colors change when importing

If your photos are RAW and look solarized, you may be using a monitor calibration profile that was created with the box "Use native gamma" checked.

I ran into this a long time ago, and creating a profile (calibrate option in the displays pref of System Preferences) where I use the slider to set the gamma value (pick what's closest to Native) made that solarization go away.

That was the best accidental discovery I've had 🙂

It sounds like you are moving from a gamma of 1.8 to 2.2. This will generally make photos look darker and may have a minor affect on your perception of saturation.

How is your monitor calibrated? Mac standard 1.8 gamma? Also, given that the colours are changing it sounds like the photos don't have any profile already embedded. Apple treats pictures without a profile as if they were in Generic RGB which has a gamma of 1.8. When you import to iPhoto it adds the profile Camera RGB - which is a 2.2 gamma version of Generic RGB. Thus, it seems likely your photos are having their gamma affected.

To double check, open a photo that you haven't imported into Preview and 'Get Info' to see what profile it currently has. Then choose tools and 'Assign profile...' and pick Camera RGB. (Note Camera RGB probably won't be there by default. You can find it at /System/Library/Frameworks/ICADevices.framework/Versions/A/Resources and should then copy it to ~/Library/ColorSync/Profiles so that you can use it normally.) Compare the results you get with what happens when you import to iPhoto. If they are the same - now you know what is going on.

There is then a discussion to be had about whether you should calibrate your monitor to a gamma of 1.8 (the Mac standard) or 2.2 (the PC standard). The answer will vary according to your objective.

Try

iPhoto ->Preferences -> Advanced and check Add ColorSync Profile.

Regards

TD

Chris:

Are you running the latest Quicktime version, 7.1.5? Since they are B/W what format are they Grayscale or RGB. You might try copying one to the desktop and drop on the Embed sRGB Profile application that you can download from Toad's Cellar. Then import as a new file. See if that will get rid of the color shift. I've found that grayscale images that have an RGB color profile embedded give better contrast and appearance than straight grayscale.

Do you Twango?

YES......I have the EXACT same problem. I'm about to pop for the eye-one calibration puck....but I want to know more specificaly what I can do.

1.33 gig powerbook, 1.25 ram, 10.4.4 Mac OS X (10.4.8)

I have the same problem too: photos are pink and saturated on import, also in Aperture, but look correct in the finder. I use a pentax optio 60 camera. does it have anyhing to do with it?
thanks for your help

I have the same problem.. in preview they are fine - moved them into iPhoto and now they are PINK! they should be just black and white.....