1)Does it really matter to print 16 bit or 8 bit is enough for photo?
I know it is better to work in 16 bit when you retouch photo but I am especially interested in print results.
2)I work in photoshop. Print labs sometimes say to work in Cmyk gamut and than convert it to Srgb and send it.
Why does it happen?because as I mentioned they are going to convert it to cmyk color mode. Maybe I am not right. Is it possible to print with another color mode not cmyk.?
3)And last question if I work in Adobe Rgb 16 bit and convert it to smaller color mode cmyk16 bit, does it really matter to have better color result and more colors preserved. Or I can work in Cmyk 16 bit at starting point?
Depends on what you are doing with the photo.
You often cannot place a 16bit image into a layout program.
As for all your CMYK/RGB questions you are really confused.
- If you convert to CMYK you lose color gamut. Once you save that image, you cannot get those colors back. Converting to RGB does absolutely nothing for that image as far as color quality.
- A printer shouldn’t be converting a CMYK image to sRGB. We never use sRGB as a preferred color space because it may as well be CMYK it is so small. The ideal scenario is to have an image in RAW and convert it to ProPhoto RGB, do your work and let the lab do the conversion before printing to their own color profiles. A lot of CMYK machines in wide format or photo-digital have a much wider color gamut than press-CMYK and you will never have the specific profiles a printer may be using. Handoff in ProPhoto or even Adobe RGB 1998 will give you a better result than starting in CMYK. Every time. Again, once an image is saved in CMYK all the outer gamut information is lost forever.
- Yes there is an RGB print process. It is used for photographic images that are still wet-processed. You say you are using a “lab.” That term usually signifies a start in the wet processing era and they may very well still have a Durst Lambda printer or a working Lightjet or Chromira. They expose photopaper using RGB lasers, then they are wet processed like regular photos but in much larger sizes. A Durst Lambda can print 4’ wide x 75’ long (but that would be crazy.) A large lightjet can do a 72" x120" print. They also print on backlit media (generic term = Duratrans) and clear media (generic term=Duraclear.)
But we would never recommend sRGB. Usually Adobe RGB1998 is fine.
- why would you ever save in smaller color mode? Of course it’s better to keep the color preserved.
- But again, it all depends on what you are doing with your photos.
I want to sell digital print files. 18 x 24 inches and smaller sizes. Digital paintings. I will not have raw files. I have to choose color mode and profile. I work in photoshop.
Generally, I want to be sure everyone who buy my digital prints will get maximum results.So it is commercial. I have to choose things to have no headache about it ofcourse,with good results. I want to know print results about what I sell.
So I am doing digital posters.
I have to show pics what I sell and the result must be minimum what they see in my pictures. The problem is I cannot control last result because I cannot give them printed version.
I am trying to use cmyk colors and maximum result in it. So I wanted to know if I can have best result with 16 bit for print. I do not know exactly which printer they will use.
It is raster painting not vector .And here is another problem.I use brushes I bought. 2400 pixel size but.I do not know how they will convert when I open color modes .
You’re selling things for people to print at home?
That’s a whole other ball of wax. Most desktop printers for home use are geared toward the RGB color space because people in general are clueless. They might actually work better with an sRGB file rather than a CMYK one.
What format are you handing off? Because you can’t save a jpg file as 16bit.
Whether or not a desktop printer can print a 16-bit image is totally up to the manufacturer. Some printer drivers don’t handle 16-bit and dumb em down to 8 bit anyway.
Then let’s talk about file size. An 8x10 300ppi flat .psd file in 16 bit = 45mb.
The same file set to 8bit is only about 3mb.
But, you have absolutely no control over what prints out of their piece of crap machine, so if you don’t have a disclaimer on your website that image color won’t match the monitor, you’re only asking for grief.
What I’m not understanding is why you are offering “Art” files over which you have no control. Wouldn’t it be better for you to hook up with a site like Zazzle where you can offer photos, posters, even prints on stretched canvas, and know what the customer is going to get (within reason…)?
I thought to use pdf loseless file. The thing is I do not know if they will use it for home printers . Maybe you are right. I need to use Srgb in this case. I want to find way to sell digital files.
I always try to do best. And now I want to send
Adobe rgb , but it may cause problems for home printers,right?
Your advice is helpful. If I had finished product it helps for better quality to know result and to be sure client is satisfied. Thank you so much
Adobe rgb is no problem for home printers. Just realize they will be reduced to CMYK thru the printer driver. Some do that better than others. So you may want to check them in a CMYK preview just to see what they look like.
Selling digital files without also tying them to a license of some kind is artistic suicide. And even with a license, the average person isn’t gonna care, posts your stuff to Twitter and the world steals it. So much for selling. Using a stock site to sell your art is probably only gonna gain you pennies on a dollar, and your art would have to be something else to get into the Rights Managed libraries where the higher prices are. A lot of those are juried for worthiness.
On saving as a Photoshop PDF, just be sure your filesize is appropriate. PDF and .psd on a flat file are usually pretty close, and I’d opt more for the .psd but I do print work. Be careful of your PDF settings is all I have to say on that. You may get incompatibility warnings. Read them and decide if it’s worth it.