Converting Linear images to sRGB

Question

Let me start by saying I struggle to understand color profiling and such so this question may seem obvious to some of the more enlightend amongst you.

I am processing 3D renders that are coming to me as 16-bit TIFFs in Linear Color Space. When I assign sRGB to the images they get very dark.

For confidentiality reasons I cannot sure much more of the image I am afraid.

Is there a method to assign/convert to sRGB without this dramatic color shift?

D Fosse · Accepted Answer

Is there an embedded icc profile in the file now? If there is, convert to sRGB. That remaps the tone curve and there won't be any visual change.

If there isn't, this is getting a bit more tricky. Then you first need to find a linear gamma profile with the right primaries and white point, and assign that. Then you can convert to sRGB.

I've never had any use for linear profiles, so I don't know where you'd find that.

What does it say here:

NB, colourmanagement · Answer

If the file IS displaying correctly in PS, then I guess it can't be untagged (because untagged files are displayed as if in the default working colour space as per color settings, probably sRGB or Adobe RGB? please check that)

- I am guessing that a correct profile must be already assigned or current appearance would be wrong

1: your issue is that you are assigning sRGB I think.

D Fosse is correct, you need to convert from a suitable document profile to sRGB.

Assigning an alternative ICC profile simply leaves the data unchanged but re-labels the image and the [now embedded] profile is then used in any outgoing conversion - e.g. as a source for display - assigning almost inevitably leads to changes to appearance.

SO you need to convert to the desired colour space.

FROM a profile that suits the data

As D Fosse asked, what's showing in "document profile", that’s where we see the embedded profile?

If its NOT a linear profile then maybe you can set the image origination app to embed an ICC profile?

Otherwise, if you can't get a hold of a linear ICC profile to match the image production environment, then maybe convert to sRGB and apply a curve, that should be straightforward.

I hope this helps
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

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