Adobe RGB to sRGB - Workflow?

[peterm1]

After a lot of experimenting, I have a set up I like: I take RAW shots in Adobe RGB in my 10D, use Capture One LE to convert RAW to JPEG, occassionally edit further in Photoshop 7, organize with Photoshop Album, and print with Qimage. I use the Adobe RGB colorspace throughout this process until print.

The problem is with converting to sRGB and downsizing for posting to the web and in emails. I know I can convert using Capture One or PS 7, but I am trying to figure out which program to use to do this, and how to set it up so it fits well into my workflow.

Anyone have any good tips or ideas?

Thanks!

Peter M

[Roger_Cavanagh]

Peter,

It's not a good idea to convert to JPG and then do further editing. You'd be better off converting to 8-bit TIFF, and saving a JPG version once you're all done.

You can't use C1LE to downsize (except by exporting previews) and, in any case, any PS edits would not be reflected. I'd create e-mail/web versions in PS from the final, edited JPG. You can create a simple action to convert to SRGB and downsize in one step.

Regards,

[peterm1]

Thanks Roger.

I usually convert to JPG, immediately save as a .psd file in PS 7 (since I couldn't do this with C1LE) before making any edits, and then make edits as a .psd file. Is there any advantage to saving them first as a TIFF rather than a JPG temporarily before I convert them to .psd files? Would there be more data in the TIFF so that when they are converted to .psd files there will be more to work with in Photoshop?

I like the export preview function of C1LE and wasn't aware of it before.

Regards,

Peter

[Roger_Cavanagh]

peterm1 wrote:
Would there be more data in the TIFF so that when they are converted to .psd files there will be more to work with in Photoshop?

Yes, and you could also use 16-bit conversion. This would give more data in two ways: an extra 8 bits plus no JPG compression.

With C1LE I do most of my global adjustment using exposure compensation, levels and curves during development, so 16-bit conversion is less necessary as I often find I immediately use 8-bit tools in Photoshop. If you know you are going to be doing some aggressive editing, then I'd use 16-bit TIFF to reduce chances of artefacts and posterisation.

Since you do save the JPG as a PSD, you probably won't notice any difference on most images that need only light editing. I just object to throwing away data before I have to. :)

Regards,