Photoshop CS5-strange results with Levels

[goddi]

Greetings,

I use PS Levels all the time. However, when I apply the Levels (Automatic) to certain images, they come out really with strange results.

When I apply the Levels (Auto) to images with sand, they come out almost monochromatic or yellow. Here is one image. Other ones come out yellow. But other images with only partly showing the sand, they come out just fine. Any idea why PS CS5 can't seem to handle this type of color in the image? I ask this because I am doing a Batch of over 500 images using an Action with Levels (Auto) to speed things up but seems I'll have to manually address these image individually. Just wondering what might be causing this issue.

If I do the Levels manually, I don't get the monochromatic look.

Gary

 

 

 Here is the 'manual' Levels:

 

[Barry Beckham]

Gary

This is just a guess and I’m assuming it’s all worked pretty well for you before now. Due to the age of CS5, has your operating system now moved so far ahead that it’s shown up an incompatibility issue? Just guessing only.

I think support for CS5 stopped with Windows 10. 

[goddi]

Greetings,

The problem seems to only be with these images where most of the image shows the sands. I you have an updated PS, I have attached a smaller file. It would be interesting to see you come up with a similar result...or not, doing a Levels (Automatic). I don't see a connection between PS CS5 and an operating system affecting the colors. But, it is an interesting theory.

Gary

[Barry Beckham]

I downloaded your image above and ran Auto levels on it and got this. I'm using CC 24.7.0.

 

[goddi]

Greetings Barry,

Thanks...Very interesting. It seems that PS does not like that type of image with the Auto Levels. Kind of makes it a pain that I have to manually go through 500 or so images and select the ones that don't come out correctly. I don't have this problem with 'regular' images...only the ones with the sands in Namibia.

Thanks for testing it.

Gary

[macian]

The result depends on the options you have set.

"Enhance per Channel Contrast" yields the near-monochrome image you show.

I normally set "Find Dark and Light Colours, and "Snap Neutral midtones."

[goddi]

Greetings Macian,

I can not find that menu in my PS CS5. Is it something new in later versions? Which menu should I be able to find it. I have never made any changes to the Auto Levels and don't see any why it can be done in this older version.

Gary

[macian]

Hi Gary,

Try this:

[goddi]

Greetings Macian,

I found it. My older version lacks a lot of what you get in that menu.

With your settings, "Find Dark and Light Colours, and "Snap Neutral midtones," I get a similar result as yours with that setting.

However, I tried the "Enhance Monochromatic Contrast' (see below) and it produced, I think, a better result.

I don't really like the result but it is better. I tried this setting on other images (images without the sand) and 'Snap Neutral Midtones' gives an interesting result. It removes the reddish tint that many of them have. I might be using that on them to see what happens to all of them. Thanks for the pointers. I'll have to play around with these settings.

Thanks...Gary

[macian]

Glad to help!