AdobeRGB to sRGB conversion causes red saturation shift

JW
Posted By
jim_white_photography
Jul 16, 2008
Views
334
Replies
8
Status
Closed
When working in AdobeRGB I can soft proof to either windowsRGB or MonitorRGB or my printer/paper profile and all looks well.

After I’ve done a conversion to sRGB, the only soft proof that still looks correct is WindowsRGB. MonitorRGB is especially bad about pumping up the red saturation. If the file was built using sRGB I don’t have this problem, only when converting.

Why won’t my converted files soft proof on my monitor and why is it that the red saturation is getting increased?

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PF
Peter_Figen
Jul 16, 2008
It sounds like you have "Preserve RGB Numbers" checked in your Proof Setup, but the real question is why do you need to soft proof a file that is in sRGB to see how it’s going to appear on you own monitor?
C
Curvemeister
Jul 16, 2008
This is normal. When you soft proof to Monitor RGB, colors are displayed on your monitor with no color management.

The maximum red in sRGB RGB(255,0,0). In Adobe RGB it is only RGB(219,0,0). When you send those numbers, unmodified, to your monitor, you’ll get the expected darker red for an Adobe RGB image.

Think of sRGB as dollars, and Adobe RGB as Euros. The same numeric value in Adobe RGB "buys" more color than in sRGB.

This begs the question, "why use dollars when you can use Euros?" It’s a question of territory. For your own work, or work with close associates, Adobe RGB is fine. If you work on the web, or share your images with others, sRGB is the better choice to avoid finger pointing if the colors lose saturation – as per your original question – in the final job.
B
Buko
Jul 16, 2008
Is the monitor calibrated correctly with a hardware calibrator.
JW
jim_white_photography
Jul 16, 2008
"Preserve RGB Numbers" is checked but this is only available under the Custom Proof Setup. Should I just be using the Custom Proof only, which is set up to "simulate" my Huey and not either Windows or Monitor proofing?

I started soft proofing to see how it varied from monitor to my print/paper profiles and was horrified to see how it proofed on monitor. I thought photoshop would automatically use my Huey numbers for the monitor.

Yes, I calibrate with a Huey.

I’ve just opened a file and saved it a combination of 12 different ways using "Assign aRGB" "Convert to aRGB" for opening, then "Save as" Save for web" both with and without ICC, converting to sRBG then "Save as" and Save for web". None of the converted files displays correctly on monitor RGB.

I’m going to upload all the files to a web site and see how they display in a browser.
RK
Rob_Keijzer
Jul 16, 2008
I’m going to upload all the files to a web site and see how they display in a browser.

Why not point the browser to them locally?

Rob
JW
jim_white_photography
Jul 16, 2008
In Firefox, all images saved for web with no ICC profile were too red. All others regardless of double converting or assigning aRGB then converting to sRBG displayed correctly. Also "Save As" displayed correctly as did save for web with ICC profile.

It looks like as long as I stay away from a monitor soft proof after converting and check the ICC profile box when "Save For Web" I’ll be seeing what everyone else does.

If "Save for Web" supposedly strips the profile, I’m not sure why I need to check the box but it works soooo….
PF
Peter_Figen
Jul 16, 2008
Jim,

Are you using a newer wide gamut lcd screen by chance? That would explain a lot when viewing images with no profile in browsers. It’d be like assigning MonitorRGB to your sRGB images, and when your monitor is wider gamut than sRGB it’s the same as assigning the wrong profile under Assign Profile in Ps.
JW
jim_white_photography
Jul 16, 2008
Why not point the browser to them locally?

I’m not that smart.

Are you using a newer wide gamut lcd screen by chance?

Yes. It’s a large Doublesight monitor which is supposed to be wide gamut.

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