Digital BW, The Print

Mark wrote:
> I'm using ColorMatchRGB as my source space because I haven't
> learned otherwise. It is my default working space because I use
> a PressView 21SR monitor, and that is Radius' preferred
> working space, due to their gamut. Again, I am now on Day Two
> of Variable Hex, so I'm open to any and all correction. I had
> several emails to Paul regarding the difference in Gamma. He
> said that the current curves were based on PC gamma, which is
> 2.2. Last night, he implied that the curves would have to be
> reworked for the Mac, due to this. I just set my gamma to 2.2 in
> the Epson print driver to try to emulate his existing curve.

The colormatchRGB is a print standard color space. Your PressView sets it as
default because that is the environment those monitors are typically used
in. The Monitor's actual gamut is in the sRGB space.  I'm curious as to why
anyone printing their images rather than just viewing them is using the sRGB
color space.  This must be something to do with Paul's curves which I have
not used yet.  I use Adobe (1998) RGB (or the Bruce profile as I like the
reds) to print to Epson or Offset Press, ColorMatch RGB' has a large gamut.

> (This difference in gamma between Mac and PC has always
> boggled my mind. In theory, I always wondered: "How could I
> prepare a file on a Mac, which has 1.8 default gamma, and then
> Fedex that same file to a client who happens to open it on a PC,
> and then not have the file look too dark/too light on their
> machine?" But this is another thread I'm sure).

The gamma difference between Macs and PC's is strictly monitor based. It is
difficult sometimes to get a good web image balanced for an average gamma
between the two but you can view the difference in your file from the soft
proof feature set to either Mac or PC gamma's. The file may look different
on the different systems monitors but it will not print differently because
the actual value info of the image does not change.

>> Also, when everyone says they convert from grayscale to RGB
>> do you 
>> just do a mode change or do you do a profile to profile
>> conversion?
> 
> I simply to a Mode Conversion, from Grayscale to RGB. When
> you do that, and then you load Paul's curve, you can go into the
> three RGB channels and see his work. It is truly over my head,
> what he's done, because each curve has about ten or twelve
> points along the curve that he's added, and each one is VERY

A profile to profile conversion gives you more control over your conversion.
On the other hand if you always convert a file the same way, ie: using
"Perceptual with black point compensation" "or using a 2.2/2.0/1.8 gamma for
gray scale" then you can set that up in your conversion features in "color
settings" and be confident that your file is converted the way you like from
the mode conversion.  Otherwise it is converted from the default settings.

>I think that might be due to the PC/Mac difference. If FedEx is
>flying today, I am Fedexing Paul a bunch of prints, just to get his
>gut feeling. (Isn't it weird to think: IF fedex is flying...)

Yes, numbing and still not sinking in.

Best, Carolyn