16 bit mode advantage in C.S.???

S
Posted By
Samkatz
Dec 4, 2003
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374
Replies
5
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Closed
Hi. My applications are 3500×3000 files from 48bit color negative scans, output to inkjet printer.

Question – I’ve been reading that there’s a theoretical and sometimes visable advantage to doing color/levels adjustments,etc in 16 bit mode, which is now possible in CS. This results in a huge file. Is the advantage LOST if you do all the adjustments 16 bit and then convert to 8 bit before saving/printing? Are you degrading the image? or is advantage in 16 bits primarily in doing the adjustments?

This may sound like a silly question, but I’m going to run out of hard drive space fast if I wind up doubling the size of all the images in my library.

thanks

Sam
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16-bit advantage bit mode

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R
robertfeinman
Dec 4, 2003
You might as well save as 8 bit for output.
Monitors and printers will throw away the extra info anyway. If you are interested you can see the 16 bit discussion on my web site.
Follow the tips link on the home page.

<http://robertdfeinman.com>
PF
Peter_Figen
Dec 4, 2003
You could do all the 16 bit color and tonal edits you wanted in 7, 6, 5 and 4. You just couldn’t make Adjustment Layers and the earlier versions didn’t have a History Palette. A lot depends on the image, the quality of your scanner (most are not what you think), how big of a move you make on the image, and what type of output. It’s easy enough to test this out for yourself by doing a 16 bit version and an 8 bit version and printing them. Printers can only handle 8 bits per channel, so the file is automatically converted if you forget to. What most people find is that in 99% of the cases, the 16 bit advantage is theoretical, but you should make your own decision.
PC
Philo_Calhoun
Dec 4, 2003
The new shadow highlight adjustment has a real chance of posterization in 8 bit images unless the original is perfectly exposed. It works well with high end digital captured images in 16 bit/channel files.
P
photobug
Dec 5, 2003
Robert~ I think your website is terrific and was about to vote for it at BJP Top 100 Photo Sites, but the link is broken! Btw, I’ve learned a lot from your ‘tips’ page, but if it wouldn’t be asking too much how about some tips on your dry-mounting and framing techniques. Thanks much!
E
ewitte
Dec 9, 2003
wrote in message news:…
Hi. My applications are 3500×3000 files from 48bit color negative scans, output to inkjet printer.
Question – I’ve been reading that there’s a theoretical and
sometimes visable advantage to doing color/levels adjustments,etc in 16 bit mode, which is now possible in CS. This results in a huge file. Is the advantage LOST if you do all the adjustments 16 bit and then convert to 8 bit before saving/printing? Are you degrading the image? or is advantage in 16 bits primarily in doing the adjustments?

Do you want to edit it in the future? Do you want to print it at higher than 24-bit? A professionial light jet can do 36-bit color.

Eric

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