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sRGB

The standard color space for web and most consumer devices. If you're unsure which color space to use, sRGB is the safest choice.

  • Best for: Web display, social media, consumer prints
  • Gamut: Smaller, but universally supported
  • When to use: Online sharing, standard photo printing, most monitors

Adobe RGB

A wider color space that can represent more colors, especially greens and cyans. Commonly used in professional photography.

  • Best for: Professional printing, fine art reproduction
  • Gamut: ~35% larger than sRGB
  • When to use: High-end inkjet printing, offset printing, when you need vivid greens
  • Caution: Convert to sRGB before sharing online, or colors may look dull

ProPhoto RGB

An extremely wide color space used in professional workflows. Contains colors that cannot be printed or displayed.

  • Best for: Raw processing, archival, maximum flexibility
  • Gamut: Very large, exceeds human vision in some areas
  • When to use: Only for editing, always convert before output
  • Caution: Always use 16-bit to avoid banding

CMYK

The color space used for commercial printing. Uses Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black inks.

  • Best for: Offset printing, commercial print jobs
  • Gamut: Smaller than sRGB in some areas, especially bright colors
  • When to use: Print shops often require CMYK files
  • Note: Let the print shop handle conversion if possible

Recommendations

For Home/Photo Lab Printing

  • Work in sRGB or Adobe RGB
  • Embed the color profile in your file
  • Use JPEG or TIFF format
  • Most photo labs expect sRGB

For Professional Inkjet Printing

  • Adobe RGB captures more printable colors
  • Use the printer's ICC profile for soft proofing
  • Let the printer driver handle color management
  • Consider ProPhoto RGB for maximum flexibility during editing

For Web/Screen Display

  • Always convert to sRGB before uploading
  • Embed the sRGB profile or use "Convert to sRGB"
  • Most browsers assume sRGB if no profile is embedded

General Tips

  • Always embed color profiles in your files
  • Calibrate your monitor for accurate colors
  • Soft proof before printing to preview color shifts
  • Keep master files in a wide color space, convert on export