If you need to exactly match Lightroom rendering, you need to use Adobe programs only (with version match). Unfortunately, Lightroom algorithms are not documented (not surprising for non open-source software) and there is no correct way to duplicate them in non-Adobe software.
Also, there is no way to precisely match in-camera JPEGs (many photographers want it, not Lightroom match) for the same reason: camera algorithms are unknown.
FRV's exposure adjustment method is simple, intuitive, and linear in photograpic terms. For example the 4-stop underexposed image with +4EV exposure correction will look very similar with normally exposed image (with different noise, of course). No color shifts that we'll see in Adobe's products. No hidden exposure corrections.
FRV is mostly technical tool, made for image inspection without any glamour added. It made to be predictable and repeatable. There is no goal to match any automatic image enhancement tools, such as autolevels: if image is low contrast, it should be clearly visible immediately.
Of course, some kind of contrast increasing may be useful if you need to show RAW image to someone immediately after shooting (e.g. to client or model). For now you may change tone curve to more contrast one. Autolevels may be useful, we considering adding it to FRV, but definitely not in first versions.
If you need to exactly match
If you need to exactly match Lightroom rendering, you need to use Adobe programs only (with version match). Unfortunately, Lightroom algorithms are not documented (not surprising for non open-source software) and there is no correct way to duplicate them in non-Adobe software.
Also, there is no way to precisely match in-camera JPEGs (many photographers want it, not Lightroom match) for the same reason: camera algorithms are unknown.
FRV's exposure adjustment method is simple, intuitive, and linear in photograpic terms. For example the 4-stop underexposed image with +4EV exposure correction will look very similar with normally exposed image (with different noise, of course). No color shifts that we'll see in Adobe's products. No hidden exposure corrections.
FRV is mostly technical tool, made for image inspection without any glamour added. It made to be predictable and repeatable. There is no goal to match any automatic image enhancement tools, such as autolevels: if image is low contrast, it should be clearly visible immediately.
Of course, some kind of contrast increasing may be useful if you need to show RAW image to someone immediately after shooting (e.g. to client or model). For now you may change tone curve to more contrast one. Autolevels may be useful, we considering adding it to FRV, but definitely not in first versions.
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Alex Tutubalin/FastRawViewer team