diff --git a/rtgui/main.cc b/rtgui/main.cc
index d588b708d..1ffa5c1b8 100644
--- a/rtgui/main.cc
+++ b/rtgui/main.cc
@@ -88,7 +88,7 @@ static void myGdkLockLeave() {
  *  -2 if an error occurred during processing
  *  -3 if at least one required procparam file was not found */
 int processLineParams( int argc, char **argv );
-
+
 int main(int argc, char **argv)
 {
     setlocale(LC_ALL,"");
@@ -152,40 +152,40 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 
 #ifdef WIN32
    bool consoleOpened = false;
-
-   if (argc>1 || options.rtSettings.verbose){
+
+   if (argc>1 || options.rtSettings.verbose){
 		if(options.rtSettings.verbose || ( !safe_file_test( safe_filename_to_utf8(argv[1]), Glib::FILE_TEST_EXISTS ) && !safe_file_test( safe_filename_to_utf8(argv[1]), Glib::FILE_TEST_IS_DIR ))) {
 			bool stdoutRedirectedtoFile = (GetFileType(GetStdHandle(STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE)) == 0x0001);
 			bool stderrRedirectedtoFile = (GetFileType(GetStdHandle(STD_ERROR_HANDLE)) == 0x0001);
 			// no console, if stdout and stderr both are redirected to file
-			if( !(stdoutRedirectedtoFile && stderrRedirectedtoFile)) {
-				// check if parameter -w was passed.
-				// We have to do that in this step, because it controls whether to open a console to show the output of following steps
-				bool Console = true;
-				for(int i=1;i<argc;i++)
-					if(!strcmp(argv[i],"-w")) {
-						Console = false;
-						break;
-					}
+			if( !(stdoutRedirectedtoFile && stderrRedirectedtoFile)) {
+				// check if parameter -w was passed.
+				// We have to do that in this step, because it controls whether to open a console to show the output of following steps
+				bool Console = true;
+				for(int i=1;i<argc;i++)
+					if(!strcmp(argv[i],"-w")) {
+						Console = false;
+						break;
+					}
 				if(Console) {
 					AllocConsole();
-					AttachConsole( GetCurrentProcessId() ) ;
-					// Don't allow CTRL-C in console to terminate RT
-					SetConsoleCtrlHandler( NULL, true );
-					// Set title of console
-					char consoletitle[128];
-					sprintf(consoletitle, "RawTherapee %s Console",VERSION);
-					SetConsoleTitle(consoletitle);
-					// increase size of screen buffer
-					COORD c;
-					c.X = 200;
-					c.Y = 1000;
-					SetConsoleScreenBufferSize( GetStdHandle( STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE ), c );
-					// Disable console-Cursor
-					CONSOLE_CURSOR_INFO cursorInfo;
-					cursorInfo.dwSize = 100;
-					cursorInfo.bVisible = false;
-					SetConsoleCursorInfo( GetStdHandle( STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE ), &cursorInfo );
+					AttachConsole( GetCurrentProcessId() ) ;
+					// Don't allow CTRL-C in console to terminate RT
+					SetConsoleCtrlHandler( NULL, true );
+					// Set title of console
+					char consoletitle[128];
+					sprintf(consoletitle, "RawTherapee %s Console",VERSION);
+					SetConsoleTitle(consoletitle);
+					// increase size of screen buffer
+					COORD c;
+					c.X = 200;
+					c.Y = 1000;
+					SetConsoleScreenBufferSize( GetStdHandle( STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE ), c );
+					// Disable console-Cursor
+					CONSOLE_CURSOR_INFO cursorInfo;
+					cursorInfo.dwSize = 100;
+					cursorInfo.bVisible = false;
+					SetConsoleCursorInfo( GetStdHandle( STD_OUTPUT_HANDLE ), &cursorInfo );
 					if(!stdoutRedirectedtoFile)
 						freopen( "CON", "w", stdout ) ;
 					if(!stderrRedirectedtoFile)
@@ -197,8 +197,8 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 					// printing RT's version in every case, particularly useful for the 'verbose' mode, but also for the batch processing
 					std::cout << "RawTherapee, version " << VERSION << std::endl;
 					std::cout << "WARNING: closing this window will close RawTherapee!" << std::endl << std::endl;
-				}
-			}
+				}
+			}
 		}
 
 		int ret = processLineParams( argc, argv);
@@ -209,7 +209,7 @@ int main(int argc, char **argv)
 				getch();
 			}
 			return ret;
-		}
+		}
    }
 #else
    if (argc>1 || options.rtSettings.verbose){
@@ -397,9 +397,18 @@ int processLineParams( int argc, char **argv )
 					}
 				}
 				break;
+            case 'b':
+                    sscanf(&argv[iArg][2],"%d",&bits);
+                    if (bits != 8 && bits != 16)
+                    {
+                        std::cerr << "Error: specify -b8 for 8-bit or -b16 for 16-bit output." << std::endl;
+                        deleteProcParams(processingParams);
+                        return -3;
+                    }
+                    break;
 			case 't':
 				outputType = "tif";
-				compression = ((argv[iArg][2]!='1')?0:1);
+				compression = ((argv[iArg][2]!='z')?0:1);
 				break;
 			case 'n':
 				outputType = "png";
@@ -433,25 +442,30 @@ int processLineParams( int argc, char **argv )
 						inputFiles.push_back( safe_filename_to_utf8 (argv[iArg]) );
 					}
 				}
-				break;
+				break;
 #ifdef WIN32
-			case 'w': // This case is handled outside this function
-				break;
+			case 'w': // This case is handled outside this function
+				break;
 #endif
 			case 'h':
 			case '?':
 			default:
 			{
 				Glib::ustring pparamsExt = paramFileExtension.substr(1);
+        std::cout << "<Chevrons> indicate parameters you can change." << std::endl;
+        std::cout << "[Square brackets] mean the parameter is not mandatory." << std::endl;
+        std::cout << "The pipe symbol | indicates a choice of one or the other." << std::endl;
+        std::cout << "The dash symbol - denotes a range of possible values from one to the other." << std::endl;
+        cout << std::endl;
         std::cout << "Usage:" << std::endl;
-        std::cout << "  " << Glib::path_get_basename(argv[0]) << " [<selected dir>]   Start File Browser inside directory." << std::endl;
+        std::cout << "  " << Glib::path_get_basename(argv[0]) << " <selected dir>     Start File Browser inside directory." << std::endl;
         std::cout << "  " << Glib::path_get_basename(argv[0]) << " <file>             Start Image Editor with file." << std::endl;
-        std::cout << "  " << Glib::path_get_basename(argv[0]) << " -c <dir>|<files>   Convert files in batch with default parameters." << std::endl << std::endl;
-#ifdef WIN32
-        std::cout << "  -w Do not open the Windows console" << std::endl;
+        std::cout << "  " << Glib::path_get_basename(argv[0]) << " -c <dir>|<files>   Convert files in batch with default parameters." << std::endl << std::endl;
+#ifdef WIN32
+        std::cout << "  -w Do not open the Windows console" << std::endl;
 #endif
         std::cout << "Other options used with -c (-c must be the last option):" << std::endl;
-        std::cout << Glib::path_get_basename(argv[0]) << " [-o <output>|-O <output>] [-s|-S] [-p <files>] [-d] [-j[1-100]|-t|-t1|-n] -Y -c <input>" << std::endl;
+        std::cout << Glib::path_get_basename(argv[0]) << " [-o <output>|-O <output>] [-s|-S] [-p <files>] [-d] [-j[1-100] [-js<1-3>]|[-b<8|16>] <[-t[z] | [-n]]] [-Y] -c <input>" << std::endl;
         std::cout << "  -o <file>|<dir>  Select output file or directory." << std::endl;
         std::cout << "  -O <file>|<dir>  Select output file or directory and copy " << pparamsExt << " file into it." << std::endl;
         std::cout << "  -s               Include the " << pparamsExt << " file next to the input file (with the same" << std::endl;
@@ -465,16 +479,17 @@ int processLineParams( int argc, char **argv )
         std::cout << "                   You can specify as many -p options as you like (see" << std::endl;
         std::cout << "                   description below)." << std::endl;
         std::cout << "  -d               Use the default raw or non-raw " << pparamsExt << " file as set in" << std::endl;
-        std::cout << "                   Preferences > Image Processing > Default Image Processing Parameters" << std::endl;
+        std::cout << "                   Preferences > Image Processing > Default Processing Profile" << std::endl;
         std::cout << "  -j[1-100]        Specify output to be JPEG (on by default). Optionally add" << std::endl;
         std::cout << "                   compression 1-100 (default value: 100)." << std::endl;
-        std::cout << "  -js1-3           Specify the JPEG subsampling parameter, where:" << std::endl;
+        std::cout << "  -js<1-3>         Specify the JPEG subsampling parameter, where:" << std::endl;
         std::cout << "                   1 = Best compression:         2x2, 1x1, 1x1 (4:1:1) - default of the JPEG library" << std::endl;
         std::cout << "                   2 = Widely used normal ratio: 2x1, 1x1, 1x1 (4:2:2)" << std::endl;
         std::cout << "                   3 = Best quality:             1x1, 1x1, 1x1 (4:4:4)" << std::endl;
-        std::cout << "  -t               Specify output to be uncompressed 16-bit TIFF." << std::endl;
-        std::cout << "  -t1              Specify output to be compressed 16-bit TIFF (ZIP compression)." << std::endl;
-        std::cout << "  -n               Specify output to be compressed 16-bit PNG." << std::endl;
+        std::cout << "  -b<8|16>         Specify bit depth per channel (only applies to TIFF and PNG output)." << std::endl;
+        std::cout << "  -t[z]            Specify output to be TIFF (16-bit if -b8 is not set)." << std::endl;
+        std::cout << "                   Uncompressed by default, or ZIP compression with 'z'" << std::endl;
+        std::cout << "  -n               Specify output to be compressed PNG (16-bit if -b8 is not set)." << std::endl;
         std::cout << "  -Y               Overwrite output if present." << std::endl<<std::endl;
         std::cout << "Your " << pparamsExt << " files can be incomplete, RawTherapee will set the values as follows:" << std::endl;
         std::cout << "  1- A new profile is created using internal default (neutral) values" <<std::endl;
@@ -523,7 +538,7 @@ int processLineParams( int argc, char **argv )
 		rawParams = new rtengine::procparams::PartialProfile(true);
 		Glib::ustring profPath = options.findProfilePath(options.defProfRaw);
 		if (options.is_defProfRawMissing() || profPath.empty() || rawParams->load(Glib::build_filename(profPath, Glib::path_get_basename(options.defProfRaw) + paramFileExtension))) {
-			std::cerr << "Error: default Raw procparams file not found" << std::endl;
+			std::cerr << "Error: default raw processing profile not found" << std::endl;
 			rawParams->deleteInstance();
 			delete rawParams;
 			deleteProcParams(processingParams);
@@ -532,7 +547,7 @@ int processLineParams( int argc, char **argv )
 		imgParams = new rtengine::procparams::PartialProfile(true);
 		profPath = options.findProfilePath(options.defProfImg);
 		if (options.is_defProfImgMissing() || profPath.empty() || imgParams->load(Glib::build_filename(profPath, Glib::path_get_basename(options.defProfImg) + paramFileExtension))) {
-			std::cerr << "Error: default Image procparams file not found" << std::endl;
+			std::cerr << "Error: default non-raw processing profile not found" << std::endl;
 			imgParams->deleteInstance();
 			delete imgParams;
 			rawParams->deleteInstance();
@@ -581,13 +596,13 @@ int processLineParams( int argc, char **argv )
 			continue;
 		}
 
-		// Load the image
-		isRaw = true;
+		// Load the image
+		isRaw = true;
 		Glib::ustring ext = getExtension (inputFile);
-		if (ext.lowercase()=="jpg" || ext.lowercase()=="jpeg" || ext.lowercase()=="tif" || ext.lowercase()=="tiff" || ext.lowercase()=="png")
+		if (ext.lowercase()=="jpg" || ext.lowercase()=="jpeg" || ext.lowercase()=="tif" || ext.lowercase()=="tiff" || ext.lowercase()=="png")
 			isRaw = false;
 		
-		ii = rtengine::InitialImage::load ( inputFile, isRaw, &errorCode, NULL );
+		ii = rtengine::InitialImage::load ( inputFile, isRaw, &errorCode, NULL );
 		if (!ii) {
 			errors++;
 			std::cerr << "Error loading file: "<< inputFile << std::endl;
@@ -596,11 +611,11 @@ int processLineParams( int argc, char **argv )
 
 		if (useDefault) {
 			if (isRaw) {
-				std::cout << "  Merging default Raw profile" << std::endl;
+				std::cout << "  Merging default raw processing profile" << std::endl;
 				rawParams->applyTo(&currentParams);
 			}
 			else {
-				std::cout << "  Merging default Image profile" << std::endl;
+				std::cout << "  Merging default non-raw processing profile" << std::endl;
 				imgParams->applyTo(&currentParams);
 			}
 		}
@@ -680,4 +695,4 @@ int processLineParams( int argc, char **argv )
 
 	return errors>0?-2:0;
 }
-
+