Lately I've noticed that my raw files look significantly better from a color standpoint than my converted jpegs and I'm wondering what might be going on.

Here's my workflow...

edit raw files in Bridge / camera raw editor
convert to jpeg using the image processor w/ batch action KPD magic sharp (from Kubota)

My color mode is RGB color and the color profile is sRGB IEC61966-2.1. I can't imagine this is just the difference between 16 bit and 8 bit.

I tend to boost the saturation (depending on the camera) in Bridge anywhere from a value of 12 to 25. Even if I run a Boutwell (totally rad) Oh Snap action on the jpeg...it seems that it still doesn't look quite as good as the raw file. I don't really want to blow the saturation in Bridge up to 50+ but it seems like that's what needs to be done to keep a decent level of color pop in the converted jpeg (FWIW...I'm not looking for Jessica Strickland color...just something that shows a nice level of color, you know what I mean??? ).

Any ideas what's going on? Sorry I can't post examples (since I can't easily post a raw file w/ my screen capture software...which is on my PC at work! LOL)...

I've always noticed the same thing with RAW, Bridge, and Outputting JPEG's. I actually just created a small action that does a small 15% sat boost on the JPEG's when I'm batch exporting, it has seemed to help.

Okay...(whew...) I found my problem.

But I want to see if any of the gurus know what the mistake was -- before I tell on myself. I'm sure someone will find it...I'm just wondering how long.

were you not letting bridge update the RAW files with your defaults before you batched in photoshop?

Silly Dan... you weren't using the patented Kevin Swan Lightroom - tweaked by Matt Antonino workflow.

I want to know what it was.

There really is that much of a difference between the color latitude of a RAW file VS that of a JPG file. It's not twice as much color info, it's an exponentially larger amount of color info in a RAW.

Okay...here is what was causing me fits this morning.

Several weeks ago I intentionally UNchecked the run action feature in the image processor. I also unchecked "include ICC profile." (as Elmo says..."Oops!")

When I resumed my normal workflow I checked the run action BUT FORGOT TO CHECK "include ICC profile."

That's why my processed jpegs didn't look as good as their raw source files. I discovered this error by retracing my steps in my workflow...THEN I decided to just manually save a raw file as a jpeg -- that file looked exactly like the raw version. When I went back to my image processor batch job...the error jumped out at me like an original Shane Snider selective color image.

(The bump on my forehead is from....???)