color spaces: AdobeRGB vs. sRGB

DF
Posted By
David_Freed
May 16, 2005
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456
Replies
9
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Closed
My images come from my camera either tagged as AdobeRGB or sRGB. In PS, I have the options of changing the tagged color space (or profile) associated with these images.

I’m wondering what is the best practice for working with these images, which will likely be printed on inkjet or lightjet (photo process) printers or placed on a web site.

I’ve heard conflicting advice: always change to Adobe RGB (because it has a wider? gamut), keep native color tag, select according to your use, etc.

To add to this complication, when I go to print, there is of course the option to select a color printer profile (either in PS or managed by the printer), but on my HP 7960 printer there is another option to select a color space (Adobe RGB or sRGB) ALONG WITH the printer profile. (This option is available only if "Printer Color Management" is selected in PS Print with Review screen; this option doesn’t exist if color profile is assigned within PS.)

So a further question would be: if I assign a color profile from within the printer, which color space do I select to go along with this? (I’m inclined to think that this should match the color "tag" of the image, but that’s just a guess.) Or would it be better to turn off the color management via the printer and let the color management/profile be assigned from within PS.

My head is spinning. David.

I’ve tried to read up on this, but my head starts to spin. It doesn’t help that HP seems to always be marching to a different inkjet drummer, and are very limited in their technical support for such things.

Regards, David.
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color space srgb vs

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T
tmalcom
May 16, 2005
FWIW, I use AdobeRGB through my entire workflow (camera to printer) and find I get better color with it than with sRGB.
B
birdman
May 16, 2005
You seem to need a primer on color management. It is not just about selecting color spaces because, for most non-professional practical inkjet purposes there is little difference between sRGB and AdobeRGB. There are several video demos on the web about color manaement that make it easier than reading about it.
Every printer manufacturer implements color management in its drivers in different ways and with different degrees of success.
I have no experience with HP. Epson’s is excellent, Canon’s is awful. A convenient place to start is actually on the Epson web site called Epson Print Academy. Obviously they demonstrate printing using Epson printers but most of it is actually video walkthroughs of Photoshop techniques, including color management. It is well worth the $29 or so if the subject makes your eyes glaze over reading about it.
J
Jim
May 16, 2005
wrote in message
My images come from my camera either tagged as AdobeRGB or sRGB. In PS, I
have the options of changing the tagged color space (or profile) associated with these images.
I’m wondering what is the best practice for working with these images,
which will likely be printed on inkjet or lightjet (photo process) printers or placed on a web site.
I use Adobe RGB as my working profile because it has a wider gamut than sRGB. In reality, sRGB is an output profile that presents the least common denominator amoung various CRT monitors (or did when it was designed).
I’ve heard conflicting advice: always change to Adobe RGB (because it has
a wider? gamut), keep native color tag, select according to your use, etc.
To add to this complication, when I go to print, there is of course the
option to select a color printer profile (either in PS or managed by the printer), but on my HP 7960 printer there is another option to select a color space (Adobe RGB or sRGB) ALONG WITH the printer profile. (This option is available only if "Printer Color Management" is selected in PS Print with Review screen; this option doesn’t exist if color profile is assigned within PS.)
I use a profile that matches my printer ink and my printer paper. PS uses this profile to convert from the working gamut to the printer gamut. I leave all management to PS (I select No Color Adjustment for the printer driver).
Jim
MD
Michael_D_Sullivan
May 17, 2005
If you will be printing your work or displaying it in a color managed application (e.g., Acrobat), AdobeRGB provides a wider gamut and is preferable to sRGB. If you will be exclusively creating images for the Web, your workspace and images probably should be sRGB.
C
chrisjbirchall
May 17, 2005
I have my working space set as Adobe RGB1998. This way my images benefit from having the wider gamut.

It does mean however, that any images destined for the internet, or any on-screen display outside of Photoshop, have to be converted to sRGB. This is easily set up in an action.

By the way: You can’t do it the other way. Converting an sRGB image to Adobe RGB will not ‘invent’ colours which didn’t exist in the small er colour space.

Chris
S
superted
May 17, 2005
writes
I have my working space set as Adobe RGB1998. This way my images benefit from having the wider gamut.

It does mean however, that any images destined for the internet, or any on-screen display outside of Photoshop, have to be converted to sRGB. This is easily set up in an action.

By the way: You can’t do it the other way. Converting an sRGB image to Adobe RGB will not ‘invent’ colours which didn’t exist in the small er colour space.
So when confronted with the option of ProPhoto RGB in the camera raw options box; what do we do?.
As i understand that ProPhoto has a wider gamut still.
Where is the trade off or do we do the adjustments in ProPhoto and print in adobe RGB.
puzzled
—
D
deebs
May 17, 2005
I guess I am limited by the extrinsic factors of print machines with a commercial (consumer) reliance upon sRGB as opposed to alternatives 🙁
DF
David_Freed
May 17, 2005
Thanks all–this is very useful for me. And Chris, thanks for the info. about sRGB to Adobe conversion.
GH
Gernot_Hoffmann
May 17, 2005
David,

you can ‘boost’ sRGB colors in aRGB. Increase Saturation. That requires eventually a gamut beyond sRGB.
Good for inkjet and offset.
Colorimetrically correct reproduction is not always desired. Mostly one needs ‘pleasing’ or ‘preferred’ colors.

Best regards –Gernot Hoffmann

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