the Camera Calibration tab. Then click on the flyout popup menu (to the right of the words "Camera Calibration") and choose Save New Camera Raw Defaults.

How can I set a given profile to be my default camera profile in Lightroom?

First, select an image in LR's Develop module and select your desired profile from the Profile popup menu in the Camera Calibration panel. Then press the Alt/Option key and observe that the Reset button changes its name to "Set Default...". Click the "Set Default..." button and click "Update to Current Settings" in the following dialog box.

Additional notes:

What's the easiest way to apply a profile to a large number of images in Camera Raw?

First, open a set of images in CR and make sure all images are selected. Next, choose your desired profile from the Camera Profile popup menu in the Camera Calibration tab. Then click the Synchronize... button and choose "Camera Calibration" from the ensuing dialog box's Synchronize popup menu. Click OK.

If you find yourself doing this a lot, you can save yourself time by making a preset. Click on the flyout popup menu on the right-hand side of the CR dialog box and choose "Save Settings...". Choose "Camera Calibration" from the ensuing dialog box's Subset popup menu, then click "Save..." Then whenever you need to apply your preset to a group of images, choose "Apply Preset" from the flyout popup menu.

An easy way to apply a given profile automatically to all new images is to create a new CR default for your camera.

What's the easiest way to apply a profile to a large number of images in Lightroom?

First, select a set of images in your LR catalog. Next, choose your desired profile from the Profile popup menu in the Develop module's Camera Calibration panel. Then choose "Sync Settings..." from the Settings menu. Make sure "Calibration" is checked in the ensuing dialog box and click Synchronize.

If you find yourself doing this a lot, you can save yourself time by making a preset. In the Develop module's left panel, click the + button to the right of the word "Presets". Make sure "Calibration" is checked in the ensuing dialog box and click Create. Then whenever you need to apply your preset to a group of images, click on your newly-created preset from the Presets list in the left panel.

You can also choose this preset in the Import dialog box to apply your desired camera profile to all imported images.

Another way to apply a given profile automatically to all new images is to modify LR's default settings for your camera.

How can I apply a profile automatically to all images imported into Lightroom?

Either use a preset or modify your camera's default settings: see related question.

How do the new profiles relate to the color rendering adjustments already available inside of Camera Raw and Lightroom (e.g., HSL adjustments)?

The best way to think about the new AS and CM camera profiles is that they provide great out-of-the-box results. However, they are only default starting points for further image adjustments and are not (and will never be) substitutes for a photographer's creative vision. Therefore, treat the new profiles as starting points but use the color and tone rendering controls provided by CR / LR (e.g., HSL sliders, Fill Light, Parametric Curves, etc.) to make your desired image-specific adjustments.

Should I still be using the Camera Calibration sliders in Camera Raw and Lightroom?

Probably not. We need to keep those sliders in CR / LR for legacy reasons, but for editing camera profiles we now recommend using the DNG Profile Editor because of the finer control it provides.

If you are trying out the new AS or CM profiles, then it is very important that you set the Camera Calibration sliders in CR / LR to their default values of 0. If you have old camera calibration settings (e.g., ones computed by a calibration script in CR), those will continue to work with the older camera profiles. However, those values will not work correctly with the new AS and CM camera profiles.

Troubleshooting

I installed Camera Raw 4.5 or Lightroom 2.0 but don't see the new profiles. Where are they?

The profiles are available as a separate download. See related questions here and here.

I don't see any difference between the new profiles and the older ones. What's wrong?

You are probably using an older version of CR / LR that does not support the new camera profiles. See related question.

Why are Nikon D2X profiles showing up in the profile menu in Camera Raw and Lightroom, even though my camera isn't a D2X?

Despite the name, the D2X Mode 1, D2X Mode 2, and D2X Mode 3 profiles aren't actually profiles for the D2X camera. These are profiles designed to match the corresponding Nikon Picture Controls of the same name. To make this easier to understand, open Nikon View NX (or Capture NX) and examine the Picture Controls menu. There are six built-in settings: Standard, Neutral, Vivid, D2X Mode 1, D2X Mode 2, and D2X Mode 3. Those last 3 contain the "D2X" name even for non-D2X cameras. In other words, this is Nikon's naming convention.

Where can I get help with the new profiles and DNG Profile Editor?

Well, you're looking at one of the resources -- this FAQ. We also have online tutorials and documentation for using PE. Official Adobe support is not available while the profiles and PE are in the public beta process (see related question).

Why isn't official Adobe support available for the new profiles and DNG Profile Editor?

Because they are currently being released as part of a public beta process (i.e., in experimental mode, if you prefer). Official technical support will be available once these profiles are finalized. In the meantime, we have put together this FAQ, online tutorials, and documentation to help you get started with both the profiles and DNG Profile Editor. You are also encouraged to post questions in the User-To-User forums (see the links at the bottom of this page).

Technical Details

What's the difference between an embedded profile and an external profile?

An embedded profile is a camera profile that has been embedded in a DNG file (i.e., the profile data is stored in the DNG along with the image data). An external profile is a camera profile whose data is stored in a separate file on disk; this file has a .dcp extension. Otherwise there is no difference between embedded and external profiles.

In terms of the DNG 1.2 specification, what makes the new camera profiles technically different from the old ones?

Our earlier camera profiles (in CR 4.4.1 / LR 1.4.1 and earlier) only use color matrices to perform the colorimetric characterization of digital image sensors. One set of matrices is optimized for standard illuminant A (~2850 K) and another set of matrices is optimized for illuminant D65 (~6500 K). CR / LR automatically interpolate between these two sets of matrices based on an image's white balance.

The DNG 1.2 specification expands and formalizes the concept of a camera profile. In addition to color matrices, profiles may now contain a set of color lookup tables and an optional tone curve. The new AS and CM profiles are using these additional features to improve color rendering in CR 4.5 / LR 2.0.

The DNG 1.2 specification also includes other features, such as raw image digest support, that are unrelated to color rendering.

Where can I learn the technical details about the new DNG camera profile format?

From the DNG 1.2 specification.

The relevant DNG tags are:

Also be sure to read the section titled Mapping Camera Color Space to CIE XYZ Space.

Note that the information above will likely only be useful to software developers.

Why introduce another camera profile format instead of using ICC camera profiles?

Some technical background is required to fully appreciate the reasons.

First, ICC camera profiles used by raw converters today are designed to process output-referred (i.e., rendered) image data, not scene-referred (i.e., raw) image data. Furthermore, the sequence and placement of color transformations described in an ICC camera profile can prevent other image processing stages (such as highlight recovery algorithms) from performing optimally. Third, there is no standard that describes the input color space of the ICC camera profile color transformation (it is often, but not always, a tone-mapped set of RGB camera coordinates). Consequently, ICC camera profiles are not portable: they can only be used with the raw converter for which they were explicitly created in the first place. Using an ICC camera profile designed for one raw converter with another raw converter nearly always produces incorrect (though sometimes entertaining) results.

In contrast, DNG camera profiles are designed specifically to process scene-referred image data. The color matrices, color tables, and tone curve transformations are applied in separate stages (instead of all in one step) to minimize exposure dependencies and to enable other image processing stages to perform optimally. The entire color processing model is described in the DNG 1.2 specification and SDK, thus enabling portability of DNG camera profiles among all raw converters that support DNG 1.2. Unlike ICC profiles, DNG profiles can store color adjustments separately for two illuminants (usually illuminants A and D65), which are used by the raw converter to derive the final color transformation automatically from an image's white balance. Finally, multiple DNG camera profiles can be embedded within DNG raw files, thereby making DNG images self-contained and ensuring that the photographer's chosen "color appearance" stays with the file wherever it goes.

How are DNG camera profiles different from ICC camera profiles?

See related question here.

What exactly goes into one of these new DNG camera profiles? Descriptions of color, tone, noise, detail, etc?

DNG camera profiles only describe color and tone. Other aspects of an imaging system's behavior (e.g., noise, detail, geometric distortions, etc.) are not stored in these camera profiles.

Technically, a DNG camera profile contains a set of color matrices, an optional set of color tables, an optional tone curve, and some metadata (e.g., embed policy and copyright information). Interested photographers and software developers are encouraged to read the DNG 1.2 specification and check out the DNG 1.2 Software Development Kit (SDK) to learn more.

I'm a software developer and want to support DNG 1.2 camera profiles. How do I get started?

First, download, install, and build the DNG 1.2 SDK. See dng_camera_profile.h and dng_camera_profile.cpp to get started. Also download and read the DNG 1.2 specification.

Here is some C++ sample code that shows how to read and write a profile. 

#include "dng_camera_profile.h"
#include "dng_file_stream.h"
#include "dng_image_writer.h"

//
//  Read a profile in from disk
//

dng_file_stream inStream ("MyProfile.dcp");

dng_camera_profile profile;

profile.ParseExtended (inStream);

//
//  Do something useful with the profile ...
//

//
//  Write the modified camera profile out to disk
//

dng_file_stream outStream ("MyModifiedProfile.dcp", true);

tiff_dng_extended_color_profile writer (profile);

writer.Put (outStream);

outStream.Flush ();

DNG Profile Editor (General Information)

What is the DNG Profile Editor?

PE is a new standalone application for Mac and Windows that can be used to edit DNG camera profiles. It can be downloaded from this page.

Here are some cases in which PE may come in handy:

Where can I download the latest DNG Profile Editor?

Click here.

Where can I get help with the DNG Profile Editor?

Well, you're looking at one of the resources -- this FAQ. We also have online tutorials and documentation for using PE. Official Adobe support is not available while the profiles and PE are in the public beta process (see related question).

Does Adobe provide a printed manual for the DNG Profile Editor?

No. However, there are online tutorials and documentation, as well as this FAQ.

How much will the DNG Profile Editor cost when it's no longer a public beta?

DNG Profile Editor 1.0 will be provided as a free utility to the photographic community.

Why does the DNG Profile Editor only open DNG images?

The reasons are given below. First, however, let's cover the practical implications. The PE will only open and preview DNG raw files. Raw files in other formats, such as Canon CR2 and Nikon NEF formats, must first be converted to DNG files (e.g., via the DNG Converter) before they can be opened in PE.

However, external DNG camera profiles, including those built by PE as well as the new Adobe Standard profiles, can be used to process raw files in any format, including non-DNG formats such as Canon CR2 and Nikon NEF. In other words, PE supports only DNG images (for the purposes of previewing a profile's adjustments), but the profiles themselves will work with all raw formats.

The primary reason for limiting PE support to DNG images is to decouple the CR and PE release schedules. Some background info is needed to fully appreciate this. If PE supported non-DNG images, then we would need to release a new version of PE with every CR update, adding a substantial amount of overhead to an already overstuffed schedule. In contrast, limiting PE support to DNG images means that we only need to release a new version of PE whenever the DNG specification itself changes, as opposed to every time CR changes. Unlike CR, which is updated several times a year (primarily to support new cameras), the DNG specification does not require frequent updates; in fact, in the past four years it has only been updated twice.

A second reason is that DNG files support multiple embedded camera profiles, which provides a cleaner model for selecting base profiles in PE.

Remember, as long as you have a camera supported by CR, you can use PE to build profiles for that camera. Use the free DNG Converter to convert non-DNG raw files to DNG raw files. You can still keep the original non-DNG raw files if you wish.

Why the name "DNG Profile Editor" and not "Camera Raw Profile Editor"?

Two reasons. First, PE is designed to edit profiles which are in the DNG camera profile format, described in the DNG specification. Second, the scope of the DNG camera profiles and PE extends beyond CR: these profiles can be used in any raw converter that implements the DNG 1.2 specification.

The name "Camera Raw Profile Editor" implies that the resulting profiles are somehow specific to CR / LR, which is not the case.

Why is the DNG Profile Editor being released as a separate, stand-alone software application instead of being integrated into Camera Raw and Lightroom?

PE is designed to edit camera profiles, not images. We expect that camera profile editing will be done relatively infrequently by most users, especially compared to the amount of time that will be spent processing images. Consequently, it does not make sense to integrate PE's functionality and interface directly into CR / LR.

Another strong reason (decoupling PE and CR releases) is given here.

Given that Camera Raw and Lightroom already offer color rendering controls (e.g., HSL adjustments), isn't the DNG Profile Editor redundant? What advantages does it have?

PE is more powerful because of the finer control it provides over color adjustments. For example, PE's color adjustments can be restricted to specific saturation ranges, which cannot currently be accomplished in CR / LR using either the HSL adjustments or the legacy Camera Calibration sliders.

Can the DNG Profile Editor be used to edit ICC camera profiles?

No. PE can only be used to read, edit, and export profiles in the DNG camera profile format (described in the DNG 1.2 specification).

Also see related question.

Are profiles exported from the DNG Profile Editor camera-specific?

Yes. Every profile exported from the DNG Profile Editor is camera-specific. See related question.

DNG Profile Editor (Technical Issues)

What is the difference between a "camera profile" and a "profile recipe"?

Camera profiles are used by CR / LR (and any raw converter that supports DNG) to provide the initial color rendering from your raw images. Profile recipes are documents used by PE to build camera profiles.

More details follow:

A DNG camera profile is a file (with a .dcp extension) that describes the colorimetric interpretation of digital raw image data. In practice, photographers may use these profiles in CR / LR as starting points for color and tonal adjustments. Profiles are usually camera-specific and may be embedded in DNG files. See the DNG 1.2 specification for technical details.

A profile recipe is a document (with a .dcpr extension) that can be read, edited, and saved using the DNG Profile Editor. The recipe contains the instructions (i.e., color, tone, and metadata adjustments) that will ultimately be used to create a camera profile. Once you are satisfied with your recipe, you can "bake" the final profile by choosing Export from PE's File menu.

This is an important distinction. The primary benefit of separating the concepts of profile recipes from camera profiles is generality: for example, a single profile recipe (e.g., a recipe designed to optimize skin tones) can be used to generate multiple camera profiles; see Tutorial 2 to learn how to do this.

How do I open profile recipes (i.e., .dcpr files) in Camera Raw and Lightroom?

You can't. Be careful not to confuse profile recipes and camera profiles. Profile recipes can only be opened and saved using the DNG Profile Editor. The recipes are used to build camera profiles, which can then be used in Camera Raw and Lightroom.

Can I open multiple images simultaneously in the DNG Profile Editor?

Yes, and all recipe adjustments will be applied to all image previews. The maximum number of images you can open is limited only by available memory. Keep in mind, however, that opening multiple images will increase preview rendering times (i.e., degrading performance).

You can close image windows to save memory and speed up preview rendering. Note that the current recipe will remain open even if you close all image windows.

Why are there two color tables, one for 2850 K and 6500 K? What is the purpose of being able to edit these tables separately?

Most digital camera sensors respond differently as the illuminant changes (e.g., switching from daylight to tungsten). The DNG camera profile format address these differences by allowing color adjustments to be specified separately for two different illuminants (usually Illuminants A and D65). This allows a single DNG camera profile to work well across a broad range of lighting conditions.

New users may find it easier to ignore these differences and create a single set of color adjustments. This is why the Edit Both Color Tables Simultaneously option is enabled by default.

Advanced users can turn off the Edit Both Color Tables Simultaneously feature and edit the color tables separately. Doing so allows each color table to be optimized for each illuminant. The Chart Wizard can also be used to optimize color adjustments automatically for illuminants A and D65, as described in Tutorial 6.

Do I need a minimum number of color adjustments (i.e., color control points) to get useful results out of the DNG Profile Editor? How many color adjustments should I use?

We recommend using at least 3 color adjustments in PE. It is possible to use a single color adjustment in some cases to get the desired result, but most of the time a single adjustment will affect other colors that you don't want to modify. One or two additional color adjustments should suffice to "lock down" these colors that you wish to leave alone. See Tutorial 1 for more information about specifying color adjustments.

In most cases only a handful of color adjustments (e.g., between 3 and 10) are needed to get great results. Photographers with a critical eye for color are welcome to specify additional color adjustments (up to the built-in maximum limit of 250).

What's the difference between using the Color Wheel and the Adjustment Sliders to modify colors?

The only technical difference is that Lightness adjustments cannot be specified using the Color Wheel.

Some photographers prefer working with a color wheel; others prefer sliders. Both sets of controls have their advantages. The Color Wheel is more intuitive because the photographer simply has to drag an arrow towards the desired destination color. On the other hand, the Adjustment Sliders are better suited to editing the hue, saturation, and lightness parameters independently. Both sets of controls update image previews in real-time.

The DNG Profile Editor's color control points appear to be designed for selective color adjustments, but is there an easy way to make global color adjustments (i.e., adjustments that affect all colors)?

Sure. Go to the Color Matrices pane (shortcut: press Cmd/Ctrl-3) and use the top six sliders. For example, if you wish to increase global saturation, try setting the Red Primary Saturation, Green Primary Saturation, and Blue Primary Saturation sliders to +5.

What do the DNG Profile Editor's RGB/HSL/Lab readouts mean colorimetrically?

The RGB/HSL/Lab numeric readouts reported in PE are computed based on scene-referred ProPhoto RGB linear coordinates.

Is it possible to specify color adjustments numerically in the DNG Profile Editor?

Yes and no. You can adjust the hue, saturation, and lightness slider values numerically. However, you cannot specify source or destination color control points numerically.

How are the White Balance Calibration sliders in the DNG Profile Editor related to the Temperature and Tint controls in Camera Raw and Lightroom?

The Temperature and Tint sliders in CR / LR adjust the white balance of a given image.

In contrast, the White Balance Calibration sliders in PE are used to adjust how camera neutral values map to the Temperature and Tint sliders in CR / LR. This is useful when using infrared-modified cameras or photographing in extreme lighting conditions that would otherwise cause the white balance of the image to fall outside CR / LR's standard range (2000 K to 50000 K temperature, -150 to +150 tint). See Tutorial 4 for details.

Some of my images need white balance temperature values below Camera Raw and Lightroom's bottom limit of 2000 K. What can I do?

You can use PE to adjust your camera profile so that the white balance for these images falls within CR / LR's standard range (2000 K to 50000 K temperature, -150 to +150 tint). See Tutorial 4 for details.

I have an infrared-modified camera and all of my images (even daylight ones) cause the white balance temperature value to bottom out at 2000 K. Why does this happen and what can I do about it?

The mapping of camera neutral values to white balance settings (i.e., temperature/tint values) depends on the camera profile. Our standard camera profiles (which includes the new AS and CM profiles, as well as our ACR 4.4 and earlier profiles) were designed for non-infrared-modified cameras. Infrared-modified cameras produce a very different color response and thus do not work properly with our standard profiles.

However, you can use PE to adjust your camera profile to work properly with your infrared-modified camera. Specifically, you can use the White Balance Calibration sliders so that the white balance for these images falls within CR / LR's standard range (2000 K to 50000 K temperature, -150 to +150 tint). See Tutorial 4 for details.

DNG Profile Editor (Chart Wizard)

I have used calibration scripts in earlier versions of Camera Raw to optimize my camera profiles. Will these scripts work with the DNG Profile Editor?

No. However, PE does support automated color adjustments using a ColorChecker Chart as explained in Tutorial 5 and Tutorial 6. PE's new Chart Wizard feature offers some advantages over the older calibration scripts:

Can the Chart Wizard be used with other charts such as the ColorChecker DC or ColorChecker SG?

No. PE currently only supports the 24-patch ColorChecker Chart.

The ColorChecker SG contains a block of patches similar to the 24-patch ColorChecker Chart, but they have different spectral reflectance values and hence should not be used with PE.

Do I need to manually set the white balance before running the Chart Wizard?

No. When running the Chart Wizard, PE will automatically use the light gray patch in row 4, column 2 of the ColorChecker Chart to set the white balance before creating color adjustments.

Running the Chart Wizard changed the appearance of the neutral patches of the ColorChecker in my image preview. Why?

Most likely the image's white balance changed. See related question.

I ran the Chart Wizard but the resulting image preview doesn't visually match the small ColorChecker image shown in the Chart pane. What's wrong?

It's not expected to match. The small ColorChecker image in the Chart pane is not color-managed, whereas the rendered image previews are.

After running the Chart Wizard, the two skin-tone patches in the color list box look nearly identical. Why?

The two skin-tone patches (row 1, columns 1 and 2) have nearly identical hue and saturation, but different lightness. Color tables in PE are indexed by hue and saturation only, so the two skin-tone patches appear similar when ignoring lightness.

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