Message
Re: [colorvision_group] Use with B/W software such as QTR and IJC/OPM
2006-02-20 by CDTobie@aol.com
In a message dated 2/20/06 3:47:50 PM, bwinkjet@... writes:
Thanks for starting this group.
Can this system be used to obtain b/w density and imported into B/W
printing software such as QTR and IJC/OPM? If so, is there any quality
issue with this use?
The answer is yes and no, with a smidgen of not yet...
The currently released version of the software (version 1.0, English only) focussed soley on making the standard color profiling process as easy and effective as possible. Advanced features for things like black and white are being added for future release. At this time we have just produced a beta with data export functions for exporting text files for either L*a*b* values or Status T Visual Density values for each patch measured (as well as showing these values directly in the spot meaurement tool).
In cross checking this density function I graphed the same set of 17 gray values (black to white 16 step grayramp) measured with three other products that offer Status T Visual density values:
DC1005 with PrintFIX PRO density functions (the one we're interested in checking here)
ColorMouse2C, with MouseTrap software (which offers emulated density values similarly to how PrintFIX PRO does it, but with older, less optimal formuli)
DTP22, with ColorShop software (which offers spectrally based density values, but from a rather less accurate device)
And the EyeOne (with density calculations made by ColorVision's color scientist, from spectral data I sent to him, since none of the EyeOne software appears to offer density values.)
Plotting the four data sets on a single graph shows a very tight set of resulting density values; the only visiable variations is where the devices varied slighting in there overall reading (Lab values as well) on a couple of the patches, most notably the black patch. But the variation, overall, was within the noise level of device consistancy and patch consistancy. So while the CM2 and DTP22 are not as accurate devices as the EyeOne or the PrintFIX PRO spectro (technically the DC1005) all four produced reasonable density values; density values being a rather primitive function to begin with.
I will make an open offer to any member of this group who has a copy of PrintFIX PRO and wishes to work with advanced features: contact me personally (not publicly on this forum) and I will put you on the beta list for testing prerelease versions of the software. This would allow you to try out Density, Lab export, Measurement Averaging, and other functions as they are instituted, and before they are released. I was waiting to make this offer, until the list populated itself a bit, but this would seem like the appropriate time to make the offer. I'll repeat it later for those who haven't joined yet.
C. David Tobie
Product Technology Manager
ColorVision Business Unit
Datacolor Inc.
CDTobie@...
www.colorvision.com