What Are Color Spaces?
A color space is a defined range of colors — called a gamut — that a system can represent. Think of it as the box of crayons available to your image. A small box (sRGB) has fewer colors but works everywhere. A large box (ProPhoto RGB) has more colors but requires specialized tools to use correctly.
When you convert a RAW photo to JPG, the converter maps the sensor's captured colors into a specific color space. Colors that fall outside the target gamut are clipped or compressed — they are lost permanently. This is why choosing the right color space before conversion matters.
sRGB: The Universal Standard
sRGB (standard RGB) was created by Microsoft and HP in 1996 as the default color space for screens, printers, and the web. It is the smallest common gamut but also the most universally supported.
- Coverage: Approximately 35% of visible colors
- Best for: Web images, email, social media, most screens
- Support: Universal — every browser, app, and device assumes sRGB by default
- Our default: Our converter outputs sRGB (
-o 1) because it is the safest choice for sharing
If you are converting photos for any screen-based use (web, social media, email, presentations), sRGB is the correct choice. Period.
Adobe RGB: For Professional Print
Adobe RGB (1998) was designed by Adobe for professional printing workflows. Its gamut is approximately 35% larger than sRGB, with significantly more greens and cyans.
- Coverage: Approximately 50% of visible colors
- Best for: Professional print, wide-gamut monitors, prepress workflows
- Advantage: Preserves richer greens, cyans, and some blues that sRGB clips
- Risk: On non-color-managed systems, Adobe RGB images look desaturated and dull
ProPhoto RGB: Maximum Editing Headroom
ProPhoto RGB has the largest practical gamut, encompassing approximately 90% of visible colors and even some colors outside human vision. Adobe Lightroom uses ProPhoto internally.
- Coverage: ~90% of visible colors (largest practical space)
- Best for: Internal editing in Lightroom/Photoshop, archival TIFF exports
- Important: Must use 16-bit files — 8-bit ProPhoto causes visible banding
- Never use for: Web delivery or sharing — no browser handles ProPhoto correctly for unmanaged content
Display P3: Apple's Standard
Display P3 is Apple's color space, used across all iPhones, iPads, Macs, and HEIC photos since 2016. It covers approximately 50% more colors than sRGB (similar to Adobe RGB but with a different gamut shape).
If you are converting HEIC photos from iPhones, the original data is in Display P3. Converting to JPG in sRGB will clip the widest P3 colors, but this is usually imperceptible for everyday photos.
Color Space Comparison
| Color Space | Gamut Size | Best For | Compatibility |
|---|---|---|---|
| sRGB | Smallest (~35%) | Web, email, social media | Universal |
| Adobe RGB | Medium (~50%) | Professional printing | Print-aware software |
| Display P3 | Medium (~53%) | Apple devices, HEIC | Apple ecosystem |
| ProPhoto RGB | Largest (~90%) | Editing, archival | Pro software only |
Recommendations
- For web: Always sRGB. Embed the ICC profile in the JPG.
- For printing: Adobe RGB if your printer and print service support it. Ask your lab which profile they prefer.
- For archival/editing: ProPhoto RGB in 16-bit TIFF. Convert to sRGB only when exporting for delivery.
- When in doubt: sRGB. It is impossible to go wrong with sRGB — it looks correct everywhere.
Our converter uses sRGB by default (dcraw -o 1), which is the correct choice for most users converting RAW files for sharing, web upload, or printing at consumer labs.