How to · 5 min
Open RAW and inspect detail
Understand the difference between the editor preview and the source.
The editor uses a bounded preview so that adjustments stay responsive. Professional export renders from the native source. A preview dimension shown while editing is not, by itself, the maximum export resolution.
The method
Step by step.
- Open a supported RAW or raster file. On macOS, RAW development uses the available Apple RAW support; camera compatibility can vary.
- Wait for loading to settle. A fast initial preview and a completed source preparation are different stages.
- Use Fit for composition, then 100% for edge and noise inspection. Pan with the Hand tool.
- For a JPEG, remember that a high-bit-depth workflow does not recover information already lost to compression or clipping.
- If a file does not open, verify the drive is connected, the file is intact, and the camera format is supported. Try a known-good raster file to isolate a decoding issue.
Keep this close
Control reference.
- ⌘0
- Fit the photograph.
- ⌘1
- 100% view.
- ⌘+ / ⌘−
- Zoom in / out.
- Hold O
- Temporarily compare with the original.
Closer to the controls
See the settings, not a reconstruction.
This detail is cropped from the real application capture above. Click to enlarge, then choose actual pixels to inspect the labels and sliders.
At your own pace
Try it.
Inspect a bright chrome edge at Fit and 100%. Look for halos before increasing Sharpen.
Watch for
Do not judge final TIFF bit depth or full-resolution export quality from a screenshot of the editor.
Monochrome Lab Pro workflow guide. Interface details may evolve. Example settings are creative starting points, not automatic corrections.