Colour space for EOS cameras and Lightroom

[BeaglePup]

I hope I'm in the right place here. There have been several mentions in the magazine recently saying, quite categorically, that we should set the camera colour space to sRGB - for most amateurs anyway. This conflicts with all the advice which I've read from the gurus who insist on Adobe RGB. And Lightroom uses ProPhoto RGB and recommends it.
I'm confused! Help!
Using a 7D, iMac, Lightroom and a Canon iP7250 printer should everything be set to sRGB to get the best results?

[ST-EOS]

Re: Colour space for EOS cameras and Lightroom

For me the only time I use sRGB is for an image to be posted on the internet. From memory sRGB is the de-facto standard for web images. I have my cameras set to shoot RAW using Adobe RGB. But the image that you see on the camera rear screen is in sRGB. Lightroom uses a version of ProPhoto RGB which I seem to remember is called Melissa.
I can understand your confusing but I would set your camera to shoot RAW and in Adobe RGB. Hopefully someone will come along and contribute to this.

[Robert Scott]

Re: Colour space for EOS cameras and Lightroom

RAW files have no colour space, so it does not matter whether sRGB or Adobe RGB is set on the camera when you shoot RAW files. The colour space is applied when you process and save the image. It is perfectly possible to save two images from the same file, one with sRGB and the other with Adobe RGB (other colour spaces are also available).

Adobe RGB has a wider colour gamut than sRGB - it can handle a greater number of colours. However, you only see the benefits when the system(s) you are using can handle this.

My advice has always been that if you do not know which colour space to use, choose sRGB. This is the best setting for posting photographs on the web and works for most printing. We prefer sRGB images for publishing in EOS magazine.

Adobe RGB comes into its own where colour matching is critical. If you are shooting clothes for a fashion catalogue, showing accurate colours is important because a customer may well compare the photograph with the original. Also, when photographing paintings for an exhibition catalogue the original and the printed image need to match.

If you are printing images at home, create sRGB and Adobe RGB images (see above) and see which you prefer - much might depend on the make and model of your printer and how many colour inks it uses. If you are sending images off to a commercial printer, talk to them in advance to see which colour space they can work with.

[colin C]

Re: Colour space for EOS cameras and Lightroom

I am with Robert on this one.

Many moons ago I was advised by an "expert" to use Adobe RGB owing to its wider colour gamut. Great if you are using a pro printer, but my work suddenly lost "Sparkle" and on careful observation, had a very light grey cast. This was a case where theory and accepted practice were at variance and I changed my colour space back to sRGB and OK images had recovered their wow.

I have everything set to sRGB now and if there ever is a need for Adobe RGB, it's easy enough to generate from the original RAW file.