Photoshop and Display

[leosantare]

• Hello,

Can someone please explain to me what actually happens when you use photoshop with Windows set to 1920x1080 on a display with a 3840x2160 native resolution? For example, is the image quality reduced when running in 1920x1080? If so, I can't really notice a difference with the image quality. I see the UI is much different. Then again, I really have no way to compare the two side by side.

I have cs6 and have to run it with Windows set to 1920x1080 due to the UI. Would the actual image quality be better in photoshop if I run it with Windows in 3840x2160?

I have a 75" display and in 4k, that 59ppi. I heard someone say cs6 was designed for 96ppi. Since my display is less than that,(59ppi) should there be any issue? For example, I understand its only an issue when the display has a higher ppi than 96.

Bottom line, I was thinking about getting a professional cameras but there is no point if using cs6 in 1920x1080 on a 4k display reduces the quality. 

Please do NOT mention upgrading ps to a subscription. I would never do something like that when not operating a business. Actually, even then, I still would not do it.

Again, I'm just trying to understand to see if it makes sense to buy a camera.

Thank you!

[D Fosse]

Yes.

You're dumbing down your expensive 4K monitor to a standard HD monitor. It will now use four screen pixels to display one image pixel.

Photoshop isn't "designed" for any particular screen resolution. One image pixel is always represented by exactly one physical screen pixel - as long as you run the display at native resolution in the OS.

The 4K/retina support added in Photoshop from 2014 never did anything to the image - after all, you want to exploit that higher screen resolution. 4K support is only about scaling up the UI so you can read it.

[leosantare]

Okay, so the best option is to use cs6 with windows set to 1920x1080? When doing this, it wouldn't make sense to buy a professonal camera, correct?

Thank you,

[D Fosse]

Again: as far as the image goes, it doesn't matter whether you use Photoshop CS6 or the latest CC version. They display it exactly the same way, on any display.

The difference is only that with CS6, there is no way to scale up the interface separate from the image window. So on a 4K display, where everything is smaller because of the higher screen pixel density, the icons and menus can be impossible to read. 

That's why you need to compensate by settting the display to half the resolution in Windows, effectively turning the 4K screen back into a standard HD screen. It doesn't reduce the quality as such - it's just a lot of wasted money; you could just as well have bought a standard display at half the price.

The camera you use is unrelated to this. It's just a question of how big a slice of the image you can see at native resolution. It's often important in Photoshop to view at 100% to properly assess sharpness and noise, and get reliable adjustment previews. With a high resolution screen, 100% will display a bigger slice of the full image.

[leosantare]

The camera you use is unrelated to this. It's just a question of how big a slice of the image you can see at native resolution. It's often important in Photoshop to view at 100% to properly assess sharpness and noise, and get reliable adjustment previews. With a high resolution screen, 100% will display a bigger slice of the full image.

The camera I use is very much related. I don't want to spend $4k on a camera if it doesn't make any sense to. Would you buy a $4k camera if you had to use CS6@1920x1080 on a 3840x2160 display?

Also, I use my display for other purposes like gaming for example. Therefore, I didn't waste any money. Everything works great except for Adobe.

[Trevor.Dennis]

Yes.

You're dumbing down your expensive 4K monitor to a standard HD monitor.

By @D Fosse

Dag, I can kind of identify with this.  When I replaced my faulted 2K Benq main screen with a 30"4K Asus Pro Art display I ran into trouble because Windows wouldn't let me scale my three (sometimes four) screens independantly.  I ultimately had to compromise setting Windows scaling to 125%, and the Pro Art to 2K resolution.  It broke my heart to do this, but my eyesight is not great, and I couldn't see to work .

It also stuffed up my custom workspaces and the Actions that set them, and I now have three versions of my main workspace!  I guess I should at least store the currently unused workspaces in a different folder, or give them a different extension.

[leosantare]

Hello,

I know this topic has been discussed in the past but I'm looking for a bit more information. I've had PS CS6 for for about 8 years now and recently got a 75" display with a native resolution of 3840x2160. As most know, there is an major issue with the UI being too small when running in 3840x2160. My display has 59ppi, and I heard that CS6 was made for 96ppi. I understand that there should not be an issue if the displays ppi is under 96ppi. Which in my case it is.

I just want to confirm a few things. Is running CS6 in 1920x1080 my best option? I know there are a lot of scaling methods out there and maybe that is a better option. Whatever my best option is, does it make sense for me to get a professional camera? I have been of the fence about getting a camera for several years now. I've always wanted one but with the CS6 display issue, it might not make any sense. For example, I was looking at the Canon EOS R5.

PLEASE DO NOT MENTION UPGRAGING TO A SUBSCRIPTION! THIS IS NOT AN OPTION AND NEVER WILL BE! I WOULD NEVER DO THAT EVEN IF I WAS DONG PHOTOGRAPHY AS A BUSINESS, WHICH I'M NOT! 

Thank you,