So my darling daughter and I are working on her senior pics. My new Canon printer has CMYK cartridges and so I set the image mode to CMYK. Don't know if that's a bad or good thing to do but whatever.

During our fiddling I noticed that you can't have an Exposure Adjustment layer in CMYK mode. Anyone know why? And does anyone know how to achieve the same effect (exposure adjustment layer) while working in CMYK mode?

Primary source will be always RGB, so if you already converted to CMYK, should return to original RGB and apply the adjustments filters which will never be available inCMYK mode. Be aware tht everytime you convert RGB-CMYK-RGB - ...etc some color values will shift , and you will get new result everytime, most of teh time degrading the image, so try to work and make adjustments on source directly, then, after you set the right profile for CMYK, make the conversion.

Turn on gamut warning (view tab) to see which colors will be outta cmyk spectre .

Do all the review and changes in Photoshop while other software can give you wrong colors (at least in preview)

I'm using fogra27 with a slight change.

Not sure it answered your question.

bogo

To avoid the deteriation of the original colours, I always safe my layerfile under a different name, before changing it drasticly, that way, I still have the original layers I worked with, should something go too wrong.

If you change modes now you will lose whatever adjustment layers you have now.

The regular desktop printer may use CMYK cartridges, but most likely is an RGB printer, meaning, it expects to receive RGB data. If you send CMYK data, it will convert to RGB internally.

CMYK devices are typically print presses and large printers that include a RIP device.

http://www.webstir.com/color_management/RGBorCMYKprinter.html

Long story short, use RGB for your home pictures.

Seems that not all of the adjustments are unavailable. The biggest I noticed was the exposure adjustment layer. However there are some that still work. I was able to carry over the Curves, Levels, Color Adjust, Bright/Contrast, etc. Just thought it was odd that exposure doesn't work in CMYK

Excellent info as always voks. Just tested our Konica printer here at work with the information at that link. Seems that beast is a true CMYK printer.




That's very good to know. I hadn't really paid attention too closely but I will now. I also save my files to new names. For her pics I have the original Camera RAW files and the PSDs for RGB and CMYK. Then I have the output TIF for each color space.

(and I wonder why my drives fill up so fast )

So, why are you working on family photos in CMYK? If you have a decent calibrated monitor and a good profile for your printer you should be able to work in RGB and proof the output on the screen.

I'd like to ask one of the MODs here to lock down this thread. I don't think technical talk like this should be allowed on this particular website.

'Cuz I'm not as smart as you are. Duh.

I just got the printer and figured why not see what it can do. Since it's got the CMYK cartridges I figured I should work in CMYK to print. See I don't know much about printing and color spaces and image modes and such. So I just decided to play.

As for Mr. deSmit....

Yah, if Mr. deSmit had stayed a mod he could lock down this thread his own damn self.

Said the monkey to the baboon!