Some thumbnails are shown as pink "static"

Christos · June 08, 2024, 10:13:20 AM

Hi!

I have noticed that some photo thumbnails appear as pink "static". This is what I also see in the quick view window and when I double click on the thumbnail.
The photos themselves, however, can be displayed with no problems outside iMatch.
These are Raw files, but other Raw files from the same camera, sometimes from the same day, are displayed properly.

Any ideas what this might be?

Christos

Mario · June 08, 2024, 10:23:02 AM

A bit more info would be useful. You have chosen a layout that hides the file extension

Which "Raw" file format are you using. Camera model.

What happens when you select one of the files and press Shift+Ctrl+F5 > Force Update.

I assume you using the WIC codecs installed on your system (Edit menu > Preferences > Application: photools.com RAW Processing set to "no")?

Run a WIC diagnosis for one of the files (Help menu > Support > WIC Diagnostics) and attach the result.

Provide a sample image for download via your cloud space if possible (OneDrive, GoogleDrive, ...)

Christos · June 08, 2024, 11:30:25 AM

Thanks for the quick reply Mario.

The camera is Lumix G9M2. The raw file's extension is RW2.
I am indeed using the WIC codecs.

The WIC diagnosis doesn't seem to identify a problem (attached). Or at least I don't understand.

I don't have a cloud space as such. Do you want me to email a sample file to you?

Mario · June 08, 2024, 11:49:43 AM

The embedded preview is too small (the default minimum size required for cache files is 2000 pixel) and thus IMatch will instruct the WIC codec to develop the full RAW.

Since the codec apparently returns "OK, no problems", IMatch uses the result. It cannot tell if the image looks "wrong".
IMatch has no influence on how the codec renders the image. The coded is produced by Microsoft since Sony does not provide WIC codecs to their users (they should).

If you get a pink color cast even after forcefully recreating the thumbnail (I've asked for this but you did not mention if you did), that's all you'll get. You can contact Microsoft and ask them to update the WIC codec to better support the RW2 variant your camera produces.

Maybe LibRaw handles this RW2 variant better?
Open Edit menu > Preferences > Application.
Search for raw
Switch "photools.com RAW Processing" to yes.
Close the dialog with OK.

Select the problem files and press Shift+Ctrl+F5 > Force Update.

If this also fails, we can only wait for updated WIC codecs or a new release of LibRaw. Or Sony releasing a WIC codec.

Christos · June 08, 2024, 03:25:11 PM

Hi again,

Sorry I forgot to say it, yes, I did try to forcefully recreate the thumbnail. No luck.

Strange thing is that some photos get a proper thumbnail and some others not. This happens even to pictures taken on the same day and, accordingly, residing in the same folder. So, it's not a RW2 variant issue as such.

Interesting to note, as well, that Lightroom has no issues reading the files.

I tried switching to LibRaw, as suggested. Force updating did not yield different results. The thumbnail, quick view, and full view of the photos in question remains pink static.

BTW, the camera is a Panasonic Lumix G9M2, not a Sony.

Mario · June 08, 2024, 10:36:12 PM

QuoteInteresting to note, as well, that Lightroom has no issues reading the files.

Adobe has a huge team in India which basically only reverse-engineers RAW formats and lenses.

If neither the Windows WIC codec nor LibRaw handle this particular RW2 variant (there are more than a dozen different variants in use already), this is how it is.

You'll have to wait until Microsoft or the LibRaw developer add support for your RAW format.

Christos · June 10, 2024, 01:20:24 AM

Regarding Adobe, I am sure you might be right.

But I still cannot see that the issue is with the RAW format.

I attach digikam's thumbnails of the very same photos.

Mario · June 10, 2024, 08:45:50 AM

Send me a sample RAW to support email address. Maybe this fails here too. Or only on your PC.

Christos · June 11, 2024, 09:58:23 AM

Quote from: Mario on June 10, 2024, 08:45:50 AMSend me a sample RAW to support email address. Maybe this fails here too. Or only on your PC.

Thanks a lot, Mario.
Unfortunately I can't send by email a file this big (~35MB)
I tried but it failed.

Mario · June 11, 2024, 10:11:35 AM

Most mail servers clip it at 20MB or so.
Don't you have any cloud space (OneDrive, DropBox, GoogleDrive, your ISP's cloud, ...)? They are all free with several GB of storage.

Christos · June 11, 2024, 10:26:39 AM

I never use cloud services without (third party) encryption overlays (such as cryptomator). But they do not exactly make it easy to share files. In fact they stop you from doing it. Which, generally, is fine with me.
Apart from cases like this. I am not sure what to do. Ftp perhaps?
$:-\$

Mario · June 11, 2024, 10:28:51 AM

I don't offer FTP access to my servers for security reasons, sorry.
We've had that in the past (a decade ago) but not (almost) everybody has some cloud space to upload a sample image or DUMP file produced by IMatch.

Christos · June 11, 2024, 10:39:33 AM

Ok, I sidestepped my encryption layer, and have managed to send you the "offending" file.
I sent you a zip with both the RW2 file and its DNG version (created by Lightroom).

Hope this helps?

Mario · June 11, 2024, 03:47:36 PM

I have downloaded the sample images, thank you.

I get the same result for the image, both with WIC and the latest official LibRaw version (0.21.2) included in IMatch 2023.12.2.
That's how it is. None support this RW2 variant yet.

For IMatch 2024/2025 I'm working on integrating the Adobe DNG SDK with LibRaw and I use the latest "nightly" (unstable) build for LibRaw for this purpose. This LibRaw version seems to support the RW2 variant. I get this result:

Please understand that I don't include non-official releases of LibRaw in IMatch, for a variety of reasons.
LibRaw ships new releases twice a year or so.
Currently the support for this LibRaw version and the Adobe DNG SDK (to handle the JPEGXL compression Adobe introduced) is pretty much a building site and in no condition to ship. This is all for IMatch 2024 / 2025.

Christos · June 11, 2024, 04:30:36 PM

Quote from: Mario on June 11, 2024, 03:47:36 PMI get the same result for the image, both with WIC and the latest official LibRaw version (0.21.2) included in IMatch 2023.12.2.
That's how it is. None support this RW2 variant yet.

Thanks for all the effort, Mario.
I understand that you get the same pink static result, correct?
It then turns out to be a problem of the RW2 not being supported yet.
Disappointing but at least we have an answer.

I guess we'll have to wait then. Oh well...
$:-\$

Thanks again

Christos

Mario · June 11, 2024, 05:15:56 PM

QuoteI understand that you get the same pink static result, correct?

Yep.

QuoteIt then turns out to be a problem of the RW2 not being supported yet.

Disappointing but at least we have an answer.

Yes. We must wait until Microsoft adds support for this RW2 variant to the Windows 11 WIC codec or LibRaw publishes a new release which contains support for this file format.