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October 31, 2007
Question

Photoshop CS3 color management "Save for Web" problem

  • October 31, 2007
  • 680 replies
  • 62138 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 2, 2007
    Free revolver with every upgrade.
    Participating Frequently
    November 2, 2007
    I second that. I for one am just trying to get to the bottom of this... something unusual is definitely going on... regardless of so-called expert testimony, my PS CS3 is misbehaving quite badly. Simply stating that 1+2=3 doesn't cut it, it's not that simple... I wish it was.

    Even with some bumps along the road, I am grateful for all the comments and suggestions. I have learned a lot about photoshop color management, most of which I had taken for granted until now. Ignorance was definitely bliss!
    Participating Frequently
    November 2, 2007
    What version Photoshop?
    How did you build your monitor profile?

    Tests:

    Edit> Convert to Profile: sRGB IEC1966-2.1

    Then

    File> Save for Web JPEG (Optimized tab), Uncheck ICC Profile (do not embed a profile) -- do you see the shift here, how is it shifting?

    If it is getting lighter, Calibrate monitor to 2.2 gamma, 6500/D65 (and retest).
    This should fix the lightness problem.

    If monitor is already profiled to 2.2/6500 and a shift persists:

    Reopen file
    Edit> Convert to Profile: sRGB IEC1966-2.1
    View> Proof Setup: Monitor RGB -- do you see the shift here, how is it shifting?

    If it shifts here more than slightly (black should remain black), either the monitor profile is bad, the settings are bad or corrupted.

    Next: create a NEW USER account and run your test without dinking around with your settings. What happens?
    Participant
    November 2, 2007
    Dirk,

    I ran CS3 for about a week on Tiger and I didn't notice a difference.
    But I didn't do any web work in this span of time.

    Thanks
    November 2, 2007

    "I first noticed this when I upgraded to CS3 and OSX Leopard from OSX Tiger and CS2."

    Were you first running CS3 on Tiger for a while and were you having the problem?

    Ramón G Castañeda
    Inspiring
    November 2, 2007
    >Is there anyway that we could get an Adobe developer to look into this and give us a straight answer?

    You need to contact Adobe. In these user to user forum we are all users just like you.


    >Where do we go to get solid educated answers?

    Use the contact button (link) at the top of this page.
    Participant
    November 2, 2007
    Hello all,

    I am experiencing the exact same problem as Peter Mars.
    I can not figure this out this problem what so ever at all.
    I consider my self pretty advanced in Using adobe products too.

    System info: G5 PowerMac - 20" Cinema Display - OSX Leopard - Adobe CS3

    Below is a link to what I am seeing on my end (left image is "save for web & devices" right image is "Photoshop CS3").
    http://www.platinummarketinginc.com/clientaccess/1/1.jpg

    I first noticed this when I upgraded to CS3 and OSX Leopard from OSX Tiger and CS2.

    Is this an Adobe programming problem?
    Is there anyway that we could get an Adobe developer to look into this and give us a straight answer?
    Where do we go to get solid educated answers?
    I have a few websites on deck and I'm dead in the water.

    Anything would be greatly appreciated, Ryan
    November 2, 2007
    My head is absolutely spinning from this. I have tried to follow some of the instructions on g ballards website as posted way back in posting #2. I followed the recommendation for testing for a bad monitor profile, by choosing Apple RGB in Display Preferences, restarting, and looking at things in Photoshop. After doing that, I took an Adobe RGB tagged image, went to SFW and with a 2-up window setup showing "original" and "JPG" with convert to sRGB turned on, I saw three different colour appearances...the actual image window, the "original" pane, and the "JPG" pane, all different looking. Time for a well placed swear word.

    I am still confused about how Photoshop uses System Preferences monitor profiles. I would think that the monitor profile translates colours from all display elements into a target space, and that Photoshop's own built in Colour Management is independent of that, i.e. Photoshop renders it's colours via whatever options we have selected, and then the end product is additionally converted to display darker, redder, whatever it is we've shifted by selecting a preset or custom calibrated System Preferences monitor profile.

    Another thing to add to this rambling posting is that when I am selecting System Preferences monitor profiles and seeing the colours change on the fly as I click on different profiles...well as soon as I actually close the preferences window, the Photoshop image colours then shift again, quite dramatically, suggesting to me that PS is in fact making it's own alterations based on the System Preferences monitor profile.

    I hope like heck that somebody understands what I'm explaining, even if they don't have the answers.
    November 2, 2007
    Dell 2407WFP, Spider2 Pro, Mac Pro
    November 2, 2007
    Just to put this question out there...of the people who are having this issue, what kind of monitor are you using, and have you used calibration software (eg. Spyder, Huey, etc.)?