RE:the old Fiery debate (was: colour management at digital/quick print shops)
RE:the old Fiery debate (was: colour management at digital/quick print shops)
- Subject: RE:the old Fiery debate (was: colour management at digital/quick print shops)
- From: Greg Nuckolls <email@hidden>
- Date: Wed, 3 Oct 2001 13:45:21 -0500
Scott Oswald wrote:
"I can profile a patch sample produced on most any printer (at least any one
I've tried it on), download this to the ColorPASS, and configure the RIP to
accept the downloaded profile as the system default simulation profile (so I
don't have to do anything in the driver properties). I can then send the
patch sample to the ColorPASS and my result is pretty darn close (enough to
call it a proof, and even closer still to use it as a contract proof) to the
output I got from my other printer. Is this closer to an ICC workflow ;-)"
Yes, this is in principle closer to ICC workflow, and I agree that Fiery's
ColorWise conversions do an acceptable job of color simulation, except for
the fact that you still can't remove the default factory profile at the end
in order to get a true profile of the machine/media combo you're using. Yes,
you can calibrate each media individually and plug those calibrations into
the Fiery system for simulation, but calibrating and profiling are two VERY
different things. Your only option to make a custom profile in the EFI
system is by visual curve editing based on a previously-made profile. A
factory-based profile is fine if you're on a new machine printing on the
manufacturer-recommended stock, but if your machine is over 1000000 clicks,
and your stock is different from the standard 24# Bond, you have no way to
get a true profile characterizing the way your individual printer/media
combo prints. Same thing in the other direction... if you're simulating a
Fiery/ColorPASS/EFI RIP output on, say, a DesignJet 5000, you can get
something close by using the factory profile, but rarely a true match to
your individual machine/media combination.
I've been working this issue with my counterpart at Xerox, and she's in
complete agreement: Fiery is a great RIP for people who don't know about or
use a true ICC workflow (e.g. the computer jockeys at any shop that rhymes
with Blinko's)... but if your company is adopting an ICC workflow, it's best
to switch to Scitex, Imation, or another brand that's not so dependent on
its own internal settings.
My $0.05...
Greg Nuckolls
Color Analyst
email@hidden
A&E Products Co., LP
Reprographics With A CAN-DO Attitude!
2001 PIA/GAIN "Best of the Best" Workplace Award Winner
www.aeproducts.com
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