Color Space: Adobe RGB vs. sRGB - Photography QnA at BetterPhoto.com

BetterPhoto Q&A
Category: New Questions

To participate in the Forum, become a BetterPhoto member or Sign In.



R.J. LaBarba member since: 3/24/2006		Color Space: Adobe RGB vs. sRGB Good morning, all! Adobe RGB or sRGB? I have read many of the reviews analyzing the differences per which selection, when actually taking RAW photographs, maximizes color quality and accuracy rather than converting Raw color schemes in PS. As in every 'art' industry, there seems to be no definitive answers or recommendations. I notice what I "think" are better results on the color histogram when in sRGB mode when shooting but would appreciate any insights and/or opinions per this ongoing debate. Thank you! 3/25/2006 5:06:10 AM

Phillip Corcoran member since: 12/10/2005		If you are referring to which colour space you should set on your camera (assuming your camera gives you the choice), I recommend you set it to Adobe RGB since this has a wider colour gamut than sRGB. Let's say you shoot a load of JPEGs with the camera set to sRGB - you can't increase that gamut afterward because vital colour data is missing. But if you shot them as Adobe RGB you then have the option to either leave them as they are or reduce the gamut to sRGB in Photoshop before printing. With Raw shooting, such decisions don't matter in-camera. It's only when you convert that you have to decide between the two. I still say stick with Adobe RGB when converting Raw files for further editing - for the same reason - you can change adobeRGB images to sRGB but not vice-versa. By sticking with AdobeRGB all the way into your image editor, you are leaving your options open and you won't need to choose between the two colour gamuts until you are ready for saving or printing the final processed image. 3/25/2006 5:41:56 AM

Paul Tobeck member since: 12/19/2005		Phillip's right. Every pro I've ever heard from says to stick with Adobe RGB. The sRGB color space was designed specifically for Web imaging and is not suitable for critical work. You wouldn't notice the difference in 4x6 prints or on a Web page, but get serious about making some large prints and you'll see a difference. I haven't heard of a good reason to use sRGB on purpose, and as Phillip said, you can always convert the image to sRGB inside Photoshop. The whole reason for shooting Raw is to have as much data as possible in the image file. It would make no sense to limit your possible colors by choosing sRGB. 3/25/2006 6:38:00 AM

R.J. LaBarba member since: 3/24/2006		Gentlemen, thanks for the responses. 3/26/2006 3:53:16 AM

Bob Chance member since: 2/19/2006		Paul: Wow! I didn't really understand the difference between the two. So what you are saying, Adobe RGB gives me a greater range of color? So, even if I don't normally shoot RAW, would I still benefit from using Adobe RGB for my JPG's? Or, should I shoot RAW if using the Adobe color profile? I use Epson Stylus photo printers (R200 & R1800) and without the documentation in front of me, I'm assuming they are compatible with Exif 2.21. I usually only print 4x6's unless I feel I have something exceptional then I might print 11x14 or 13x19. So would I better benefit from Adobe RGB for the larger prints? Thank you for shareing. Bob BC Photography 3/26/2006 7:35:14 AM

Paul Tobeck member since: 12/19/2005		What Adobe RBG gives you is a greater range of colors that it can display, therefore you have a greater range of printable colors. No matter how big a color space you edit in, there is a limit to the colors that your printer with cmyk inks can actually reproduce in the final print (check it out sometime using the Gamut warning feature inside Photoshop). This year was my second time attending the Epson Print Academy, and every pro there stresses that you should never use the sRGB colorspace. If you have an opportunity to attend, I highly suggest it. Very informative. Make sure your camera gives the option to choose Adobe RGB 1998. It should be listed somewhere in the setup menu. If your camera only shoots sRGB, then convert them to Adobe 1998 inside Photoshop. You can't gain back the lost colors, but at least you're editing within the proper space. You can set that space up as default within Photoshops preferences, and make it ask you to convert if you try and open sRGB images. 3/26/2006 1:04:36 PM

Bob Chance member since: 2/19/2006		Thanks Paul: Still not sure I understand the technicals of it, other than it gives me more colors to work with and print. I shoot with a Canon 20D and yes I can select between sRGB or Adobe. I will try shooting in Adobe from now on and see how things go. Although I've been shooting digital for a couple of years now, I really haven't gotten beyond the basics as far as the software goes. The only Adobe printing software I have is elements V2.0. Just too much money right now for anything more advanced. Actaully, unless I'm printing something bigger than letter size, I usually use PhotoImpact Pro V8.5. There are still a lot of things I haven't learned yet how to do in the Elements program, which are already familiar to me with PhotoImpact. Thank you again for your answer. Bob 3/26/2006 1:24:58 PM

Spencer Doyle member since: 2/10/2006		Another thing you can do with the 20D as long as you shoot in RAW is change between sRGB (which I've been using) and Adobe with the EOS Viewer Utility software. I just ran through several shots and changed them to Adobe and can immediately tell a difference. I just improved every photo I took in the past week with a few clicks of a button. Technicalities aside, I know what looks good, and Adobe is looking better on every shot. 3/28/2006 5:16:58 PM

David Groesbeck member since: 10/16/2005		Adobe RGB may give you a larger color space to work with, but it is of little value unless you are going to have something printed on a printing press. Most monitors, color printers and the printers at the photo labs are only going to print out the sRGB range. But it probably doesn't hurt anything to shoot in the Adobe RGB color space. 3/28/2006 5:34:14 PM

Jon Canfield member since: 4/25/2005		I'd certainly agree that if you're printing at the local lab or most online services that sRGB is your best choice. For printing at home on a current inkjet that is intended for photo printing, Adobe RGB is a closer match to the color space, or gamut of these printers. If you shoot RAW it really doesn't matter - you don't embed a color space until the file is converted to a image format like JPEG or TIFF. And, if you'll only be using the image on screen, sRGB is a better choice. Hope this helps! Jon 3/28/2006 9:16:11 PM

Howie Nordström member since: 3/11/2005		Sean McHugh has authored some really good reading on color spaces and space conversion. Two of his many tutorials are: http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/sRGB-AdobeRGB1998.htm http://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tutorials/color-space-conversion.htm quote: "My advice is to know which colors your image uses, and whether these can benefit from the additional colors afforded by Adobe RGB 1998. Ask yourself: do you really need the richer cyan-green midtones, orange-magenta highlights, or green shadows? Will these colors also be visible in the final print? Will these differences even be noticeable? If you've answered "no" to any of these questions, then you would be better served using sRGB. sRGB will make the most of your bit depth because it allocates more bits to encoding the colors present in your image. In addition, sRGB can simplify your workflow since this color space is also used for displaying images on the internet. What if you desire a speedy workflow, and do not wish to decide on your working space using a case-by-case method? My advice is to use Adobe RGB 1998 if you normally work with 16-bit images, and sRGB if you normally work with 8-bit images. Even if you may not always use the extra colors, you never want to eliminate them as a possibility for those images which require them." Thus, shoot with Adobe RGB and RAW. Choose the color working space dependant upon the image and the method of production. 3/29/2006 3:07:32 AM

Lewis Kemper LewisKemper.com Lewis's Photo Courses: 4-Week Short Course: Adobe Lightroom: A Comprehensive Look The Photographer's Toolbox for Photoshop: Exposure and Color		One thing to keep in mind is your inkjet printers can print beyond Adobe RGB in some colors, so if you print at home it does not matter if you make 4 x 6 or 20 x 24 prints the printer is still capable of printing colors way beyond sRGB and even beyond Adobe RGB in some parts of the spectrum. 3/30/2006 3:27:14 PM

Charlotte LaBarbera Contact Charlotte Charlotte's Gallery member since: 4/21/2004		Re: Paul's response, "I haven't heard of a good reason to use sRGB on purpose". When switching to digital I had major compatibility issues at the one hour lab. Prints always came out blue and the culprit was the RGB profile. I still shoot in RGB and have my computer and printer set for RGB, however, this is my workflow for one hour lab prints. Set up a folder for lab prints. Make sure all prints in this folder are duplicates and not originals. Using PS batch processing, convert all files to sRGB, burn this file to a CD and bring to the lab. No more blue prints. Charlotte 4/25/2006 10:26:31 AM

Paul Tobeck member since: 12/19/2005		Aw, c'mon Charlotte, I said a GOOD reason! :) Actually, you are right, most one hour machines are setup around the sRGB colorspace, and Adobe 1998 could cause some color shifting in the blues and greens. The thought never crossed my mind since I scan all my film, the one hour place just develops my negs and slides. A good point to remember for all of you needing a "quickie". 4/25/2006 6:32:47 PM

Howie Nordström member since: 3/11/2005		In regards to converting color space for the purpose of printing at the lab, keep in mind that there are different methods of conversion (i.e.- relative colorimetric vs. perceptual) that do different things to out of gamut colors. There can be huge differences! 4/26/2006 12:38:22 AM

Danielle E. Rutter member since: 1/4/2006		I know this is an old topic but I'm a bit confused and hoping somebody can clear this up for me. So it's better to use Adobe RGB because of the wider variety of colors. BUT that's only if you print your own photos on your own inkjet printer? If the place that I print my photos uses an sRGB profile... should be I be converting my photos to sRGB before I send them in or does it not make a difference? Thanks!! 9/11/2006 10:35:36 AM

Charlotte LaBarbera Contact Charlotte Charlotte's Gallery member since: 4/21/2004		Danielle, My first prints at the local lab all turned out blue. They use Fuji equipment and it is set for sRGB. If I convert my RGB images to sRGB they print just fine. If you are going to a lab that uses Kodak equipment the outcome may be different. My camera, my Photoshop color space and my printer are all set for RGB. I convert to sRGB only for prints that I am sending out. Hope this helps. 9/11/2006 4:32:01 PM

Paul Tobeck member since: 12/19/2005		The basic truth is if you are printing at home and shooting a wide variety of subjects, especially nature, then Adobe RGB is where you want to be. If you shoot mainly portraits and send out your print work, then srgb is for you. If you are using a serious lab (not Costco or WalMart)you can usually get a srgb colorspace profile for photoshop that matches the printing equipment they use. If not, then you can set your default colorspace to srgb and send your lab a test print with different color corrections to determine what you need to do to get a matched output. Will Crockett has a good article about this. http://www.shootsmarter.com/infocenter/wc025.html 9/11/2006 5:14:37 PM

Danielle E. Rutter member since: 1/4/2006		Thanks! Now I'm going to feel grateful for Photoshop's batch processing feature. :) 9/11/2006 8:31:34 PM

To participate in the Forum, become a BetterPhoto member or Sign In.

BetterPhoto Q&A Category: New Questions

BetterPhoto Q&A
Category: New Questions