sRGB vs AdobeRGB

[Markvetnz]

I have been advised that if I get my pics printed at an outside lab I should just stick with sRGB because that is what they use. Is this correc?. I don't want to print my own photos at home. After trashing an Epson TW700, which I personally think is the flimsiest piece of junk I have ever owned, I just couldn't be bothered. The lab I use says they use sRGB. I have only printed a few photos with them and some of the prints look quite dull and others look fine. Should I ask for the profiles for their particular printers?
I have only just calibrated and profiles my monitor with a Spyder 3. (BTW there is an updated version of the software for the Spyder 3 elite users which I downloaded - has a lot more functionality than the version 3 software).
Sorry if these questions are basic, but I really wan to get my prints looking like what I see on my monitor.

[Peter Ryan]

I have been advised that if I get my pics printed at an outside lab I should just stick with sRGB because that is what they use. Is this correc?. I don't want to print my own photos at home. After trashing an Epson TW700, which I personally think is the flimsiest piece of junk I have ever owned, I just couldn't be bothered. The lab I use says they use sRGB. I have only printed a few photos with them and some of the prints look quite dull and others look fine. Should I ask for the profiles for their particular printers?
I have only just calibrated and profiles my monitor with a Spyder 3. (BTW there is an updated version of the software for the Spyder 3 elite users which I downloaded - has a lot more functionality than the version 3 software).
Sorry if these questions are basic, but I really wan to get my prints looking like what I see on my monitor.

Hi Mark,

Most commercial labs and the internet are set for sRBG so if your workflow uses Adobe RGB you need to change the profile before taking your work in for printing. Printing Adobe RGB on a sRGB workspace can result in dull prints.

I do not think you need to worry about the profile for their printer, which is for them to control. I understand you have calibrated your screen but you might ask them how they want you to present your work. They may or may not know you have made adjustments and assume you haven’t and make the same basic assumptions as if someone presented a memory card and said ‘print this’. You should try to match your workflow to suit them.

If you are going to use a third party to print your work it is well worth the time and effort to talk with them to get a process worked out between yourselves.

[Jack Hogan]

I have been advised that if I get my pics printed at an outside lab I should just stick with sRGB because that is what they use. Is this correct?

Mark, are you asking what working color space you should use to develop/post-process your captures? If so it depends on your workflow and the software you use. Opinions abound, here is mine:

1) If you just capture in Jpeg and do minor adjustments set sRGB in camera and stick with it.
2) If you take raw captures, do MINOR adjustments and always print through a lab, just use what they suggest (typically sRGB). If it is anything other than sRGB it is a good idea to make a copy of your image for web use or emailing to F&F by CONVERTing to sRGB, downsizing and re-sharpening.
3) If you take raw captures but like to play EXTENSIVEly with them, you are leaving quality on the table if you do not use a larger working color space. aRGB is the minimum here, but many suggest ProPhotoRGB or MelissaRGB, as they are able to encompass all of the colors produced by your camera. aRGB is considered smallish and ProPhotoRGB is considered huge. There are advantages and disadvantages to both. There are happy-compromise mid sized spaces like DCAM or BetaRGB, but they may not be ideal in all situations. In all of these cases you would need to CONVERT to the necessary color space at the end of your post processing session for printing or web use.

Make sure you soft proof your pictures with the proper profile and tag your files with the ICC profile you used before submitting.

As for me, I fall in category three, and currently use MelissaD65RGB as my default 'Open with' color space in the raw converter and Photoshop. I would use DCAM if it were free, though.

[Pictus]

Color Space Workfow Guidelines
Practical guidelines and references for digital photographers
http://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/WGuidelines.pdf
Color Spaces: Beyond Adobe RGB
http://www.naturephotographers.net/a.../mh1203-1.html
Color Management, Camera Profiles, & Working Spaces
http://mail.kde.org/pipermail/digika...ne/005591.html

SRGB x Adobe RGB
https://www.cambridgeincolour.com/tu...obeRGB1998.htm

ProPhoto or ConPhoto ?
http://www.imagescience.com.au/kb/qu...to+or+ConPhoto

Channel clipping and posterization (ACE vs CNN)
http://www.naturescapes.net/phpBB3/v...5577&p=1480953


How White Are Your Whites?
http://www.adobepress.com/articles/a...15593&seqNum=6

Why are my prints too dark?
http://www.northlight-images.co.uk/a..._too_dark.html

Using Printer Profiles with Digital Labs
http://www.drycreekphoto.com/icc/usi...r_profiles.htm

[Colin Southern]

Hi Mark,

Not much to add, except to say that as a rule, print shops in New Zealand (in my experience) are a lottery. ImageLab in Wellington are good - and some guy in Nelson called Colin Southern isn't too bad either (but I really only do canvas).

Other than that, unless you can establish a relationship with one then you're likely to find that things change from print run to print run depending on how they interpret the jobs and how their machines are calibrated that day. Most appear to know absolutely nothing about colour management (the ones here in Nelson know nothing about colourspaces etc).