Changing from icc version 2 to 4, will it Physically affect my image?

Question

Hi I use a colormunki colormoiter and it was recently recommend that I change my icc profile version from 4 to 2. This was because I was finding inconsistencies between my calibrations. However I was simply interested to know if now using my images in photoshop and camera raw (now in version 2,) does this physically affect my images in any way. Or is this different (process version) simply the way in which my screen profile is displaying my image across to me.

Furthermore if I was to take two identical images however open one up in version 2 and the other in 4, although on my screen they may appear slightly different. If I was to print them both, they are in fact identical since I have made no physical changes to the images. I just wanted to ask wether what I am saying is right, or wether suddenly working in v2 will have physical effects on my images that were previously edited in v4? Many Thanks for your help

JohanElzenga · Accepted Answer

The icc-profiles you are talking about (the ones created by ColorMunki) are display profiles. You should only use display profiles for your displays, not for your images. So changing from version 4 to version 2 (which is indeed a good idea) does not change your images physically. If you use the color profiles for your images, that is. Use sRGB, AdobeRGB or ProPhotoRGB.

D Fosse · Answer

That's right. This is in fact a fairly common misunderstanding, so it should be very clear.

Display profile and document profile are two different things, serving two entirely different purposes. Do not confuse them!

Display profiles are set at system level, where color managed applications request them from the OS. This happens without any user intervention. In short: run your calibration software and then don't do anything. It's all taken care of.

As for v2 versus v4, the problem is that v4 is still not universally supported. There is nothing "missing" from the v2 specification, so there is no particular reason to switch to v4. All downside and no real upside.

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