Dealing with Bit depth in Photoshop

Value of one pixel in RGB image’s one channel can be described in computer memory value as 256tones or levels. Calculation and storage of color data in the computer memory takes place with ‘8 bits’. 8 bits, bit (binary digit) is the basic and the smallest unit of the computer’s memory.

Bit Depth: Total amount of bits that describes and records color variations and tone values is called as Bit depth. If there’s a requirement of information on tones without color value, 8 bit image with one channel is sufficient for creating a quality image in black and white tone that reproduces all the variations of the tone required for producing a continuous tone. An image with value of 8-bit handling tonal value and variations only is regarded as Grayscale Image.

If 8 bits are required for each of three RGB image’s channels, the result is regarded as 24-bit image (3 x 8). RGB image in Photoshop is not referred as 24-bit image. It is rather regarded as RGB Color that lists the depth of bit in every channel instead of the whole image, for example 8 Bits/Channel. Higher ‘Bit depth’ in images is symbolic of better color potential and accuracy of tonal value, though it’s not viewed sometimes due to the output device limitations. High bit depth images need more memory and data for storage in the file of image (Images of Grayscale mode are considered as 3rd of the RGB image’s size with similar pint size and pixel dimensions). Photoshop’s support is offered for images with 16 Bits/Channel and 32 Bits/Channel value.

Photoshop design software is an effective tool

Photoshop design software is an organized tool providing an effective interface to the user for controlling process and procedures of editing images. Existing users and professionals dealing must be very much familiar with the complexities of the software. Huge amount of features are embedded within it that you have already dealt but a lot more are still left behind to be explored. So we took the charge to explain a few of them.

Did you ever know that you have been unnecessary spoiling your computer with more data storage in Photoshop? Many of us are not aware about it that this software allows flexibility of playing around with the memory to its users. 512MB or more RAM is sufficient for any system to work efficiently. While installation or performance, Photoshop asks it user to deal with available reserve for RAM. Out of the total assigned amount, 70% of RAM is automatically allotted to Photoshop. Due to this, the speed of the system is likely to get affected. Best way in such situation is to shut all other processes going on. Make sure non essential software are stopped from running then go to ‘Performance’ preference to allocate RAM as per your requirement, seventy percent is advised to start with, rest depends on you. Restart your computer right after changing the settings and it will improve the performance of the software and computer both by successful allocation of memory.

Another technique to save your system from memory problems is to prevent the last gigabytes of your hard disk from being dumped. While the spaces become available, you should start taking back up of your work and empty additional capacity of hard drive. In case you have 2nd hard drive or any additional installed drive then opt another method by going ‘Preferences then Plug-ins and Scratch disks’.

Dealing with Channels and modes in Photoshop

Photoshop is software for creative professionals who play with colors and images along with filters, text and effects. In all the ways, RGB and CMYK play a major role. RGB channels are the prominent one among the two and forms the backbone of the software. It works behind the scenes for creating multicolored drafts and images. This is done through the transfer of information in 3 color sets that are red, green and blue with their respective amounts available in the pixel location. On the workplace, availability of single channel is symbolic of primary color itself that is formed in the window’s image location. And if information of two channels is available then secondary color can be seen.

Secondary colors are formed by the mixture of primary colors, basically any two of them. CMY that is Cyan, Magenta and Yellow are the three basic secondary colors. From among the 3 RGB modes of channels, if color absence is found in any case then the location of the pixel is marked to be black that is regarded as no illumination also. Mixture of RGB Channels results in the creation of gray or white light. It’s gray in case the value of brightness from the 3 Channels is reduced (Levels are self explanatory here). Information of the colors being used in an image can be stored with the use of secondary colors plus K or simply black too which creates the other mode named as CMYK. Images are categorized under this mode too and are regarded as CMYK images. Stored information of the channels components can be viewed by the user with a click on the tab channels palette.

Special Monitor Calibration for Images

Color of every monitor differs from one another. This is due to the default settings that are organized differently in each of the system. Variation in their color is the result of its setting only which is not same even in monitors of same model. Calibration manages the standard color display by directing attempts towards the settings of monitor. It helps in preventing images that often look different in different monitors. Monitor calibration device is embedded inside the monitor that can be used for adjustments or else an external tool can also assist which is in the form of software known as “Mac” or “Monitor Calibrator”, also recognized as Adobe Gamma (PC).

While using CRT monitors, care is to be maintained before the start up of calibration process. Let the image stabilize after switching on the monitor which should be left for around half an hour. Then the calibration software should be used for setting the contrast, brightness, color temperature and gamma settings of the monitor. Appearance of the image would be similar on any calibrated screen and your screen. Monitor calibration ensures that the prints developed by you would be similar to the image on screen. In case of an accurate profile printer, the appearance would enhance in a better way.

If you are using Macintosh OSX, then move in this order, “System Preferences > Displays > Color > Calibrate”. In case its Windows Operating system, then go for ‘Adobe Gamma’ software that can be located in control panel. After selecting it from there, your ‘Target White Point’ (also named as ‘Target White Point’ or ‘Hardware White Point’ or ‘Adjusted White Point’) should be adjusted at 6500. Software is a guide to the user for making adjustments. Lately calibrated settings in monitor should be stored after the completion of process with a separate profile name. Keep a check over the date on which the calibration process is carried out. Repeat the process after duration of 6 months.

Allocation of RAM in Photoshop

At the starting of Photoshop, a specific amount of memory is allocated or is kept aside, basically required part of RAM which is the indicated amount for Image Cache preference and Photoshop memory. Amount of RAM that is reserved for different processes in Photoshop can be used by some other applications but only while it is not being used by Photoshop during that period. This means memory occupied by Photoshop can be used while is released right at the moment you quit using Photoshop.

In case the allocation of RAM is high in Photoshop then the operating system and the software both will swap pages while reducing the overall performance. Swapping of pages is very much a general function of operating system due to which the performance gets affected only when the RAM being used by Photoshop is more than that is there on the computer. If you detect this case in your computer you can speed up the computer by reducing the amount of RAM up to 60% or 50% in Photoshop. This adjustment is of great help in for improving the performance and working in Photoshop.
Photoshop is allowed to use 2GB of computer RAM which involves some limitations for operating system and hardware. Maximum limit of usage by Photoshop can be adjusted by the user based on the requirement and availability of space on the computer.