Here’s proof that Sony Picture Profiles do have an effect the data stored in your raw files

It’s long been thought that when shooting raw, we can basically just ignore the in-camera processing settings. They’re only used if you’re shooting jpg or video, anyway, right? At least, that’s what everybody’s thought for years. Because for the most part it’s been true.

It turns out, though, that on Sony cameras, certain picture profiles do actually change the data that’s saved into your raw files. And in this video, Gerald Undone proves it.

For those hybrid shooters who use Sony cameras for both stills and video, it’s quite common to bounce between Slog-2, Slog-3, Cine, HLG, etc. on a regular basis. And often, we’ll think nothing of grabbing a quick still image while the camera’s set up for shooting video. As long as we’re happy with the ISO the camera might force us to use (I’m looking at you, Sony A7II!), then it’s all good, in theory, because we’ve always been led to believe that this kind of stuff doesn’t actually have an effect on our raw files.

But as Gerald demonstrates in the video above, it does indeed have an effect on the gamma curve of the raw file. He first noticed the issue when testing the Sony A6400, images were just different when using different Picture Profiles, despite everything else being exactly the same. He also tested the theory on the Sony A7III. This is different from what Sony calls “Creative Styles”, which do indeed do not change the data in the raw file.

I’m not even going to try to break down exactly what’s happening, especially when Gerald goes through it with real examples in the video above, because I’ll just screw it up. I don’t shoot Sony often enough for this to be an issue for me. And when I do shoot Sony, I’m only using them for video anyway.

But if you shoot Sony regularly for most of your work, then you’ll definitely want to watch the video, even if you’ve not experienced the oddness yet yourself. That way, if it ever does happen, you’ll have some idea of why, and how to fix it.

Have you experienced this issue when shooting Sony?