Thumbs in PM+ in B&W, same thumbs in PS, Affinity, DXO, Capture One in color

[rjh1007]

I just found several hundred thumbnails and previews that only display in B&W.  PS, Affinity Photo, DXO Photolab and Capture One all display the thumbs ands previews of the exact same files in the same folders in color. Baffling??
Bob

[Kirk Baker]

I just found several hundred thumbnails and previews that only display in B&W.  PS, Affinity Photo, DXO Photolab and Capture One all display the thumbs ands previews of the exact same files in the same folders in color. Baffling??
Bob

Please share one of these files with me.  If it's a RAW file and the embedded preview is in black and white (grayscale) then PM is going to show it in black and white.

-Kirk

[rjh1007]

Kirk
Per your request
Bob

[Kirk Baker]

Bob,

I extracted the preview (Tools->Extract JPEG Previews from RAW Photos...) and the embedded preview is in black and white.

So Photo Mechanic Plus will show it that way.

-Kirk

[rjh1007]

Kirk
Help me understand how that can be when all the other programs have both the thumbs and previews only and with the correct color. Also if they have everything in color why doesn't PM+
Thanks
Bob

[Kirk Baker]

Bob,

Help me understand how that can be when all the other programs have both the thumbs and previews only and with the correct color. Also if they have everything in color why doesn't PM+

Because all of those other applications render the RAW file with their own renderer and are ignoring the camera's settings that were used to produce the image.  Your camera embedded a black and white preview and PM is using that preview for display.  It is in black and white.

Photo Mechanic does not (in general) render RAW files.

-Kirk

[Kirk Baker]

Bob,

You can enable RAW rendering using the Adobe DNG Converter (which still may render in black and white if it pays attention to the camera's settings), but it is glacially slow.

-Kirk

[rjh1007]

Kirk
Thanks
I'm not into glacially slow.
What gets me scratching my head is that part of at least 3 shoots are displayed in PM+ in B&W and part in color. Same camera, same lens and it appears the same camera settings other than aperture, shutter speed and iso. I never shoot jpeg. All are raw and were not shot raw + jpeg. It is because of these circumstances I assumed it might have something to do with PM+.
I guess I could  blame it on the camera gods, however, that really doesn't help me understand why and how to prevent a reoccurrence.
Bob