Thanks Fred but what i am reading suggests that unless I process my Ram image in Qimage there is a good chance that the preview won't look so hot. I am happy with the on screen images and the final output.
That's not what I am saying at all.
What I am trying to impart is this:
(First of all, I suggest a click on VIEW at the top of the Main screen, and then REBUILD thumbs. (Not refresh; REBUILD!)
Just in cast there was a problem with the thumb quality or even the monitor profile.
The reason Terry and I go back time and time again to using Qimage a problem solving tool is because it can be.
We do not know what you, or any other person does to his or her images before he/she tries to print them from Qimage. Then when there is a problem to solve, we can use Qimage as a starting point (even from the RAW image or a JPG from the camera) and know that we, Qimage, Fred or Terry will not spoil the image. We also get a level point from which to start to help.
Your complaint was that the thumbnails and the preview panel were "crunchy" or sandy looking.
You also said,
Just seems that the onscreen image in qimage really exaggerate noise/grain that does not show up in print. I thought softproofing would show as close as possible what the print will look like?
Since Qimage uses a low resolution image for thumbs and the previews (for speed), it becomes likely that you have a Thumbnail resolution problem, a thumbnail Quality setting problem or a lot over sharpened which looks worse in the low resolution samples.
Wondering why SOME of my image thumbnails and some of my soft proof images look really bad? Some, not all look very rough but print out just fine.
Again the quote above tells us that you have a thumbnail problem.
Finally, we work our way down through the posts, and you say,
The HQ button basically looks the same, crunchy Grin
Now we have different data. The HQ button no longer uses the thumbnails.
You say the image looks "crunchy" even in HI Resolution.
So *that* says you over cooked something. The image itself is saved with too much noise or too much sharpening!
You had to have done it in Lightroom or some previous work station....
I have very little knowledge of Lightroom. I have no idea if you made layers and duplicated the unsharp mask layer (if that's possible) and when you saved the TIF it added too much.
I have no clue.
I do know, however, what Qimage does with an image, and should you be kind enough to email one image to me (Original image), we could see what happened in an instant.
Qimage never alters the image. So whatever either of us does with the image, is easily tested and returned to original.
Remember, we only have your information that you give us from your posts.
That's why I ask for a test image. When the information from your posts has contradictions or doesn't point to a conclusion.
If the print looks good, no speckles, but the HQ button shows speckles, then I almost have to ask what printer and what paper?
Just trying to help!!
Fred