Does ICC_Profile really matter ?

[Luuk2005]

Greetings to the experts!
I conducted many experiments using many different jpegs, both 'with' and 'without' any of the ICC_Profile metadata.
But Im never detecting any pixel differences whatsoever, even when magnifying them up to 500x of the original size!
Im even experimented with files that users posted here, because saying that they dont like seeing the difference?

Is this because the difference is so little, that I should keep magnifying, before the eyesight detects a difference?
Or is the ICC_Profile only used by some applications or printers to "enhance" certain of the image properties?

[StarGeek]

It all depends upon if the viewing software actually uses the ICC_Profile.  Most Windows programs are not ICC_Profile aware, but from what I understand, a lot of Mac programs are.  I'd post links, but I can't find the links that I had previously read on StackExchange

Back in the day, some of the images I grabbed from the web would be identical when I used ImageMagick to compare, but IMatch 3 would show them as only 98-99% similar.  That was because IMatch was applying ICC_Profiles to the images when comparing and while the images appear the same in Irfanview, there was an obvious color difference in IMatch.

Different subject, but sort of related: sRGB vs. Adobe RGB

[StarGeek]

Ok, it took me a lot of searching through images to find something that was pretty obvious, but I finally found something.

The top image is the one that had an ICC_Profile, the bottom image is the one without the profile.  The blue is more vibrant in the lower image, so I assume the photographer wanted less emphasis on the blue for the top image.

[StarGeek]

Also, I just learned that Irfanview will apply color profiles if desired

[Luuk2005]

Many thanks for the explanation, and the screenshot to present a difference, and also especially for the Irfanview setting!
Its unfortunate that Irfanview grants this setting, but without presenting the plugin-name (Lcms.dll) when its not to be found.

At least now, some files do present a little bit of difference, so Im wishing I didnt always destroy so many ICC_Profiles.
But the difference is so little Im not worried, especially because sometimes I seem to prefer the one without the ICC anyway.
For now, I think I will stop destroying them just incase.. I do hope the data recovery is going well.. Many thanks again!

[StarGeek]

Its unfortunate that Irfanview grants this setting, but without presenting the plugin-name (Lcms.dll) when its not to be found.

I'm just lazy and use the all plugins pack.

At least now, some files do present a little bit of difference, so Im wishing I didnt always destroy so many ICC_Profiles.
But the difference is so little Im not worried, especially because sometimes I seem to prefer the one without the ICC anyway.
For now, I think I will stop destroying them just incase..

I did that a lot on images I've grabbed off the web and sorta regret it now.