IMHO, my vote for best is for Image2.png. Reason: Image3.png has lost detail in the hair & background trees on the right. Image4.png looks washed out.

...Jerry

My eye went straight to image 3 first. Probably, because I watch too much CSI Miami.

If I had to look at the image evey day, from best to worst, I would select image 2, image 1, image 3 and image 4.

Viewed on an HP 1955 monitor which changes slightly with angle and Intel built-in graphics. No calibration and no taste involved.

Since no criteria were supplied, I created my own. I viewed these as I would any still photo, and did my selection based on which would provide the best results when printed or when viewed on a calibrated monitor.

Based on these criteria, I found Image2 to be the best and Image 3 to be the worst.

Image 3 has too much contrast and therefore has lost details in shadows. This contrast gives it an apparent "edge" in saturation (look at the blues in the beads on the dress), but this is the false impression which causes retail TV stores to turn up contrast on displays because initial impressions always favor the "snappy" photo.

Image 2 actually has had some sort of gamma adjustment compared to the reference, and has more details in the hair.

Image 3 is best, 4 worst, washed out.

Bob.

prefer 2+4 over the more crushed 1 & 3.

(thx for the distraction)

edit: omg #1 is reference? wow ...unflattering skin tone to my eye, but in that case i'd pick 2, as 4 seems to have a blue cast or something... not quite sure.

edit2: sorry, i was supposed to pick worst... i only look for good! but yeh the process of elimination would indicate i like 3 the least. by a lot.

going with image 3 best and image four worst

Hard to answer without some idea about the real question. Do I respond based on what I see on my laptop, or on my colour monitor? Is there a mood or style relevant? Using a neutral "mood" criteria I consider image 2 to be the best and 3 the worst. A difficulty with all of the images is the over exposed skin highlights, which are least glaring in #4 and quite objectionable in #3. If I were grading I'd prefer to have #4 as a starting point.
You could, perhaps, say that #3 has the "video look" and #2 the more "cinematic" (although those burnt highlights detract). Only #2 & #4 have any detail in the blacks.

Best, ha! For what purpose! "Bad" and "worst"? I don't understand the question!

Image4 is the original file, flatter levels and less sharpening. This one is best if you want to work with the image.

Image2 has a modest level adjustment and a bit of sharpening. This one is best if you want to print it or email it.

Image3 and Image1 have increasing levels of contrast, colour adjustments and sharpening. These two are best if the person who hired you to do the traumatizing says they are.

Tim Robertson

[Edit: got the image numbers reversed]

So far, one response has come very close to the answer. But I won't let on which one just yet.

What a remarkable range of perspectives (and apparently, viewing conditions too). Keep it coming.

To my eyes, #1 looks the best and #3 and#4 are tied for the worst. I render to #2 though because that is what gives you #1 after the color stretch that will be added by TV playback or a Youtube or Vimeo encode. #3 is oversaturated with the highs blown out and the detail lost in the shadows. #4 is lacking in contrast like you often get with .wmv renders or with the wrong RGB settings on a DNxHD render.

Haha, nice one.

Best = image3
Worst = image4

I have a phobia of grey blacks.

Maybe my screen needs calibration again but I would say

Best 4
2
1
Worst 3

Image #1 I like best
Image #4 I like least

1 = Best (warm looking, but not overdone)

4 = Worst ( washed out)


I suppose monitor calibration or lack of could play a part also.

Image #1 is the reference, so doesn't count. He wants to know which of the other images we prefer.

" He wants to know which of the other images we prefer. "

Therein lies the problem. There is no correct answer.
It's no different to asking a bunch of blokes at the local if they prefer blondes, brunettes or redheads.
By definition there's no right or wrong to a preference. If we had enough answers (samples) then we could use statistics to conclude that more video editors prefer....Ask the general public we might get a different answer, there could be a correlation with gender, age occupation, all manner of things marketing people look at. The one thing that we cannot say is any answer is right or wrong, it's just a preference.

If the question was something along the lines of "which one looks correctly exposed" then a metric can be applied and then there is a correct answer.

Bob.

Nick_Hope said: "Image #1 is the reference, so doesn't count. He wants to know which of the other images we prefer."

farss said: "Therein lies the problem. There is no correct answer."Yeah, I think it's a "trick" question. If the question was, "Which image most closely approximates the reference?" I would have to chosen image3.png. But the question was, "...which is the Best "bad" image as viewed on your browser?", so I chose image2.png as best - obviously very subjective.

Waiting on musicvid's conclusion.

...Jerry

3=best
4=worst

Image1 looks "best" (it's subjective though)
Image2 and image4 look the same to me.
Image 3 looks "crushed"

Jim

On my monitor, 2 looks best and 4 looks the worst but I have to agree it is subjective...I've seen some "film looks" used that some people love but I don't care for at all.

For me 4 is the worst. I think poor grayscale and contrast is more off putting than loss of detail in the lowlights. I agree though that 2 and 4 are more suited to grade than the others but I'm assuming we're looking at the final results.

Chris

I already posted my preferences and I'm not going to edit my response. Today, I leveled the four photos in PhotoShop and have a single contact sheet that exposes what's happening in each photo. I will post it when musicvid is ready.