ColorTransformationIntent Enumeration

Absolute colorimetric intent (also known as match intent). In this intent, any colors that fall outside the output device range are adjusted to the closest color that can be rendered, while all other colors are left unchanged. White point is preserved. For example, the whitest white of a paper is more yellow than the whitest white of a computer monitor. An image converted into the gamut of the printer using match intent would result in all colors being converted and matched into the gamut of the printer. The white point of the image is not moved to match the white point of the printer. Therefore, the distance of the colors to the white point may change. This produces an image that is less visually disconcerting to the user, but is also a less accurate rendition of printer output.

Perceptual intent (also known as picture intent). According to clause 4.9 of ICC specification perceptual intent is a rendering intent that specifies the full gamut of the image is compressed or expanded to fill the gamut of the destination device. Gray balance is preserved but colorimetric accuracy might not be preserved.

Relative colorimetric intent (also known as proof intent). In this intent, any colors that fall outside the output device range are adjusted to the closest color that can be rendered, while all other colors are left unchanged. However white point is not preserved. For example, the whitest white of a paper is more yellow than the whitest white of a computer monitor. An image converted into the gamut of the printer using relative colorimetric intent would result in all colors becoming more yellow. The white point of the image is moved to match the white point of the printer. All other colors in the image keep their position relative to the white point. This produces an image that more accurately reflects what the printed image will look like. However, the user may find it visually disconcerting.

Relative colorimetric intent (also known as proof intent) with additional black point compensation. In addition to operations made with RelativeColorimetric intent, this one tries to improve image histogram.

Saturation intent (also known as graphics intent). According to clause 4.12 of ICC specification, saturation intent is a rendering intent that specifies the saturation of the pixels in the image is preserved perhaps at the expense of accuracy in hue and lightness.