RGB color space - Definition and Overview

An RGB color space is any additive color space based on the RGB color model.

RGB is shorthand for Red, Green, Blue.

RGB is a convenient color model for computer graphics because the human visual system works in a way that is similar - though not quite identical - to an RGB color space. The most commonly used RGB color spaces are sRGB and Adobe RGB, which has a significantly larger gamut than sRGB. Adobe has recently developed another color space called Adobe Wide Gamut RGB, which is even larger, in detriment of gamut density.

As of 2004, sRGB is by far the most commonly used RGB color space, particularly in consumer grade digital cameras, because it is considered adequate for most consumer applications, and its design simplifies previewing on the typical computer display. Adobe RGB is also being built into more medium-range digital cameras, and is favored by many professional graphic artists.

See also

• HSV color space
• HLS color space

External links

• sRGB vs Adobe RGB: The Truth (http://www.shootsmarter.com/infocenter/wc025.html) - a summary of the practical aspects of using the two spaces
• A paper comparing RGB color spaces (http://lcavwww.epfl.ch/~sabines/127.pdf) - an Adobe PDF document