10-Bit Color Depth in PS CS5?, CS6?, CC? in El Capitan 10.11.2

Hi Rohit,

        Thanks for your reply. Am I to understand from the article the second link linked to that 10-bit (aka 30bit) color depth is only possible in El Capitan in CC? Or, is it available in my present version of Photoshop = CS5?, or CS6?, as well? Please advise.

                  Best wishes,

                                Jack

Ok, here's my situation my system just became fully 10-bit capable this morning. I'm including a photo of my screen after going to - About This Mac > System Report > Graphics/Displays. You'll see - " Pixel Depth:  30-Bit Color (ARGB2101010) indicating I'm in 10-bit mode. I'm running El Capitan 10.11.2.

I know that Apple just added 10-bit color support in the Mac OS recently, in El Capitan, I think(?). I'm also aware that 10-bit color has been supported in Windows  since Windows 7, or so, and that  Photoshop has been able to operate in 10-bit color for quite a while in Windows.

So, you are saying that my Mac version of CS5 has been 10-bit color capable since its' release, and only the Mac OS was holding it back? Further, now that El Capitan supports 10-bit color, my long ago-installed CS5, is, or can be 10-bit enabled? If so, and If I need to do something to enable it, please let me know. I have already followed another person's instructions, and in my Photoshop CS5 (version 12.1 x 64)  gone to Preferences > Performance, and in GPU Settings checked the box for "Enable Open GL Drawing", and after clicking "Advanced", selected Advanced. Please advise me about my situation, and let me know how I can verify I'm now in 10-bit color in CS5. Thanks again, Jack  Thanks again, Jack

Yes, I had already done that, and I've redone it now. I had previously selected [Advanced] In Mode, but now, after your post, I tried [Normal} as well and then went back to [Advanced]. I had checked the box Enable Open GL Drawing, and have left it checked. My issue is, when I look at a downloaded test ramp in Preview it is completely smooth. When I open that same test ramp in PS C5, I see banding. It's not too extreme, but still pretty visible. I know Apple has enabled the Preview app to operate in 10-bit color mode in El Capitan, but I'm still wondering about my CS5 given the banding I'm seeing in the downloaded test ramp.

Thanks I'll check that link later, but I wanted to get these photos of the screen to you first. They show the same download of a test ramp. The smooth one is opened in Preview. The one with some banding is opened in CS5.

I've never seen banding in processing any of my personal images in Photoshop all the years I've been using it, and don't see it in my own images in PS now.. I generally shot RAW, and process images in 8bit mode, but once in a while 16bit, and I save mostly large full sized tiff files of the images. I'm only concerned with the banding in the test ramp as a diagnostic tool to verify my PS CS5 is now 10-bit color depth enabled. Is there another way for me to check that it is or not?

Thanks Rohit, I do remember seeing someone somewhere online describing how to create a test gradient oneself in Photoshop, and the parameters for that. Sorry to be so ignorant, but I've never used the Gradient Tool . Could you walk me through doing that?, or link me to a description of how to create a gradient I can use to check for banding and being in 10-bit color ? Sincerely, Jack

Thanks a lot. I'll check them later. It's late here now. I'll post here tomorrow, after doing so. Thanks very much again for your help. Good night, Jack

Just an update, some doubt has been cast in another forum about whether I am truly 10-bit color enabled in El Capitan with my current graphics card now, in spite of my Mac System Report showing that I am. I'm now focusing on trying to clear that up. When it's cleared up, I may return to the gradient test issue. I'll post here, if I do. Thanks again Rohit

I believe my system is 10-bit color capable after test ramp testing in Preview in El Capitan. I do not believe my (Mac version) CS5 is 10-bit color capable, or can be 10-bit enabled. Have been told by several knowledgeable persons that CC is the only Mac version of PS that can support 10-bit color. The same test ramp that is completely smooth in Preview in El Capitan shows distinct banding in CS5 in El Capitan (with Open GL Drawing, etc.selected in GPU settings).

Can you check with other Adobe Staff about that? I've heard from some very tech/PS knowledgeable people that it is not. I will be doing the CC trial and ramp testing.

Those threads don't answer the question. The open GL discussion in the second thread was about Windows PS. I've tried open GL in (Mac version) CS5 in El Capitan. As I said earlier, it didn't work - still distinct banding in test ramp.

Sorry Rohit, I'm afraid I owe you an apology. I'm not very tech-knowledgeable, and it seems the subject of 10-bit color support and the compatibility of operating systems, hardware, drivers, etc.. is very complicated. I have been advised by someone quite knowledgeable, that despite what others may say, CS5, and CS6 for Mac are, as you said, 10-bit capable. In my particular case there may be the matter of driver support for my ATI Radeon HD 4870 graphics card's 10-bit capability? It may have been supported in Yosemite, or Mavericks, but not in El Capitan?  Thankfully, some people at Apple are looking into that for me. Thanks again for your help, Jack