The processing of RGB image data can be optimized by performing optimization operations on the image data when it is converted into the YCbCr color space. First, a raw RGB color space is converted into a YCbCr color space, and raw RGB image data is converted into YCbCr image data using the YCbCr color space. For each Y-layer of the YCbCr image data, a 2D LUT is generated. The YCbCr image data is converted into optimized CbCr image data using the 2D LUTs, and optimized YCbCr image data is generated by blending CbCr image data corresponding to multiple Y-layers. The optimized YCbCr image data is converted into sRGB image data, and a tone curve is applied to the sRGB image data to produce optimized sRGB image data.