Datacolor User to User Support Group.

I've always used a curve adjustment prior to printing. I was discussing this with a mate the other day, who claimed this to be unneccesary in this day and age. BPC would do the job.

For me however, BPC certainly does not. For example I've made a profile for Haehnemuhle Bamboo - a matte paper which sucks up black like crazy.

Without an adjustment curve, the blacks disappear till app. RGB 151515. This goes both for the profile I generated, and for Haehnemuhles own profile. Beyond the blacks, things look as they should.

Am I doing something wrong here ?

On Apr 12, 2009, at 6:05 PM, madason32 wrote:

> I've always used a curve adjustment prior to printing. I was  
> discussing this with a mate the other day, who claimed this to be  
> unneccesary in this day and age. BPC would do the job.
>
> For me however, BPC certainly does not. For example I've made a  
> profile for Haehnemuhle Bamboo - a matte paper which sucks up black  
> like crazy.
>
> Without an adjustment curve, the blacks disappear till app. RGB  
> 151515. This goes both for the profile I generated, and for  
> Haehnemuhles own profile. Beyond the blacks, things look as they  
> should.
>
> Am I doing something wrong here ?

I would avoid BPC, but try positive number adjustments (start with +5,  
for for bamboo, perhaps even +10 on the shadow detail slider in the  
advanced adjustments.

C. David Tobie
Global Product Technology Manager
Digital Imaging & Home Theater
CDTobie@...

--- In colorvision_group@yahoogroups.com, C D Tobie <CDTobie@...> wrote:
>

> I would avoid BPC, but try positive number adjustments (start with +5,  
> for for bamboo, perhaps even +10 on the shadow detail slider in the  
> advanced adjustments.
> 
> C. David Tobie
> Global Product Technology Manager
> Digital Imaging & Home Theater
> CDTobie@...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Datacolor
> www.datacolor.com/Spyder3
>

I will try that.

I'm assuming that the slider is in fact an adjustment curve ? How far up does it shift the luminosity ?

Can I embed my usual adjustment curve from photoshop in the profile via the "import curve" function ? Or does this serve another purpose;

and if so, is either method better ?

Thank you for your response.

On Apr 13, 2009, at 2:26 PM, madason32 wrote:

> I'm assuming that the slider is in fact an adjustment curve ? How  
> far up does it shift the luminosity ?

Yes, its a localized, curve, designed to not effect areas other than  
the shadows. It effects about the bottom quarter of the tones...
>
> Can I embed my usual adjustment curve from photoshop in the profile  
> via the "import curve" function ?

Sure, if you have a curve you prefer, by all means use it.

> Or does this serve another purpose;
>
> and if so, is either method better ?

Well, the shadow detail slider is convenient, but has fixed parameters  
(the slope is adjustable, but the "toe" location is fixed). The Import  
Curve Function requires building your own curve in Photoshop and  
importing it (not a big deal but more than some people will want to  
do), but is much more flexible; and allows tonality adjustments as  
well (if, say, you want Monet-like purple shadows, you can adjust the  
shadow detail curve selectively between color channels to create that  
effect). So use what you are comfortable with, and move up to more  
powerful options when the easy ones cease to meet your needs.

C. David Tobie
Global Product Technology Manager
Digital Imaging & Home Theater
CDTobie@...

--- In colorvision_group@yahoogroups.com, C D Tobie <CDTobie@...> wrote:
>
Snip

So use what you are comfortable with, and move up to more  
> powerful options when the easy ones cease to meet your needs.
> 
> C. David Tobie
> Global Product Technology Manager
> Digital Imaging & Home Theater
> CDTobie@...
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Datacolor
> www.datacolor.com/Spyder3
>

Thank you. I'll try both options (oh the horror of test prints :-D)

But I think I'll wait a while before I do purple shadows ;-)