32 bit support functionality

Forum|Forum|4 years ago
November 2, 2021
3 replies
1983 views

Is there any reason why 32bit currently does not support all photoshop functionality after all these years of it being around?

Correct answer davescm

I think Brecht was referring to 32 bit/channel bit depth rather than OS or Application support.

Brecht - It probably stems from many of the core features in Photoshop being originally written for 8 bit. 16 bit in Photoshop is actually 15 bits+1 so does not use the full 16 bit/channel capability. For image purposes it makes no difference but for things like height maps it does. But even in 16 bit some filters go AWOL.

As for 32 bit floating, I would suggest you add a feature request stating what functionality you would want to see. All functionality would not be required as 32 bit is really still a specialist mode for HDR and some 3D rendering. There is not a monitor made that can display it (the better monitors currently work in 10 bits/channel) and so working with 32 bit is always a compromise with only parts of the dynamic range visible.

Dave

B

Boka2112

Inspiring

Yeah, we can't even invert an image if it is 32 bit. Photoshop has become a joke.

davescm

Community Expert

'we can't even invert an image if it is 32 bit'

Of course you can, just use a curve.

Dave

hollowgrm

Participant

Thanks for this tip!
But still, you need to find a lot of workaround to compensate the very basic missing features.

davescm

Correct answer

Community Expert

I think Brecht was referring to 32 bit/channel bit depth rather than OS or Application support.

Brecht - It probably stems from many of the core features in Photoshop being originally written for 8 bit. 16 bit in Photoshop is actually 15 bits+1 so does not use the full 16 bit/channel capability. For image purposes it makes no difference but for things like height maps it does. But even in 16 bit some filters go AWOL.

As for 32 bit floating, I would suggest you add a feature request stating what functionality you would want to see. All functionality would not be required as 32 bit is really still a specialist mode for HDR and some 3D rendering. There is not a monitor made that can display it (the better monitors currently work in 10 bits/channel) and so working with 32 bit is always a compromise with only parts of the dynamic range visible.

Dave

B

Brecht CorbeelAuthor

Inspiring

Well since I am working in sizes of about 20.000 px x 6500 px would zooming in and out not not compensate for the 10 bit screens since I would make more of the bit depth visible by zoomin in on it? I am mainly lacking the layer functionality almost none of them work in 32 Bit but the dynamic range makes everything look fenomenal.

davescm

Community Expert

Bit depth has absolutely nothing to do with pixel size of the image. Zooming in and out does not change the bit depth of the image*

Bit depth describes how many levels are used for each colour within each pixel. So 8 bit there are 256 levels of Red, 256 of Green and 256 of Blue. For 16 bit there are 65536 of Red, 65536 of Green and 65536 of Blue. (Actually in Photoshop there are 32769 levels of each). Both 8 bit and 16 bit use the same black and white points (defined by the colour profile) so 16 bits splits the same span into smaller steps.

For 32 bit floating point there are 3.4 x 10 to the power of 38 levels each. In addition the 32 bit linear gamma image has a black and white point that is beyond that displayed on the screen, so you are only ever looking at part of the range in the on screen preview. The dynamic range in a 32 bit image far exceeds anything that can be seen on your screen.

Most screens use 8 bits (some 6+dither) giving 256 levels per colour channel. Higher end screens use 10 bit giving 1024 levels per colour.

* Actually when zoomed out to less than 66.7%, Photoshop previews all images in 8 bits/channel. That is for drawing speed not a limitation of the image or function of the screen.

Dave