Converting to CMYK - blacks go to k=100 rather than a rich black.

[StrutzArt]

Attached are two screenshots. The first is from a RGB JPEG file converted to CMYK within Photoshop with US Web Coated (SWOP) v2. The second is the layered file I made for the project in RGB all within Affinity Photo, then converted to CMYK with the same profile as Photoshop. The black part of the design converts to C=0 M=0 Y=0 K=100 when converting in Affinity and C=75 M=68 Y=67 K=90 when converting in Photoshop using the same profile. The rich black in the Photoshop converted file is what is desired, but why the difference in colors, and how to fix?

[Fixx]

Weird... usually the problem is other way round, objects should go 100K but you get rich black instead.

Is the shadow a separate vector object?

[StrutzArt]

The shadow is not a vector object, everything is a pixel layer. I'll know next time to build the file in CMYK, but I'd like to figure this out too. Converting with various other profiles makes no difference either. 

[Gabe]

Hi @StrutzArt,

Welcome to the forums. 

Can you attach the file so we can have a look?

Thanks,

Gabe. 

[StrutzArt]

In a further test, I was able to make an acceptable CMYK file by exporting an RGB jpeg from Affinity, opening that file in Affinity and converting to CMYK. That result is also attached. It's not the worst workaround, but a little weird. 

Fantastic_Four_Stores_-_front.afphoto

Fantastic_Four_Stores_-_front_-_bad_cmyk.afphoto

[Gabe]

Thank you for your files. 

The reason why it does not "work" is because you're converting it with a levels adjustment. This will basically clamp the blacks during the conversion process, hence the less rich colours. The way to achieve the best result would be to merge all the visible layers ( Layer > Merge Visible ) and then transform. This will give you richer blacks, not just K. 

Thanks,

Gabe.