i1iSis patch width and x-rite's recommendation

[metebalci]

i1iSis has a minimum patch size of 6x6mm, and it is the default in i1Profiler. I have also seen some targets used by ICC profiling services and they are using 6x6mm patches. On the other hand, there is this page at x-rite: Recommended RGB Printer Profiling With i1Profiler which says for the "best" result you can increase patch width 50%, so for i1iSis it would mean 9mm. This page is not particularly for i1iSis and does not mention any device. Does anyone know or have experience that it would clearly result better measurements with i1iSis ?

Mete

[digitaldog]

A slightly larger than minimum patch size is a good idea for reliability of reading, especially if a user unwittingly scales the printing of the target.

[metebalci]

A slightly larger than minimum patch size is a good idea for reliability of reading, especially if a user unwittingly scales the printing of the target.

The chart design document for i1iSis says scaling of +-8% is accepted, but I didnt try anything less than 6mm.

You meant something like 10% ? so 6.6x6.6 ?

[metebalci]

I made a comparison of 6x6mm (1x A3) vs. 9x6mm (2x A3) using iProfiler's 2033 patches (2h after print, I will repeat after 24h). Short-term repeatability of the device is 0.1 DE*94, so if I am reading this report right, there seems to be a considerable difference between the two.

[digitaldog]

The chart design document for i1iSis says scaling of +-8% is accepted, but I didnt try anything less than 6mm.

You meant something like 10% ? so 6.6x6.6 ?

What I mean is:
1. Don't use the minimum (all my targets for customers are larger because there's no benefit to getting too close to a size that can make the unit barf on a target).
2. Some users do not print the targets at exactly 100%, so even with a minimum (which, again, buys nothing useful), if the print is scaled too much, the unit will barf.
3. The 8% fudge factor seems a bit too high based on my experience. I'd say closer to 4-5%. But if the print is scaled too far, the triangles on the sides will be out of whack, and you can't measure them.
4. Unlike an i1 Pro Spectrophotometer, the iSis is very picky about size. Producing a target that produces measurement problems serves no purpose, especially if you are not the person doing the scanning and are sending it back to be scanned by a service. In-house, you can always recreate or reprint a target. If this is a remote operation, scanning issues cost time and money.

[metebalci]

What I mean is:
1. Don't use the minimum (all my targets for customers are larger because there's no benefit to getting too close to a size that can make the unit barf on a target).
2. Some users do not print the targets at exactly 100%, so even with a minimum (which, again, buys nothing useful), if the print is scaled too much, the unit will barf.
3. The 8% fudge factor seems a bit too high based on my experience. I'd say closer to 4-5%. But if the print is scaled too far, the triangles on the sides will be out of whack, and you can't measure them.
4. Unlike an i1 Pro Spectrophotometer, the iSis is very picky about size. Producing a target that produces measurement problems serves no purpose, especially if you are not the person doing the scanning and are sending it back to be scanned by a service. In-house, you can always recreate or reprint a target. If this is a remote operation, scanning issues cost time and money.

OK I see. On a Mac, ColorSync serves the purpose well but it is very strange there is no proper, easy and free option to print targets without any problems on Windows.

Mete

[aaron125]

OK I see. On a Mac, ColorSync serves the purpose well but it is very strange there is no proper, easy and free option to print targets without any problems on Windows.

Mete

There sure is, have you tried the Dry Creek Photo Target Printing App? It works similar to the Adobe app but this one actually adheres to the driver instructions to centre the image on the page, etc. No matter what I’ve tried, the Adobe utility would never allow any targets I print to be centred in the page. Never had any issues whatsoever with the DCP target printing utility. Just google it and you should be able to find it pretty easily. If you can’t, let me know and I’ll send you a copy.

Hope that helps.

[digitaldog]

There sure is, have you tried the Dry Creek Photo Target Printing App?

Windows only. Since the OP mentions the ColorSync utility, it might not be a good fit.
FWIW, the Adobe Color Print Utility continues to work fine on this end and for my customers.