RGB verses sRGB

[dpanicc1]

I have a 10D. I'm wondering what color space you folks shoot with: RGB or sRGB? I think RGB provides much nicer and smoother color transitions; flesh tones seem smoother and more realistic. I have to crank the saturation a little (post-processing) if I leave the images in RGB color space for viewing and printing. A little more work, but I like the results. Wonder what your thoughts are on the subject.

TIA,
Dan

[dtrayers]

Do you mean Adobe RGB vs. sRGB?

I shoot RAW files 99% of the time so I define the color space during conversion, typically Adobe1998.

[Jesper]

"RGB versus sRGB"? Do you mean "Adobe RGB versus sRGB"?

Note that if you shoot in Adobe RGB, Canon's software (also the software in the camera) for some reason does not attach an ICC profile to the image. To view it right, you need to use Photoshop to assign the Adobe RGB profile to the photo. (Note that you can't do it with PS Elements, it doesn't have to "assign profile" feature).

Also, Adobe RGB photos will only look right in applications that understand color management - unfortunately, most software (for Windows) doesn't.

The advantage of Adobe RGB over sRGB is that it gives you a larger color space, which will give you more richly saturated colors if you print it, provided you're using a color managed workflow.

The default color space in Windows is sRGB. That means that if you use a non color managed application to view an Adobe RGB image, it will treat it as if it is an sRGB image (which is, ofcourse, wrong) - and your image will look desaturated. Probably that's what you are doing, and why you have to "crank up saturation".

[maderito]

I think RGB provides much nicer and smoother color transitions; flesh tones seem smoother and more realistic. I have to crank the saturation a little (post-processing) if I leave the images in RGB color space for viewing and printing.

I prefer to work in Adobe RGB.

What you are saying doesn't ring entirely true to me. As long as your camera color space (or RAW conversion color space) is the same as your working color space in Photoshop, then your flesh tones should look good with most monitors and printers (assumig good monitor calibration).

If you mismatch color spaces, then colors may be hard to correct. When you open an image in PS, typically it is assigned a profile - sRGB or Adobe RGB. That profile determines how the color numbers are interpreted.

For example, open a 50 x 50 pixel new image in PS. Fill it with the red color 240,0,0. Goto Image | Mode | Assign Profile. Make sure the "preview" box is checked. Now look at the image while assigning various ICC profiles, including sRGB and Adobe RGB. The color will look brighter in Adobe RGB - because it has a wider gamut which includes more intense reds. However, if that color (240,0,0) was meant to for display in sRGB space, then you are not seeing its accurate representation by viewing it in Adobe RGB.

Probably you already know all this ... but just to clarify ... in what color space are you capturing your images? If you are using RAW, which color space are you choosing during RAW conversion? What is your working color space in Photoshop?

[dpanicc1]

Thanks everyone for your imput.

maderito,

I capture in AdobeRGB with 10D.
I read the RAW image into PS, manipulate, and leave it as Adobe1998 into PS.
Working color space in PS is also AdobeRGB.

My monitor uses a slightly modified RGB color space to neutralize the image and adjust color and gamma ("Adobe Gamma" in Control Panel).

I read the RAW file in, manipluate it and save as a jpg with the AdobeRGB profile attached. Color gamut on monitor and printer probably clips, but output--displayed or printed--looks nicer to me compared to a sRGB workflow.

[maderito]

Thanks everyone for your imput.
I read the RAW file in, manipluate it and save as a jpg with the AdobeRGB profile attached. Color gamut on monitor and printer probably clips, but output--displayed or printed--looks nicer to me compared to a sRGB workflow.
Thanks. We're on the same page -- and my experience matches yours. For some (but not most) shots, the wider gamut of the Adobe RGB works best for monitor viewing and printer output.

I would note that if you take a fully edited Adobe RGB image and "Convert" it to sRGB (as you would do to send it off for web display), you would be hard pressed to pick the converted image from its original source (whether viewed within our outside the PS color managed environment). Almost by definition, the conversion process tries to match the original color space (using one of several "redering intents") so that the converted image will look very similar to the original.

For reasons unclear to me, skin tones do seem to provide an excellent comparison color range for judging different color spaces. The tones are subtle, and the mix of tones even subtler. They are well captured in a good Adobe RGB workflow and seem to be easier to edit and adjust.

[PhotosGuy]

So, if I understand this, if my primary output is for prints, I should set the 300D parameters to AdobeRGB, edit in P$hop 7 in Adobe RGB, & if I "Save for the Web" it will automatically convert to JPEG in sRGB?

During the same 'shoot' (roll of film?), I shoot some RAW (not much) & JPEG. Does that (AdobeRGB is best) hold true if I shoot some Fine JPEGs? In other words, can I expect final processed prints to look as if they were "taken with the same film"? No outrageous color shifts?

Thanks,

[scottbergerphoto]

"RGB versus sRGB"? Do you mean "Adobe RGB versus sRGB"?

Note that if you shoot in Adobe RGB, Canon's software (also the software in the camera) for some reason does not attach an ICC profile to the image. To view it right, you need to use Photoshop to assign the Adobe RGB profile to the photo. (Note that you can't do it with PS Elements, it doesn't have to "assign profile" feature).
You are incorrect on this point. In PSE2, when you open a file that is shot and converted to Adobe RGB, the Adobe RGB is recognized by PSE2. You are given the option when you save the file to attach the profile to the picture or discard it. I shoot Raw, Adobe RGB, convert in BreezeBrowser, and post process in PSE2. In Print Preview, my Source is automatically recognized as Adobe RGB (1998). I set my Output to my Printer/Paper ICC profile. I set my printer to No Color Adjustment. My prints look exactly like my monitor sans luminance.
Scott

[PhotosGuy]

Now I'm confused. Didn't I say that? "...edit in P$hop 7 in Adobe RGB". Or, are you saying that what happens in PSE2 is the same as will happen in P$7? I'm really only interested in what happens with P$7 as I have more than enough other stuff to try to keep straight in my mind. In comparison, film was easy!

[maderito]

So, if I understand this, if my primary output is for prints, I should set the 300D parameters to AdobeRGB, edit in P$hop 7 in Adobe RGB, & if I "Save for the Web" it will automatically convert to JPEG in sRGB?
Yes, edit in AdobeRGB if your edited images will go to a printer. You still have to get the workflow right going from PS7 to printer.

No, "Save for Web" does not automatically convert to JPEG. You do have the option to attach the ICC profile you used during editing. If you edited in Adobe RGB and went straight to "save for web", the image has color numbers meant to be interpreted as Adobe RGB, not sRGB. Thus it may not look right on some monitors and web browers.

A typical workflow for PS to web is to first convert the image from AdobeRGB to sRGB (Image | Mode | Convert to Profile) and select destination profile as sRGB. Then save that converted image to the web via "Save for Web." You also may want to resize and resharpen in PS first rather than in resizing only in the "save for web" workspace.

Breezebrowser makes all of the tasks related to preparing imags for the web somewhat easier (conversion, resizing, sharpening, etc.) and allows you to easily perform it on one or multiple images.

During the same 'shoot' (roll of film?), I shoot some RAW (not much) & JPEG. Does that (AdobeRGB is best) hold true if I shoot some Fine JPEGs? In other words, can I expect final processed prints to look as if they were "taken with the same film"? No outrageous color shifts?

Whether shooting JPEGs (of any quality) or RAW, a large gamut color space like Adobe RGB or ColorMatch RGB is usually recommended, especially if you want maximum flexibility in editing and printing.

[PhotosGuy]

Got it. Thanks a lot!