Why do sRGB JPEGs look oversaturated in non-color-managed programs on a wide-gamut monitor?
Asked 1/10/2017
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2 answers
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I edit in Lightroom and Photoshop using ProPhoto RGB and use a calibrated wide-gamut display set to D65. When I export images as JPEGs converted to sRGB, they look correct in color-managed applications, but in non-color-managed programs they appear more contrasty and oversaturated.
Isn’t exporting to sRGB supposed to make JPEGs display correctly in most programs? Shouldn’t non-color-managed software assume sRGB and show them properly? Or is this happening because I’m using a wide-gamut monitor, even though it’s calibrated?
Originally by Photography Stack Exchange contributor. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
Photography Stack Exchange contributor
9y ago
2 Answers
3
Your non color managed applications can't communicate with the OS to understand the mapping from sRGB ( which they assume ) to the display ( which uses a wide gammut - probably not sRGB ).
sRGB does not guarantee the display calibration matches sRGB, it's just the default color space assumed by your application.
To put it another way, application and display are talking a different language.
The problem is not that sRGB isn't doing it's job, it's that your display is not sRGB.
Originally by user46861. Source · Licensed CC BY-SA 4.0
user46861
9y ago
0
Generated from our catalog & community — verify before relying on it.
Yes — this is mainly because you’re viewing sRGB files on a wide-gamut monitor in software that is not color managed.
Exporting to sRGB only defines the image’s color space. It does not force your display to behave like sRGB. A color-managed app reads the image profile, converts those colors correctly for your monitor, and displays the image properly.
A non-color-managed app usually just sends the image’s RGB numbers straight to the display without converting them for the monitor’s gamut. On a wide-gamut display, that makes sRGB colors appear too saturated and sometimes higher in contrast.
So:
- sRGB export is correct and useful
- your calibration does not make every app color managed
- the problem is the non-color-managed software, not Lightroom/Photoshop
In short: sRGB helps compatibility, but accurate display on a wide-gamut monitor still requires color-managed viewing software.
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