RAW questions

[Dee]

This recent trip is the first time I've really used RAW other than to play around to see what the controls do. Now that I need to do this right, I have a question. I'm using PS7 with the RAW plug-in.

After doing my RAW adjustments and clicking OK, I get a windows that says....

Embedded Profile Mismatch
The document "P5241773.ORF" has an embedded color profile that does not match the current RGB working space.

Embedded: Adobe RGB (1998)
Working: sRGB IEC61966-2.1

How do you want to proceed?
* Use the embedded profile (instead of the working space)
* Convert document's colors to the working space
* Discard the embedded profile (don't color manage)

Which do I chose? I can't see a difference between using the embedded file or converting it but I've read references to it making a difference when printing.


Also, each .ORF file also has a thumbnail file. What's it for and do I need to keep it? They don't take up much space but why keep them if I don't need them.

 

[alcina]

Dee -

You don't need to keep the thumbnails. They can be viewed in Windows Explorer and can make life easier sometimes, but I accidentally screwed up a whole file and now use the Browser in PSCS exclusively to view my shots (after I found the Custom size in the View menu!).

I work on my images in RGB and this is what my working space is. You can reset this in the menus preferences.

If I want to save for web, I go to mode and convert to srgb and then go to save for web in the file menu...this seems to keep the colours correct when posted. If I forget the colours go wonky.

 

[alcina]

Oh, and I print from my RGB file most of the time, though the differences on my Sony DPP-EX5 printer are only slight if I print from the sRGB.

 

[SeaYoda]

I think it's your choice for color workspace. I also believe you are right that you want to match the color profile to the printer. I leave all of my settings at sRGB and haven't gotten the message or touble getting pictures printed at Walmart.

My software does not recognize the thumbnail files - they are still there if I look in "my computer", for what use I don't know. I've never been brave enough to experiment by deleting them.

 

[PapaBob]

Hi Dee! Welcome back from Roatan. Kev said you guys and gals had a great time. I wish I could have broken away from the day job to join you.

I struggled with this issue a while back. I am not sure my answer is complete, but will give it my best shot. Maybe a tech guru out there will weigh in.

Color space refers to the range of color (referred to as color gamut) that a device can reproduce. The internet and most point and shoot digital cameras use a color space called sRGB (eg sRGB IEC 61966-2.1). Adobe developed another color space called Adobe RGB (eg Adobe RGB 1998) that has a wider gamut than sRGB and is more suited to professional reproduction. My 300D and 20D Canon cameras let me choose the Adobe RGB color space. I do not know if your Oly allows a similar selection. If so, I would use it.

Your RAW converter will allow you to select the color space regardless of what you shot in. If your camera uses sRGB but your converter is set at Adobe RGB then you will get the type mismatch when you load into Photoshop (it is expecting an sRGB file because that is the working space you set in your preferences). My guess is that you don’t gain anything by converting an sRGB shot to Adobe RGB in the RAW plug in much like you don’t gain anything by converting from an 8 bit camera image to 16 bit in the RAW converter. If you switch the profile in Photoshop, there should not be much difference (or a minor difference) in the on screen appearance.

If you let Photoshop control your printer, and your monitor and printer are calibrated, your prints should be faithful regardless of color space. However, if you take an Adobe RGB Jpeg to Costco, it will print it in sRGB and there will be a noticeable color shift. There may also be a color shift when an Adobe RGB image is displayed on the internet (like in a Scubaboard gallery) but I have not tested this. Tech gurus, please weigh in on this one.

Since both my digital cameras support Adobe RGB, I shoot and burn my archive disk in this color space. When I process, I will usually convert in the RAW plug in to sRGB if my final output is going to be a Costco print run, an upload, or a burned disk to share.

I hope others will share their experiences.

—Bob