Questions on Photoshop 2018

hark

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I have a couple of questions after updating to Photoshop 2018.

First...my color space changed after updating Camera RAW. The default was 8-bits, but I changed that to 16-bits. My question is which color space is better? Adobe RGB or sRGB? :confused: I honestly can't remember how mine was set previously.

Color Space.jpg



Secondly, I do NOT have the new Learn feature checked under the Window tab yet when I hover over any tool, this mini video displays showing how to use the tool. Any idea on how to turn it off?

mini video help.jpg
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
I have a couple of questions after updating to Photoshop 2018.

First... My color space changed after updating Camera RAW. The default was 8-bits, but I changed that to 16-bits. My question is which color space is better? Adobe RGB or sRGB? :confused: I honestly can't remember how mine was set previously.
Personally, I prefer working in Adobe RGB. It's a broader color gamut than is sRGB but it's not appropriate for posting on the web. This means you have the added step of converting to sRGB before posting on the web. If the Intarwebs is your primary output, I would suggest a purely sRGB-based workflow.

hark said:
Secondly, I do NOT have the new Learn feature checked under the Window tab yet when I hover over any tool, this mini video displays showing how to use the tool. Any idea on how to turn it off?
I'm sorry but, I do not. I assume you've checked the Settings menu?
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
@hark

HA! Found your answer:

Here are steps to turn off Rich Tool Tips.
Open Photoshop and then open an existing image file or create a new document from File > New.
Go to Edit > Preferences > Tools.
Clear the checkbox for "Use Rich Tooltips".
Click OK to confirm and exit Preferences dialog.

Edited for clarity...
 
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hark

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I'm sorry but, I do not. I assume you've checked the Settings menu?

HA! Found your answer:

Here are steps to turn off Rich Tool Tips.
Open Photoshop and then open an existing image file or create a new document from File > New.
Go to Edit > Preferences > Tools.
Clear the checkbox for "Use Rich Tooltips".
Click OK to confirm and exit Preferences dialog.

Edited for clarity...

Haha! :highly_amused: No, I didn't until I read your suggestion. :unconscious: And there she be! I don't usually go into the Preferences section often so it never dawned on me. There I was looking through the Window tab. :beguiled: I found it before you posted your second reply. Thank you though. Did yours install that way? Do you even remember? :confused:

Tool tips.png


And thanks for the info on Color Space. I'm going to check out all my options. I post to the web as well as print so I need a better understanding of their differences.
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
And thanks for the info on Color Space. I'm going to check out all my options. I post to the web as well as print so I need a better understanding of their differences.
Be warned... It's a swampy swamp of technical details that may leave you with a heckuva headache and no real, solid answer.

Here's my (Unsolicited) Executive Summary:

Option 1: Use sRGB across the board. sRGB wins for simplicity since the web and every lab on the planet is set up to work with it seamlessly right from the get-go. No fuss, no muss, no bother. sRGB loses, however, for having the smallest color gamut (but is it a noticeable, practical difference???!! Only you can decide that. (Insert headache: HERE)). You could always save your archive image in ProPhoto and then create post-able/print-able JPG's in sRGB on an as-needed basis if that works for you.

Option 2: Use either Adobe RGB and ProPhoto. Both are bigger than sRGB but require conversion to sRGB for printing or posting to the web. Adobe RGB scores a point here since your Nikon camera natively supports shooting in Adobe RGB but that's for .jpg only and most likely you're shooting raw. So why not just jump in with both feet and use ProPhoto? Because of the possibility of color channel clipping. I'm sure you're doing your own, independent research on all of this so most likely you've bumped into this issue and what it means so I won't delve into it. GAH! Is there no perfect solution?? I don't know that there is, but I've settled on a happy medium of Adobe RGB. As I see it, this gives me the benefit of a wider color gamut and pretty much zero improved chances for color-channel clipping but... I do have the downside of needing to convert to sRGB for printing and posting. I've just integrated that step into my workflow and I don't really notice it any more.

Good luck to you, hark! *snappy salute* I wish you fair winds and following seas as you hash this out to your own satisfaction! I suggest you keep the ibuprofen handy, though...
 

Chucktin

Senior Member
Be warned... It's a swampy swamp of technical details that may leave you with a heckuva headache and no real, solid answer.

Here's my (Unsolicited) Executive Summary:

Option 1: Use sRGB across the board. sRGB wins for simplicity since the web and every lab on the planet is set up to work with it seamlessly right from the get-go. No fuss, no muss, no bother. sRGB loses, however, for having the smallest color gamut (but is it a noticeable, practical difference???!! Only you can decide that. (Insert headache: HERE)). You could always save your archive image in ProPhoto and then create post-able/print-able JPG's in sRGB on an as-needed basis if that works for you.

Option 2: Use either Adobe RGB and ProPhoto. Both are bigger than sRGB but require conversion to sRGB for printing or posting to the web. Adobe RGB scores a point here since your Nikon camera natively supports shooting in Adobe RGB but that's for .jpg only and most likely you're shooting raw. So why not just jump in with both feet and use ProPhoto? Because of the possibility of color channel clipping. I'm sure you're doing your own, independent research on all of this so most likely you've bumped into this issue and what it means so I won't delve into it. GAH! Is there no perfect solution?? I don't know that there is, but I've settled on a happy medium of Adobe RGB. As I see it, this gives me the benefit of a wider color gamut and pretty much zero improved chances for color-channel clipping but... I do have the downside of needing to convert to sRGB for printing and posting. I've just integrated that step into my workflow and I don't really notice it any more.

Good luck to you, hark! *snappy salute* I wish you fair winds and following seas as you hash this out to your own satisfaction! I suggest you keep the ibuprofen handy, though...
I don't understand why you're mentionong ProPhoto RGB.

My DX Nikon has a choice of AdobeRGB or sRGB and I think my FX also, as well as my FUJI X-Pro2.

IMHO the advice is better stated thus:
1- Shoot in RAW and
2- Stick with AdobeRGB _IF (and only if) You can_.
2a - Archive your original.
2b - Always work on a copy, never, ever, work on your only original!
3 - Dont convert to sRGB until your pen-ultimate processing step.
4 - your ultimate step is sharpening for your intended output.

Yes it's a swamp of opinion and mis-conception.
 

hark

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I don't understand why you're mentionong ProPhoto RGB.

My DX Nikon has a choice of AdobeRGB or sRGB and I think my FX also, as well as my FUJI X-Pro2.

IMHO the advice is better stated thus:
1- Shoot in RAW and
2- Stick with AdobeRGB _IF (and only if) You can_.
2a - Archive your original.
2b - Always work on a copy, never, ever, work on your only original!
3 - Dont convert to sRGB until your pen-ultimate processing step.
4 - your ultimate step is sharpening for your intended output.

Yes it's a swamp of opinion and mis-conception.

It's okay for me that Fish suggested it. It's one of the options available in Camera RAW although I've never used it before. I want to expand my knowledge when it comes to editing so I will learn more about it. Thanks for your suggestions, too, Chucktin. :)
 

Horoscope Fish

Senior Member
I don't understand why you're mentionong ProPhoto RGB.

My DX Nikon has a choice of AdobeRGB or sRGB and I think my FX also, as well as my FUJI X-Pro2.
I mention ProPhoto because raw files have no color-gamut. Part of the raw conversion process is the assigning of a specific color-gamut to the image file (the .TIFF, .PNG, .JPG what have you). It may be the user who chooses a particular gamut, or the software may assign the color gamut by default, but a color space IS assigned during the conversion process. Remember: raw files are NOT actual images, they're data files used to create images. It's the raw converter that uses the (raw) data and creates an image from it.

The ability to use sRGB or Adobe RGB in-camera only applies only to JPG's; because JPG's are image files and image files must have a color gamut assigned to them. Now raw files do have a tiny .jpg embedded in them and that file does need a color gamut assigned to it which the camera does based on the menu option you've chosen, just as it does to every other .JPG you camera creates. But again, that setting has no bearing on raw files. Zero effect.

For long time I shot raw, processed in ProPhoto and saved a full resolution .TIFF as my archived, finished product. Only if I needed to print or publish to the web would I convert (downgrade) the (ProPhoto gamut) .TIFF to a .JPG using sRGB. My thinking was, and still is, it's easy to downgrade from a wider gamut like ProPhoto, to a lesser gamut like Adobe RGB or sRGB, but you can't "up-convert" an image file with lesser gamut back to a wider gamut.

Fun Fact: If you're opening your camera's raw files using Lightroom, you're processing in ProPhoto RGB. Lightroom does not give you the option to modify the color gamut (at least not to my knowledge (someone please correct me if I'm wrong on this...)) but Adobe Camera Raw does. See the screenshot in hark's opening post. See all those options listed under the drop-down menu option, "Color Space"? Each of those is a different color-gamut she could process her raw files with if she so chose. I can only assume from that list she's also a fan of Canon printers. :) NTTAWWT.
 
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hark

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Thank you again for the detailed explanation [MENTION=13090]Horoscope Fish[/MENTION] - I need to wrap my head around all of the differences between color space.

See the screenshot in hark's opening post. See all those options listed under the drop-down menu option, "Color Space"? Each of those is a different color-gamut she could process her raw files with if she so chose. I can only assume from that list she's also a fan of Canon printers. :) NTTAWWT.

Lol--there wasn't any way to keep those from showing up! :beguiled: And even though I no longer have one of the Canon printers, I never went in and deleted the profiles. Thanks again for the helpful information.
 

Dawg Pics

Senior Member
Color space, etc makes my head spin like Regan MacNeil after the priest showed up for a visit. Then I start swearing like her too.
 
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