I typically convert profile of an RGB file to sRGB to post here or on my website, there is usually no color change with the file when this is done, and the image look fine on the web, same as in photoshop. (I am using a color calibrated monitor). I recently tried to "Assign" profile choosing sRGB and when this is done there is a very noticeable change in color to the file. So now I'm curious, does converting profile to sRGB not actually change it? Or what is the difference?
Converting between profiles takes the color information (the number values) and changes them in an attempt to have the color look exactly the same on the screen.
Assigning a new profile leaves the numbers alone, and just re-interprets them as what they represent in the new color space.
Here's an example. Pretend you have a pixel color with RGB values of 10,200,10, and the image is using AdobeRGB :
-- If you assign sRGB to the image, the pixel will still be 10,200,10, but in sRGB that's not quite the same color that it is in AdobeRGB.
-- If you convert to sRGB, the numbers may change to something like 14,197,16, but the color on the monitor will stay as much the same as it can.
Discussion
2 repliesConverting between profiles takes the color information (the number values) and changes them in an attempt to have the color look exactly the same on the screen.
Assigning a new profile leaves the numbers alone, and just re-interprets them as what they represent in the new color space.
Here's an example. Pretend you have a pixel color with RGB values of 10,200,10, and the image is using AdobeRGB :
-- If you assign sRGB to the image, the pixel will still be 10,200,10, but in sRGB that's not quite the same color that it is in AdobeRGB.
-- If you convert to sRGB, the numbers may change to something like 14,197,16, but the color on the monitor will stay as much the same as it can.