In article <uP7_i.20571$>, Mike
Russell wrote:
"Richard Karash" wrote in message
I’m using the Zoomify export in CS3 Mac Leopard. Mostly, everything is going smoothly.
…
[re "drab color" example at http://2under.net/private/TestZoomify ]
(Corrected URL in the line above)
How can I export to Zoomify with consistent color?
It turns out that both Zoomify and Safari are available as free downloads for Windows.
Zoomify, in particular, is an interesting app that allows you to create a pan and zoom flash presentation of an image.
http://zoomify.com/
And, a version of Zoomify is built-in with CS3.
When it comes to color saturation, passing out non sRGB images is a losing proposition. Since Zoomify, is not a "color aware" application, the final flash file does not include an embedded profile.
The Flash file is a viewer that works with 256×256 jpg "tiles"; even when I add an embedded profile to each of the tiles, the Zoomify viewer does nothing different. I conclude the viewer is "not color-aware."
…In light of this, my
recommendation is to use Photoshop’s Convert to Profile to convert to sRGB before exporting the image with Zoomify. Then the image will have the colors you intended for the vast majority of web viewers. As it is, almost everyone out there will see the "drab green" version of your image.
FYI – there appear to be two windows based color aware browsers: Safari public beta:
www.apple.com/safari/download
For the curious: untested Firefox beta nightly builds (also color aware): http://www.mozilla.org/developer/#builds
Thanks Mike, for the additional folowup.
I followed your suggestion… Convert… sRGB, then File… Export… Zoomify. The result is much better, delivers the saturated reds that I need for the fall foliage images.
Your advice, "for web, use sRGB" makes a real difference and sounds right.
There is a lot going on here, especially in the saturated reds.
1. My original test
http://2under.net/private/TestZoomify When viewed in a "non-color aware" browser, the top and bottom look the same (drab, lost the sat reds). Safari is color aware; the released version of Firefox is not. Explorer is not. Now I understand the comments from Kat and Wolfgang, "The colors are the same." Most people looking at my test wouldn’t see anything. Just a drab image.
2. The color differences I’m seeing are most visible in the saturated reds.
3. In Photoshop, Convert… sRGB, and save as high qual jpg. The colors change a little (bit more of sat reds); that’s OK, we are changing profiles. Save and view the result in Safari, see even more sat Reds. Why does the same file (which includes sRGB profile) look different in Safari vs. Photoshop?
4. Should we generally save image for the web WITH an embedded profile? For a non-color aware browser the profile makes no difference. I assume yes, so it will help with a color aware browser.
5. Zoomify Viewer is not-color-aware, even when when run in a color-aware browser. To use Zoomify, prepare the image for a non-color aware browser, then Export… Zoomify.
6. My test image, converted to sRGB, save as jpg, exported by Zoomify… now has too-much sat red when viewed in Win/Explorer, but that’s on an uncalibrated monitor, so I’m not sure.
With all this, here’s my net-net for working with images for display on the web and/or in Zoomify:
– Do my photo work in Photoshop, working space Adobe RGB, prepare my images for print and other use. Save as PSD.
– Convert image to sRGB. Back off the saturated reds just a bit. Save as jpg with profile.
– Export… Zoomify.
– Test the result on a couple of monitors, from Mac/Safari and from Win/Explorer.
– Adjust if necessary.
Thank again, Mike. Help like this is what makes USENET great.
-=- Rick
—
Richard Karash
Richard "at" Karash "dot" com