RIP Question

[afremiotti]

I am buying a RIP for my 7600 and wanted to know if there was a consensus on which is best for my needs. My biggest immediate concern is accurate CMYK proofing. I have used Best color, Poster Shop and Imageprint. I always liked Imageprint's user interface but noticed on the SWOP site that it is not certified. I will primarily use a 7600 to proof, but if overall print quality improves would like to be able to add other printers in the future and network through the server or an older tower, both MAC. Also I remember postershop being able to simulate a dot screen nicely, and wondered if any of the current offerings from other companies had improved on this ability.

Cost is obviously important but not the biggest concern. Workflow and having my clients stop asking me for Kodak approvals is most important. I am very happy with my current prints and achieve very accurate color through profiling, but I am sick of the "trust me" conversations I keep having with clients and need something that will help give a more contract proof feel.

[digitaldog]

For CMYK work on an Epson, I'd look at the ColorBurst products.

[Lorenz]

hi afremiotti,

for cmyk proofing with the 7600/9600 i would always go with either

1) efi colorproof xf
2) perfectproof proofmaster
2) cgs oris color tuner

or if quality is more of concern that using a mac a must

4) gmg colorproof

personally i prefer efi's approach. the software is wonderfully integrated. profiling, iterative optimization of results and verifing the results va media wedges is a piece of cake – plus the software can grow when you need more options (fiery, file export, one-bit, etc...). another thing that's amazing is the client-server approach - you can have a mac client using a pc server. a pc client running a pc server - or any combination...

as you mentioned you want to have something in your hands that indicates thta the proof is OK – then go for the color verifier. any job can be set up to: a) print using FOGRA/SWOP (or any other norm) standards, then you can measure these with NO settings or information to be entererd/transfered manually using the color verifier and a label or a short/detailed report can be printed. we have, never, ever have anyone asking whether the proofs are accurate - might sound strange but sinve we have these fancy labels on the proofs no one ever asked abou the colors. peaople just want to believe in certificates* :-)))

proofmaster and colortuner are fine as well – for me the integration of the various tools is not that well done. plus the mac edition is usually some time behind or missing essential functions.

gmg – way of not using icc-profiles (altough the app is very, very well icc-complient) is way cool. unfortunately it's pc-only and the learning curve is quite awsome. plus it's very, very hard to generate calibrations and profiles from scratch. if you can life with "standard" materials: ok. but if you need various "weird" materials or exotic printers/proofs – pass on this one...

hope this helps a bit...

lorenz

* and yes you could print BAD colors and the label on the proof says something like printed by morons, proof failed – whatsoever - people will love the label and take the proof for good :-)))

[afremiotti]

thanks for the info. I am going to look more closely at efi's option since it seems that is actually the newest evolution of Best color proofing system and I was pleased with that when I used to use it. It also seems they already have support for my canon printer as well and I would like to stick with the same software platform. Also nice integration with the x-serve. If you have any tips on getting started or which modules may be useful it is much appreciated.

[Scott Martin]

If you are a photographer looking to do generic SWOP proofs just from images then I would actually consider skipping the complexity of a RIP and consider getting a newer printer and do your proofing with the driver. While a RIP handles lots of complex content from InDesign and Quark files image proofing is very easy. And while a RIP would have lots of controls for tweaking proofs to a specific press generic SWOP/FOGRA/GRACoL proofing is very good from Epson's (and other's) driver. A newer printer would be faster and have newer inks that would lead to less metermism, bronzing and the like.

If you do end up going with a RIP, I agree with Andrew - ColorBurst is a great option for it's simplicity, platform independence (it the only excellent RIP on the Mac) and price.

I would also recommend using a really good proofing paper. I have searched high and low for an excellent inkjet paper for offset press proofing.  There is a whole new generation of very similar proofing papers from EFI, GMG, MidStates Graphics, HP and a few others that look nearly identical to the coated offset house stocks I'm seeing in print shows today. I’ve tested and compared these papers side by side on a variety of printers and have decided that ProofLine Press White is the paper best suited for my clients. It is available in all common sizes and appropriate for photographers, designers, ad agencies and print shops.

This paper isn’t yet available through any online resellers or any retail outlets. ProofLine papers are traditionally only sold through the distribution channels that print shops get their supplies from. I’ve arranged for a distributor to sell this paper direct to my clients at a discount. Email me at scott@on-sight.com if you are interested in their order form.

[nemophoto]

For CMYK work on an Epson, I'd look at the ColorBurst products.
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I have to agree with Andrew on the Colorburst RIPs. In a recent "shootout" of RIPs. Colorburst "won" with the most consistent color output with a Delta E of less than 1 (very good indeed).

[Scott Martin]

In a recent "shootout" of RIPs. Colorburst "won" with the most consistent color output with a Delta E of less than 1 (very good indeed).
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Of course the DIMA fine art and photography RIP shootout didn't include any of the proofing RIPs like GMG and EFI. Fine art printing and proofing are two very different beasts with different needs. GMG is the color geeks RIP of choice for contract proofing but it can be overkill for someone making simple and generic SWOP proofs, for which ColorBurst works so well.

[Mussi_Spectraflow]

I work with Colorproof XF extensively and have to say that it can handle just about anything you throw at it...for a price. However if all your doing is proofing to a single 7600 I would point you towards Colorburst. The software is much more solid than XF and the accuracy is easily comparable(if not better at times). If your doing a lot of work with custom spot colors or have some other requirements I would say that XF may deserve another look.

Julian Mussi
www.spectraflow.com

[afremiotti]

thanks for all your answers, I've decided to go with efi's colorproof xf. My reasoning is that it already offers support for all of my printers and seemed like it would network the easiest allowing us to print from any work station. It also seemed the the best option that would grow in time with the growth of the company.

I realised I should have been a bit more specific in what we do in my original post. While photography is my biggest concern as a photographer, I also own a digital capture company that does a fair amount of retouching and prepress. This is who the RIP is for. If it was only for my photography I could happily have spent the rest of my career printing with the respective printer drivers. If interested you can see our new site at www.burnphoto.com. Mind you it just went live so some of the data is missing.

thanks
Andrea