sRGB vs Adobe RGB

What do you recommend? Does anybody shoot Adobe RGB rather than sRGB? Are there advantages to shooting one over the other?

I attempted to shoot some photos in Adobe RGB mode and they looked pretty good.

More of a curiosity question than anything else...

Thanks in advance!

https://photography-on-the.net …?t=540308&highl​ight=sRGB;)

Try this article in the Digital Rebel FAQ.

I choose to use AdobeRGB because most if not all of my output is printed using an inkjet printer. sRGB is the colour space of choice for web output and I'm led to believe some print labs use it.

So its horses for courses.

Most of the time I don't think anyone could tell the two apart, but every now and again the difference will be obvious. It's all about the way the visible spectrum is compressed into what the display medium can cope with.

FLO - I checked out the discussion you linked to... sadly, it was not very helpful. That discussion contains replies such as, "If you have to ask, use sRGB", which I find annoying, at best. I'm asking, because I want to learn. Personally, I think people who give snide answers like that should be publically flogged... heh heh heh Thanks for the reply, though.

DOUG PARDEE - Now, THAT article you linked to gives some great detail as to when to use the two settings. I shoot EVERYTHING in RAW. However, my printer accepts TIF and JPG, only (they will not deal with RAW files). The question, then, is do you have an opinion as to how to achieve best results when converting your RAW images to a print-friendly format?

Basically, in summary, I guess I'm asking - other than taking great photos to begin with - is there anything else I need to do in post (image conversions, etc) to ensure that my photos print to the absolute best of their potential?

Mucho thanks!

LOWNER - The article that DOUG PARDEE led me to did an awesome job of explaining that pics for the web should be sRGB, but sometimes A-RGB looks better for print. What if I shoot photos for BOTH uses? My guess would be to just use sRGB at that point?

Thanks for the reply.

YODASARMPIT - Good tip. Sadly, Windows is what I use (does Canon have software for Linux, yet???).

As for monitor calibration, I do most of my work on a notebook (17" LCD - widescreen). Do you have any recommendations for cheap (if not free) calibration software/techniques that would work for a lappy?

If you shoot RAW it doesn't matter. When I shoot RAW I open the file in ProPhoto RGB, which is a far larger color space than Adobe RGB, and I do most of my editing in ProPhoto and LAB.

When I shoot JPEG (which I usually do now for the 10,000 shots a day I'm taking of my baby), I just use sRGB, because the files won't be edited very much.

710 Studio wrote in post #6113960
FLO - I checked out the discussion you linked to... sadly, it was not very helpful. That discussion contains replies such as, "If you have to ask, use sRGB", which I find annoying, at best. I'm asking, because I want to learn. Personally, I think people who give snide answers like that should be publically flogged... heh heh heh Thanks for the reply, though.

DOUG PARDEE - Now, THAT article you linked to gives some great detail as to when to use the two settings. I shoot EVERYTHING in RAW. However, my printer accepts TIF and JPG, only (they will not deal with RAW files). The question, then, is do you have an opinion as to how to achieve best results when converting your RAW images to a print-friendly format?

Basically, in summary, I guess I'm asking - other than taking great photos to begin with - is there anything else I need to do in post (image conversions, etc) to ensure that my photos print to the absolute best of their potential?

Mucho thanks!

Did you read the entire thread Seems you got what you needed anyways.

I spent about 3 or 4 weeks shooting in Adobe RGB just to see if I noticed any difference in overall quality. I admit I didn't notice a difference at all -- and it just added a step that I had to remember to correct in post. I went back to sRGB.

FLO - Did I read the entire discussion?... honestly - no. Must be my state of mind (I just had a conversation with some business people that went very similar to that answer in that discussion), but as soon as I read that answer, I was outta there. By the way, the conversation I had with those business people was about marketing my business. It went similar to: "How do I market my business?" They said, "Word of mouth." I said, "Good, but how do I get word of mouth without clients?" They said... "Marketing." heh heh heh Getting good answers is hard to come by, these days...

DR PABLO - First of all, congrats on the baby! My camera got a work out... I have 3 little ones. heh heh heh ;; I shoot everything RAW, it sounds like I don't have to worry about it, then. Kind of a relief!

ANDREABFS - Do you shoot RAW? I tried A-RGB, this morning, and just like you said, I really didn't notice any difference at all. I switched back to sRGB, as that is what I have been shooting with good success. But, as I shoot RAW, anyway, it sounds like it just doesn't make a difference.

Yep. I shoot RAW. I am all about getting the most out of my images as long as I can see a measurable difference to account for the extra step. Shooting RAW over JPG, I can definitely see the merit in that. I just assume that I'm not at the level where AdobeRGB over sRGB is going to mean much to me.

ANDREABFS - Exactly where I'm at, currently. I think I shot Fine JPG for the first few hours of having the camera. I quickly changed my ways and switched to RAW... the difference was undeniable. However, the difference between sRGB and A-RGB, my eyes really can't tell the difference, right off hand. Just like you said, for simplicity, I think I'll just keep it locked on sRGB. I checked out your site, by the way... nice work!

Doug Pardee wrote in post #6113633
Try this article in the Digital Rebel FAQ.

Good article!

710 Studio wrote in post #6113960
FLO - I checked out the discussion you linked to... sadly, it was not very helpful. That discussion contains replies such as, "If you have to ask, use sRGB", which I find annoying, at best. I'm asking, because I want to learn. Personally, I think people who give snide answers like that should be publically flogged... heh heh heh

Thanks

For more info, you might want to read the link from my sig. Quite a few links about the topic in there

710 Studio wrote in post #6113960
The question, then, is do you have an opinion as to how to achieve best results when converting your RAW images to a print-friendly format?

Depends.
There is no easy answer.
If you print at home, your printer is likely to have a larger gamut (in certain colors) then sRGB, maybe even AdobeRGB.
You can softproof for the paper/printers profile, to get a good screen to print match.
Again: More info in the link from my sig.

710 Studio wrote in post #6113960
Basically, in summary, I guess I'm asking - other than taking great photos to begin with - is there anything else I need to do in post (image conversions, etc) to ensure that my photos print to the absolute best of their potential?

Read the link ....

710 Studio wrote in post #6113973
LOWNER - The article that DOUG PARDEE led me to did an awesome job of explaining that pics for the web should be sRGB, but sometimes A-RGB looks better for print. What if I shoot photos for BOTH uses? My guess would be to just use sRGB at that point?

Thanks for the reply.

If you use an inkjet, and shoot raw, by all means use a wider gamut color space. Provided you know what you are doing.

You can convert an AdobeRGB image to sRGB, but out of gamut colors will be clipped (since the only rendering intent is colorimetric). So some care is needed.

If you shoot jpg, sRGB might be the better choice.

It also depends on subject matter: If your subject contains only pastels for instance, then using AdobeRGB makes zero sense....

710 Studio wrote in post #6114082
Getting good answers is hard to come by, these days...

Probably because there is no "one size fits all"...

710 Studio wrote in post #6114082
But, as I shoot RAW, anyway, it sounds like it just doesn't make a difference.

It does. But not in all cases.

710 Studio wrote in post #6114198
I think I'll just keep it locked on sRGB. I checked out your site, by the way... nice work!

At least until you know why you *might* want to use a different color space....

RENE - Wait a second... EVERY article I have EVER read says that if you shoot RAW, it doesn't matter what colorspace you work in. But, you say that it does? See, that's why I am having so much trouble here... nobody seems to agree with anybody - regardless what article you read. The link in your sig, included. Which brings me back to square one, which is me ripping my hair out wondering if there is an UNBIASED, completely uncolored (pun actually intended) article that would be good reading for me to figure out what the heck I should be doing???

Thanks for the reading, though... I found it... well... a learning experience.

I might actually wait until tomorrow to continue reading on this topic. I'm getting burned out on it, already... grrrrrrr.