What is sRGB Color Space?

AQCOLOR Monitor Resources Series

2024/05/22

Adobe RGB sRGB Color settings Photographer Monitor BenQ AQCOLOR Technology Color profiles

In the world of photography, color accuracy on a monitor is crucial for replicating the real-life colors captured in images while viewing or editing them. In order to achieve this accurate replication, professional monitors have various color gamut’s, or color spaces, that they can produce or record. A well-known color space is sRGB, developed by HP and Microsoft together in 1996. But what is the sRGB Color Space and why is it important for photographers to have a sRGB monitor? In this article we’ll answer these questions and provide some guidance for finding the right photography monitor for you.

What is sRGB?

Professional photography monitors will often list the percentage of each color space they can produce to appeal to creatives. The higher a percentage of color space a monitor can represent, the more accurate the images will be in the editing process. Most professional photography monitors can cover up to 100% of the sRGB color space as it is the standard color space for the web. sRGB was created to be used on monitors, printers, and the web and is usually the assumed color space for images that do not have a specified color space or embedded color profile. It was standardized by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC), is the standard for HDTV (high-definition television), and is compatible with CRT displays (cathode-ray tube).

sRGB covers the RGB (red, green, blue) primaries that came from HDTV. That means the colors it represents match typical viewing conditions and every color within the sRGB range is visible to the average human eye. It is also assumed to be the default working color space of many digital cameras, scanners, and printers, but if they’re not calibrated it cannot be confirmed that the colors they represent are within the sRGB parameters. Checking for sRGB mode or settings on devices and calibrating them to this color space will provide the best results when working with image editing and production.

When selecting color spaces, such as sRGB vs Adobe RGB, consider what colors your images need to reproduce and if you’ll be printing any images. Depending on the content you’re working on, having the ability to utilize both may be beneficial.

The image to the left is the sRGB Color Space Graph. The Image to the right is a side-by-side example of sRGB vs Adobe RGB.

Why is sRGB important for photographers?

Replicating and producing the real-life colors captured in photos on a monitor is key to creating masterful images. Maintaining color accuracy is a necessity and using the same color space throughout the process will help maintain those colors. sRGB is important because this color space is available on the majority of photography tools, such as cameras and monitors, and covers all the colors you see in real life. When posting photos online, the default for most people with be sRGB, so utilizing that color space for your edits means everyone will see the image exactly as it was intended to be seen. For precision editing and accurate colors, getting a photography monitor with a high percentage of sRGB will guarantee the colors you need.

What does BenQ have to offer?

At BenQ, we strive to reproduce accurate colors in every one of our professional photography monitors. AQCOLOR, a proprietary technology developed by BenQ, is built on meeting industrial standards, emphasizing display details, and providing an out-of-the-box guarantee. Monitor capabilities are backed by third-party qualifications such as a Pantone Validated Certificate and Calman certification. The goal is to create products that will deliver on the promise “Colors You Can Trust” and empower creative professionals in every aspect of their work.

Get the color accuracy you need with BenQ PhotoVue Monitors, backed by AQCOLOR technology and Paper Color Sync, guaranteeing color accuracy from screen to print. Additionally, SW and PD series purchasers and existing owners can get one FREE year of the new Pantone Connect Premium to bring the benefits of your smart device to your computer.