Participant

Question

Changing colour mode in Photoshop shows no difference?

Forum|Forum|3 years ago
December 13, 2022
5 replies
1355 views

Hi everyone!

Having an issue in Photoshop. I need to convert a graphic from RGB to CMYK to see how it'll look when printed.

Unfortunately, when I go Image > Mode and select to convert to CMYK, the image looks no different.

Originally I thought it might be something to do with this image in particular, but I've tested it on a range and none of them look any different. Not sure if I have a strange setting accidentally selected somewhere? Any help would be MEGA appreciated ❤️

Charlie

This topic has been closed for replies.

L

Lumigraphics

Legend

Don't assume that there will be a difference. For example, an image that has only black would not change visibly when converted to different color modes (and yes it could look different on a press depending on rich black etc but onscreen it would look the same.)

The easiest test is to add a reference layer with some out of gamut RGB colors and see how that converts. Just delete the layer when done testing.

D Fosse

Community Expert

It all works correctly here.

It takes quite dramatic gamut clipping before it becomes visually obvious, like this:

(for obvious reasons the screenshot is sRGB, but there isn't much clipping from the original Adobe RGB).

Also note that the CMYK profile accounts for max ink, but not the reflectance of the paper. So you'll see the blacks lighten a little, but not as much as in the actual print. To simulate that properly, you need to calibrate your monitor to a visually matching black point, which can be as high as 1.5 cd/m² for offset print.

NB, colourmanagement

Community Expert

Hi D' Fosse "To simulate that properly, you need to calibrate your monitor to a visually matching black point, which can be as high as 1.5 cd/m² for offset print"

would Photoshop's softproof / custom / [choose CMYK colourspace] profile AND check 'simlate black ink' do that too?

I'd think so

neil barstow, colourmanagement net :: adobe forum volunteer:: co-author: 'getting colour right'
google me "neil barstow colourmanagement" for lots of free articles on colour management

D Fosse

Community Expert

Simulate black ink is generic and ballpark. Calibrating black point is precise.

D

Dorin27581909gcb8

Participant

it depends on the quality of your monitor as well. I had an older monitor where there was no visible difference between RGB and CMYK. After switching to a new one with properly color calibration, the things changed

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TheDigitalDog

Inspiring

I can't verify this behavior in the latest version of Photoshop on Mac, I do see the image color change when doing a conversion to CMYK.

You may wish to test this with a color reference image:

http://www.digitaldog.net/files/2014PrinterTestFileFlat.tif.zip

Convert to say SWOP V2 or worse (visually) anything for newsprint. You should see the color change.

If not, we can discuss if this is a GPU or display profile issue.

Author “Color Management for Photographers" & "Photoshop CC Color Management/pluralsight"

Bojan Živković11378569

Community Expert

I can cofirm what OP is experiencing. After converting even to US Newsprint (SNAP 2007) nothing visually changes. I have tried several CMYK profiles with the same result, always. By the way, its not possible to download reference image you posted using Google Chrome.

Update:

Finally downloaded test file using Edge. It actually works with test file. Not sure why it does not work with bright and saturated images I have tested.