As you know, sRGB is a standard color space, but many color spaces have been introduced, and many of them are much more advanced than sRGB.
So, many photo editors or photographers search to answer the question, “Is sRGB good for photo editing”?
However, you will get the answer to the question, but also we will tell you about in what conditions you should use sRGB for photo editing and the exceptions.
Before starting, I don’t say it isn’t good, but it’s not that good, like AdobeRGB for photo editing. But still, there are many advantages of sRGB that AdobeRGB doesn’t have.
Let’s look at sRGB first!
What is sRGB?
In 1996, HP and Microsoft developed the sRGB color space for digital systems. Computer devices and cameras usually use it as the default setting. Digital screens also use sRGB as the default color space. Digital monitors can display more color than Adobe RGB, which can only display 97% of the colors in the SRGB space. Compared to AdobeRGB, only 76% of colors are visible.
Depending on the digital screen, some colors may appear different if you display the photo stored in AdobeRGB color space.
The sRGB palette must be combined with the Adobe RGB palette to create one of the colors. It is probably not a duplicate, even if you get an exact match. Colors may appear similar, but they aren’t the same. Though this example is straightforward, it illustrates the difference between colors in terms of color space.
As opposed to AdobeRGB, sRGB colors have less dynamic range. sRGB, on the other hand, will ensure that photos look identical on any device. This option has the advantage that the colors are consistent, no matter where the photos are viewed, they will always appear the same.
sRGB and Photo Editing: Why Should You Choose sRGB?
Use for general purposes
sRGB is the safest option most of the time. Even though sRGB is not the world’s most significant color space and is not ideal for high-quality imaging applications, you will not be able to find any devices or apps that support sRGB. Keep files in their original location.
Sharing photos on the Internet after editing
For displaying photos on the web, sRGB has become a deficient standard. You should do this if you plan on posting your photos on the web.
If you plan to see or share photos online, you can send photos via email to your friends. Upload photos in sRGB to social media sites like Facebook and Instagram – photos on these sites are hard to like without complicating them.
In recent years, Adobe RGB has become more acceptable as a choice. But, browsers do not understand Adobe RGB color space well, so photos appear flat, dull, and unsaturated.
It is no longer valid in most cases. Adobe RGB is perfectly compatible with modern browsers, but there is a chance that your viewers are using devices or apps that do not know how to use Adobe RGB. And ICC support for browsers is inconsistent. In some circumstances, however, Adobe RGB may be a better choice.
I can make them available to other people for publication by downloading and licensing my photos. For instance, I often upload my photos to online galleries using Adobe RGB. In general, however, I use sRGB or leave out the color profile altogether for social media and web content.
You may need to remove the color space information in some cases. A web photo should be stripped of unnecessary metadata and minimized as much as possible since photos for the web should be as large as possible. A photo file that doesn’t contain an embedded ICC profile is usually treated as if it were sRGB in online applications.
Photos delivery to clients after editing
You should send your photos in sRGB to prevent clients from complaining that their photos are flat, dull, and washed out. If you are serving a client who is an imaging professional, then proceed to the next section.
Editing photos for printing
You can find a suggestion of which color space you need to include on Better Print Labs’ website.
When designing, it is recommended that you stick to one of the most widely used color spaces, such as Adobe RGB or sRGB. The advanced imaging tools and software they use should be able to translate any color space contained in the file even if their equipment does not cover all aspects of the color space. The test did not reproduce, but I may be at risk until a specific lab is available.
In many print labs, sRGB is secure, but the fancy printers they may use may not be capable of maximizing their capabilities if you use sRGB. Whenever I can, I prefer Adobe RGB, which is still secure but has greater abilities than sRGB. I’ve tested results at a few specialist labs, but I usually stick with Adobe RGB.
When sending photos to the print lab, always include an ICC profile. Most lab software will view your submitted photos as sRGB if you don’t embed the ICC profile. There is a possibility that you will experience unexpected color changes and conflicting results if this is incorrect.
It is also important to note that your photo has been saved correctly as RGB, not as CMYK.
sRGB vs Adobe RGB
If you deal with a broad range of colors, AdobeRGB seems to be better. Our world is becoming increasingly digital, so we should not forget that. The chances of your photos being viewed and used online are more significant than in print. SRGB is usually the preferred color space when displaying and selling photos online.
If the publisher or client plans to print a photo, they will likely use color correction to give their product the desired output, regardless of what color space the picture is in.
It will ultimately be your decision whether to use sRGB or AdobeRGB. If the audience is in print or on-screen, that will depend on the context of your work and how they will view your photographs. Read More detailed comparison guide between sRGB vs Adobe RGB
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the best time to use sRGB mode?
With monitors that cover a wide range of colors, particularly ones with a large sRGB or DCI-P3 (approx. 135% sRGB) range of colors, an sRGB mode is essential due to the saturation.
Is Adobe RGB or sRGB better for editing photos?
The sRGB format produces better results with the same, or brighter, color. There is a reason why colors do not match between monitors and printed material when Adobe RGB is used. The default color space around the world is sRGB. It makes everything look great anywhere and anytime.
Is it necessary to edit photos in 100% sRGB?
As with all computer standards, sRGB will change over time since it is not very dynamic, but if you have a computer display calibrated to 100% sRGB, you will see exactly what others see on their computers. No matter how bad your display is, you can still edit photos.
When editing video, is sRGB a good choice?
There is no doubt that Adobe RGB is theoretically more efficient than CMYK; however, that does not mean that you should use it. The colors of Adobe RGB (shot, edited, and viewed correctly) will be more diverse than sRGB. SRGB is still sufficient for most purposes.
How does HDR compare to sRGB?
Compared to sRGB, HDR offers a broader range of colors. Due to color management being unfamiliar to most applications, both cannot be kept. You may be able to access the entire local aspect of your display or limit it to a specific color space, depending on your setup.
Conclusions
Overall, sRGB is a standard and widely used color space. So, if you upload your edited photos mainly on the Internet, use sRGB.
Also, you should use sRGB if you want to send your edited photos for checking or as a sample because the labs use AdobeRGB. Their quality will change immediately once converted to AdobeRGB.