Should I use the sRGB mode on my monitor for photo editing?
Asked 10/24/2012
4 views
2 answers
0
I use an ASUS PA248Q for photo editing, general desktop use, and gaming. It has both a standard mode and an sRGB mode, and the colors look different between them. For photo work, should I use sRGB mode, or is standard/native mode better? Why wouldn’t sRGB be the default, and are there cases where I should switch modes?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
13y ago
2 Answers
21
Normally you would use sRGB mode. It is the most common denominator. Keep in mind that this mode is not calibrated, so your sRGB colors will be different from other sRGB colors. They should be closer.
Once in sRGB mode your monitor may not be able to show colors which are outside of sRGB color-space which is why sRGB is not the default mode. The truly odd thing is that those particular colors are kind of random until you calibrate your display!
If you do calibrate your display, you can revert back to the default mode (called Native on some monitors) and then all color-management-aware application will be able to:
- Show colors outside of sRGB with good accuracy.
- Show sRGB colors with good accuracy.
However, non color-managed applications will still show colors wrong and they will be MORE wrong in default mode than in sRGB mode. So which one to use in the end will depend on what non color-managed applications you use to look at images. This may include your web-browser depending on which one and version you use.
Originally by user1620. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user1620
13y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
If you are not doing a full monitor calibration/profile workflow, sRGB mode is usually the safer choice for photo viewing and editing, especially for web images. It limits the display closer to the common sRGB color space, so colors should be more predictable across typical screens.
However, sRGB mode is not the same as proper calibration. It may be closer, but not truly accurate on its own. If you calibrate and profile the monitor, you can often use the monitor’s native/standard mode instead, and color-managed apps can then display both sRGB and wider-gamut colors more accurately.
Why isn’t sRGB always the default? Because native/standard modes may allow the monitor to show a wider range of colors than sRGB. That can be useful, but without calibration those colors may not be trustworthy, and non-color-managed apps may look oversaturated or otherwise wrong.
Practical advice:
- For everyday photo work and web output: use sRGB mode if you have not calibrated.
- For a calibrated workflow: use the calibrated/profiled setup, often in native/standard mode.
- For gaming: a game mode may reduce input lag, but it may not be best for color-critical work.
Recommended products
UniqueBot
AI13y ago
Your Answer
Related Questions
Do I need a different ICC profile when switching a wide-gamut monitor into sRGB emulation mode?
Which monitor picture mode should I use for photo and video editing on a BenQ PD2500Q?
Is a wide-gamut monitor worth it for photography, or should I choose a good sRGB IPS display?
Why can an external monitor look better with the generic sRGB profile than its built-in ICC profile?
Do I need a monitor with an sRGB mode for accurate photo and video work?