# sRGB vs Adobe RGB



## athomasimage (Apr 8, 2010)

I hope this is the correct section to raise this question - but what color space do you use and why.  I tried reading some blogs about this and all seem contradictory in what they say.  Anywhere from saying point-blank use one over the other to it's your choice.  Thoughts or comments?


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## KmH (Apr 9, 2010)

It really depends what you want to accomplish with your images.

A landscape photographer will want to do things differently than a portrait photographer.

If you are capturing in RAW, color space doesn't matter until you convert the data file to an image. I use ProPhotoRGB (it has a nice wide gamut).

Shooting JPEG, use AdobeRGB to capture and edit images.

For editing images captured as RAW data files use the widest gamut available, like ProPhotoRGB. (That's the default color space in Lightroom, by the way.)


Then convert to the appropriate color space for output:

pre press - CMYK
print and web - sRGB
If you are doing your editing destructively in the 8-bit color depth just use sRGB from start to finish.

I recommend the following multi-part discussion of color management:

Overview of Color Management

Have you seen this graphic before?:


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## pbelarge (Apr 9, 2010)

Tom
I asked the same question. I found the answer both in the responses, and in my camera manual.
Canon suggests sRGB, as Adobe is for professionals and special printing...something like that anyway.


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## Big Mike (Apr 9, 2010)

In most cases, you will want your final file to be sRGB (for web, lab printing etc.), so there is a strong case to just use sRGB from the start so as to avoid any confusion or space switching errors.  

That being said, there are color spaces with a wider gamut, which is better when you are editing the images....you just have to remember to convert to sRGB if/when you need to.

As mentioned, if you shoot RAW it's not really an issue until you convert/output the image.  I use Lightroom, which uses Prophoto, and I select sRGB when I output.


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## Mike_E (Apr 9, 2010)

IOW AdobeRGB is like 14 Bit compared to sRGB's 8 Bit.  

The more latitude you have to edit your images the less likely you are to have clipped tones  and thereby smoother gradations in your final image.


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## icassell (Apr 9, 2010)

I must admit that I settled on sRGB so I don't get confused.  Since my printer wants my files in sRGB, I just use it from start to finish so I don't screw up.  Although this may not be very scientific, I haven't had any issues doing it this way.


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## athomasimage (Apr 9, 2010)

Thanks for all the info.  Re: the "graphic", I've seen different versions of it, but not that particular one.  It appears to support the comments viewers made.  So for right now I think I'll stay in sRGB and go on to worrying about finding more business (LOL).


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## JLEphoto (Apr 13, 2010)

I shoot RAW and then convert to Adobe or sRGB...  I have found that using Adobe through smugmug works great and the bayphoto lab that they use say either sRGB or Adobe works for them.  Start with the highest color gamut that you can and the trim it down as exports.


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## prodigy2k7 (Jul 7, 2011)

Shoot in RAW, Edit in lightroom, export to sRGB for printing

Edit: oops, meant to post reply in this topic: http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/...on-nikon-canon-colour-accuracy-your-take.html
haha.

I confused both threads and forgot this was an older one.


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