Sharpenining for Web Use – 8-bit or 16-bit?

S
Posted By
scb
Oct 24, 2005
Views
360
Replies
4
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Closed
Hi Gang,

I work on my photos in PS CS using 16-bit. When it comes time to sharpen, after resizing and just before saving for the web, I convert the image to 8-bit and then sharpen. I recently read that sharpening in 16-bit is "better" and then converting to 8-bit just before saving the file.

So, what’s the best way to sharpen for this situation?

SCB
Related Tags
16-bit bit use

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MV
Mathias_Vejerslev
Oct 24, 2005
If your image is in 16-bit anyway, I´d do the resize and websharpen before converting first to desired color space (sRGB) then to 8-bit as the final step.

Mathias
D
deebs
Oct 24, 2005
scb: isn’t it easy to do a side-by-side comparison?

Same image, one processed one way and the other with a different workflow.

A final image side-by-side comparision should be easy, yes?
S
scb
Oct 24, 2005
isn’t it easy to do a side-by-side comparison? Same image, one processed one way and the other with a different workflow.
A final image side-by-side comparision should be easy, yes?

Well, maybe … however, I’d still like to know what other people do and which technique is considered better. Perhaps differences in monitor quality (the one I’m using now isn’t too good), the viewer’s eyes, room lighting, and other factors may obscure small differences.

shel
D
deebs
Oct 24, 2005
I think there are two basic workflows:
a) start in the mode you wish to finish in
b) keep everything in the highest quality possible and export to best fit intended use

Each has its own merit and demerit IMHO

For example keeping everything at highest quality that will ultimately end on the web is usually going to have a big demand on resources, large file sizes. In this sense overcompensation with a chunk of systematic redundancy – the quality aint required.

On the other hand starting with low quality and then carrying out many edits, re-edits and the like may cause early appearance of artifacts and undesired gunge.

It is tricky.

Wouldn’t it be grand if there were a purpose built spec that people could use knowing that how it appears in print is broadly the same as how it will appear onscreen as a file or website hosted image?

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