PSP X4 Working Color Space

[mechir]

Hi, I am a Bibble user and now ASP. I downloaded a trial version of PSP X4 to look if it is any usable to me as ASP user.

When i export an image from ASP in ProPhoto RGB color profile, PSP insist to convert it to sRGB. I wonder what is the color profile that been used by PSP as the working space?

[LeviFiction]

Well sRGB is standard for web because you'll want it to look the same no matter which computer it's on. If you send the image to someone without the ProPhoto color space profile it could distort the colors slightly. But if you want to change it that is easy.

Open PSP but do not open any photos. You cannot change the working colorspace if you have any open images.

Select the following menu option: File->Color Management-> Color Working Space

In the drop down box select ProPhoto instead of sRGB. Then it won't attempt to switch the color space on you.

[df]

I believe you have to install the ProPhoto color space into your Operating System for PSP to recognize it. How you go about doing that I don't have any instruction on. Some other editors may add those profiles to your OS automatically, so some people may have those already on their computer while others are left in the dark.

[WilsonC]

Found this link with a ProPhoto profile.

http://sites.google.com/site/chromasoft/icmprofiles

Seems easy enough to install (Right Click > Install Profile on my Vista PC).

[mechir]

Thanks all for the reply and also the download link.

Levi, I am somewhat a believer of using wider space as working space and then only convert to sRGB or any profile at the final stage. As ASP is using ProPhoto as the working space, i just think that it might be good to retain all information when transferring the image to PSP. However, i might be wrong though.

df, I also had though of copy and paste color profile file from ASP to PSP but i' not sure it is a right think to do. Perhaps i will just try to install the profile at the link given by WilsonC.

[LeviFiction]

Huh, hadn't considered they wouldn't already have the profile installed. I already had the ProPhoto profile on my system. I wonder if that has something to do with Photoshop.

[WilsonC]

I wonder if that has something to do with Photoshop.

From what I've read, the ProPhoto color space will be installed automatically if you have Photoshop or Lightroom. I don't believe it comes with Elements though, but I could be wrong.

One other thing worth noting, if you send a file from ASP to PSP in the ProPhoto color space...and if PSP is set to ProPhoto....there is no easy way to convert the photo to sRGB, unless you close the photo, change the working color space and then re-open the image. Correct?

[LeviFiction]

Correct. PSP opens, converts, and saves with the current workspace color space. And can't have multiple images with different color spaces open. And cannot switch the color space while images are open. So you need to close the image, change the workspace, open the image, accept the conversion, and then save to change the color space. Something that might be easily achieved with a script if scripts can change the color space. That would make it a single click option but otherwise you have to do the steps.

[df]

Many PSP users have more than just the most current version. Sometimes people wonder why to have more than one version installed. This may be one reason for it, albeit a poor reason. Make the color space in your most current version ProPhoto or whatever, make the color space in the previous version sRGB (or whatever). When you need to convert one to the other simply run it through as a batch. You will of course have to remember which images have been saved in what color space, and that element is usually what fails, the human element. It's the same reason why automatic backups of files and computer systems work, and ones that need human intervention don't.

This whole color space thing isn't a bug, but it sure would be nice if it weren't this hard.

[mechir]

I wonder if that has something to do with Photoshop.

From what I've read, the ProPhoto color space will be installed automatically if you have Photoshop or Lightroom. I don't believe it comes with Elements though, but I could be wrong.

I have element but it did not install any prophoto profile.

Correct. PSP opens, converts, and saves with the current workspace color space. And can't have multiple images with different color spaces open. And cannot switch the color space while images are open. So you need to close the image, change the workspace, open the image, accept the conversion, and then save to change the color space. Something that might be easily achieved with a script if scripts can change the color space. That would make it a single click option but otherwise you have to do the steps.

i just realized this too. perhaps i just save the result in TIFF file and use ASP to give the final output. Well, kinda like ASP --> PSP --> ASP. Hopefully ASP and PSP can fully support each other on next version if not on the next update. Then this will make users of both software happier with the value added. Make them a good twin for photographers.