renato696 wrote:
I'm disappointed to know that my new iMac is not compatible with Adobe RGB, mainly because I bought it to use with photos. Anyway, I'll try some configurations and let you know if I have some success. Maybe someone within the Community can give some light for us.
Thanks a lot!
You have a slight mis-understanding as to just what a color profile is and how it relates to color spaces, I believe. This can be an extremely complex subject, and volumes have been written about it, but in general...
Simply speaking a color profile maps individual color elements (pixel) values between color spaces. Your Canon 60D generates images in one of two color spaces, Adobe RGB or sRGB (I have a 7D and 5D Mk III). Using sRGB doesn't have as wide a color space as Adobe RGB, but it is entirely suitable for images to be displayed on the web where most of the display devices are closest to sRGB in their native, i.e. uncalibrated, state. Most users never calibrate their monitors so sRGB is always the best choise for the widest audience on the web.
I always take pictures in RAW and use Adobe RGB. When I edit my images in Photoshop or LIghtroom I tell the software that I wish to edit in the color space Prophoto RGB which is a wider color space than Adobe RGB and allows more accurate editing of the colors. Adobe RGB color values are said to be mapped to the ProPhoto RGB color space by the software. It is possible to do this conversion very accurately for two reasons. One, ProPhoto RGB is a wider color space than Adobe RGB, and two, the attributes of both color spaces are precisely defined.
There are three basic actions you can choose from to get your prints to be close to what you see on your monitor.
The first is to use the 'iMac' color profile already on your iMac. This profile was created to provide proper color space conversion for the average or nominal iMac display and any given display can deviate appreciably from this 'nominal' display. It is a decent place to start if you're not too picky about color representation.
The second thing you could do is calibrate your monitor yourself. The most attractive method pricewise is to use the iMac's built in calibration capability. This will in all likelyhood not be very accurate as it uses the Mark One Eyeball (yours) to make the color comparisons and the eye doesn't do a good job at this because so many variables that you cannot control have an effect on the process. It can get you close, though, and may be satisfactory for you (it isn't for me, but I'm extremely picky about color).
The third thing you could do is purchase a color calibration system. These range in cost from around $100 US to several thousand. Look for offerings from companies such as DataColor (Spyder series) and X-Rite.
Basically a color calibration system uses a hardware device to measure the actual colors as displayed by your monitor vs standard pixel colors. It does this for all pixel color values. From this series of measurements the calibration software will create a profile that will accurately map any color space with a defined profile to be a 'best fit' on your individual monitor (iMac display). This method will get your colors to be much closer than the eye ever could.
Regardless of which method you choose I suggest delve deeper into color profiles and color spaces. A good place to start is Jeffrey Friedl's Blog.