Secret Gamma Dudes Society
Secret Gamma Dudes Society
- Subject: Secret Gamma Dudes Society
- From: Kevin Muldoon <email@hidden>
- Date: Thu, 26 Jul 2007 11:05:35 -0400
As Andrew Rodney points out, Gamma & Dot Gain are two different
entities, but they do share the same basic philosophy. Our eyes
perceive color logarithmically so we build a curve into the image to
make it look 'right' and Ray Maxwells non-linear explanation is a
very fun analogy.
Ray Maxwell also brings up an interesting point to mention Gamma 1.8
is a near identical match to Dot Gain 22% and you simply have to
marvel at the brilliance of Apple to have standardized on this. How
well would Apple have done if the default gamma of the monitor didn't
match the default gain of the LaserWriter? Would Apple have taken
over the printing industry so handily? It's a question for the
history books.
Much in the same way dots per inch (dpi) refers to printing devices
and pixels per inch (ppi) is used for digital images, we use Gamma to
refer to digital images and Dot Gain to refer to the conditions of
the press. However their similarity of function (ppi/dpi, gamma/gain)
sometimes blurs when we discuss them, though less so for (gamma/gain).
One last thing of interest. Stochastic is a low gain screening
technology as anyone who has measured the gain of a 2% traditional AM
screen can attest to. Simply put, small dots (10 microns) don't grow
that much on paper. However, most stochastic platesetters are
manually curved up to a 'standard' 22% gain and though it seems like
a waste of the technology, the effect appears 'correct' to the
printer when using legacy files. Printers often refuse to re-
separate files into a lower dot gain even though 'non-curved-but-
separation-appropriate' plates would result in far superior
reproduction.
Please send 3 proofs of purchase and a self addressed stamped
envelope for secrete Gamma Dude decoder ring. ;-)
--
Kevin Muldoon, Owner
TrueBlueDot - Fine Art Printing
New Haven, CT 06511
203.215.8601
email@hidden
www.truebluedot.com
"Our pigment meets your imagination
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