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Participating Frequently
October 31, 2007
Question

Photoshop CS3 color management "Save for Web" problem

  • October 31, 2007
  • 680 replies
  • 62091 views
This problem is getting the best of me.......

After spending 3 full days researching this problem, I am no closer to finding an answer than when I started. I still cannot produce a usable image through the "Save for Web" feature of Photoshop CS3. I have read web page after web page of "Tips, Tricks and Recommendations" from dozens of experts, some from this forum, and still I have no solution... I am exhausted and frustrated to say the least. Here's the simple facts that I know at this point.

I have a web design project that was started in PS CS1. All artwork was created in photoshop and exported to JPG format by using "Save for Web". Every image displays correctly in these browsers (Safari, Camino, FireFox and even Internet Explorer on a PC).

I have recently upgraded to PS CS3 and now cannot get any newly JPG'd image to display correctly. My original settings in CS1 were of no concern to me at the time, because it always just worked, and so I do not know what they were. I have opened a few of my previous images in CS3 and found that sRGB-2.1 displays them more or less accurately. I am using sRGB 2.1 working space. Upon openning these previous image files, I get the "Missing Profile" message and of course I select "Leave as is. Do Not color manage". CS3 assumes sRGB-2.1 working space, opens the file, and all is well.

The problem is when I go to "Save for Web", the saturation goes up, and the colors change. The opposite of what most people are reporting. Here's another important point... new artwork created in CS3 does exactly the same thing, so it's not because of the older CS1 files.

I have tried every combination of "uncompensated color", "Convert to sRGB", "ICC Profile", etc. while saving. I have Converted to sRGB before saving, and my monitor is calibrated correctly.
I have tried setting the "Save for Web" page on 2-up and the "original" on the left is already color shifted before I even hit the "Save" button. Of course, the "Optimized" image on the right looks perfect because I am cheating by selecting the "Use Document Color Profile" item. Why do they even have this feature if doesn't work, or misleads you?

Does anyone have any ideas what could be happening here? Why is this all so screwed up?
CS1 worked fine out of the box.

Final note: I do have an image file I could send along that demonstrates how it is possible to display an image exactly the same in all 4 of the browsers I mentioned with no color differences. It is untagged RGB and somehow it just works.

I am very frustrated with all of this and any suggestions will be appreciated

Thanks,
Pete
    This topic has been closed for replies.

    680 replies

    Participating Frequently
    November 29, 2007
    pfigen at keyway dot net
    Participating Frequently
    November 29, 2007
    Not seeing the email on my end. Which one did you send it to?
    Participating Frequently
    November 29, 2007
    I'm gonna guess that it's fairly close to AdobeRGB, but green may be off slightly because images appear to be just a bit too saturated in green areas.
    Participating Frequently
    November 29, 2007
    Profile sent... thanks a lot!
    Participating Frequently
    November 29, 2007
    The ColorSync Utility is kinda rudimentary compared to ColorThink, but it's free with OSX. If you can email the Dell monitor profile you made, I'll post a comparison from ColorThink. Click on my name to find the email.
    Participating Frequently
    November 29, 2007
    OK, I will do it... sounds great! Please explain a bit more about what you need and where I can find it.
    Participating Frequently
    November 29, 2007
    Compare gamut maps in the ColorSync Utility or preferably ColorThink, if you have it. If you email me your Dell profile, I'll pull it up in ColorThink and post a jpeg comparing that gamut to sRGB, Adobe RGB, etc.
    Participating Frequently
    November 29, 2007
    Is there a test to determine Monitor as AdobeRGB ?

    This would explain why untagged sRGB images get mapped to an oversaturated look... no?

    sRGB mapped to AdobeRGB (MonitorRGB) produces oversaturated color right?
    Participating Frequently
    November 28, 2007
    >I very much doubt that Dell has managed to achieve Adobe RGB

    My only proof, or indication that AdobeRGB may in fact be what the monitor is displaying is that when I rollover the gballard.net adobeRGB image test, I see virtually no change in color or saturation whatsoever. So minimum is the change that I could not honestly say whether it is more or less saturated. The sRGB rollover test causes a huge shift however, and Apple RGB cause a substantial shift as well.

    I assumed that this means the monitor is displaying AdobeRGB natively. I also know that dpreview forums refer to this monitor as a "wide gamut" monitor.
    Participating Frequently
    November 28, 2007
    You get a color boost because, the specific recipe of pixel values in sRGB represents a more saturated color in Adobe RGB. Same numbers, different color. That's why it's so important to know what the context of the numbers is - what profile is the right one that describes THAT color space.