FastRawViewer Software 2.0 (Download) - Manual (Page 66)

FastRawViewer – user manual
Page 66 of 175
Copyright © 2014-2016, LibRaw LLC, www.libraw.com
Adjusting the Image Contrast
FastRawViewer allows one to apply “standard” tone curves (sRGB, Gamma 1.8 и 2.2, L*), but also
offers the Variable Contrast mode for tone curves. To switch between those two types, you can use
Preferences – Image Display – Contrast Curve Type.
In Variable Contrast mode, the image contrast can be adjusted in “grades”:

-5 to +5 for “normal contrast”.

U+0 to U+5 for “ultra contrast” (useful, for example, for underwater photography).
Normal contrast curves correspond to the contrast setting in Adobe RAW converters, process version
2012, from -100 to +100 (with a step of 20); that is, +2 corresponds to 40 on the Adobe scale,
while -3 corresponds to -60.
Ultra contrast corresponds approximately 2 to Adobe Contrast +100 with the Blacks slider from 0
to -100.
To increase contrast, you can use Menu – Adjust – Increase Contrast (or press K on the keyboard),
to decrease contrast Menu – Adjust – Decrease Contrast (or Shift-K).
By default, the contrast settings are recorded to an XMP file only in FastRawViewer format. To
record it in the format that is acknowledged by Adobe converters, turn on Preferences – XMP –
Write Adobe-compatible Contrast/Blacks into XMP file.
Using Monitor Profile For Display
FastRawViewer supports Color Management when showing RAW and JPEG files, however this mode
is turned off in the Windows version by default for the following reasons:
o The majority of modern monitors are sRGB (or close to it) and using sRGB as a workspace
when displaying RAW gives very acceptable results.
o Furthermore, in many cases supplied monitor profiles are inadequate, and they have a
negative impact on the image appearance.
o Moreover, a noticeable number of users have optimized their video settings for computer
games, manually turning on the anisotropic filtration of textures. This mode is incompatible
with the Color Management function of
FastRawViewer .
Color Management can be turned on through Preferences – Color Management – Enable Color
management. Further color management settings are described in the “Settings – Color
Management” section below. If the system profile of the monitor is set up properly, then further
tuning of settings will, most likely, not be needed.
2 Adobe programs clip the shadows below the setting for “blacks,” in FastRawViewer we use a curve with a very gentle
slope.