Do your proofs match right on??

[mrseang]

I want to setup and Icc profile for our HP 5500 to do proofs.
Also, want to setup an icc for our konica c500 digital color if possible.
The color bounces a little, so I dont know on the c500.
Where do I start. We use poly and film.
Just want to set up a profile for 1 press. Ryobi 3302 2 color (we do 4 color on too).

We want something that is solid. Does anyones proofs match right on most of the time? Ours is close...but on high end jobs it's sometimes a guess between our c500 proofs we send out most of the time. If it's critical we do a press proof, have pms colors or a sample. But, if we don't do any of these, get a file uploaded to our site, do a c500 proof. It's close....but sometimes it's off a bit.
Too light or too dark...I understand it can be many things. ie, c500 calibration, film or poly calibration, etc. Our film and poly hold for weeks at a time....c500 hour by hour. The machine's colors are known to bounce. Hence the Hp 5500 icc question.
Thanks...

[ddbray]

The best solution for ink jet proofing to press match is GMG running an Epson 9800 setup to G7 standards using the Gracol data set as a press match. The HP5500 just will not cut it. Yes you can get close with an HP5500 but it will drift and you have to chase it (Calibrate it) a couple times aday. The epson technology is very stable and you will only need to calibrate once a week just to establish a base line and then you will see any issues as soon as they creep up which is not very often.

[stargate]

Yes. Using gmg also.

Derek

[Mickyj07]

You may want to hire a color consultant if you aren't familiar with creating a press profile. We started by making an ICC from the press itself, then create another one for the proofer and the type of paper we used for it. It's solid, and maintains it's accuracy for a good month before needing recalibrating, and even then, we are only a couple delta E's off from the original calibrations. If you do decide to get a consultant, try Prestia Color Consulting.

[Nicolas]

First thing to do is to evaluate if the color space that you'd like to match fits "into" the gamut of the proofing system by using a 3D color space viewing tool. If it fits into: Matching by "numbers" is easy - visual matching might be a different story, since our human eye is unluckily working a "bit" different as a spectrophotometer.

[hangdog]

(whats GMG?)

[stargate]

Look here:
Welcome to GMG GmbH & Co. KG : Products

GMG ColorProof is the most accurate way of calibrating digital inkjet proofing engines to produce digital contract color proofs, precisely matched to the printing press. They won many IPA shootouts and that's why I picked them after 9 months of testing all the systems available today. I bought it in April and I am very happy with it.

[hangdog]

how much was it? i'm almost afraid to ask...

[stargate]

As with every system it depends on the width of the printer and how many printers you want to control. GMG supports up to 3 44" printer per one dongle. Let me tell you that the price to drive 3 printers is half what it cost to get ICC module for my Rampage rip. I did not know that before I bought Rampage ICC module and I was struggling with keeping it to match my Fuji FinalProof and presses. The problem with ICC based system like Rampage is that you cannot re-linearize printer when it drifts away. Every printer will drift away and I had to make another profile from the scratch etc. Now gmg color match is superb. It comes with lots of profiles already made in the box for gmg media which is as good as it gets. Easy to re-calibrate, just 2-3 clicks...with Epsons or fully automated with HP Zxxxx series - at night when I sleep! I could never do it with any other rip. You just program it to re-linearize itself at 3 AM and that's that. I come to work next day and printer is ready. Anyway - gmg has price structure based on printer size. To drive Epson 4800 will cost you around $2500. It's not much for you you get. Like cars - there is a KIA and there is a Mercedes. Well, actually it's more like the BMW as GMG and BMW is from Bavaria (Germany). Trust me that you will get BMW performance with gmg. If you really want to know prices look here:
GMG USA
If you are really interested PM me and I will tell you my research story. I tested EFI, BlackMagic, CGS, Dupont Chromanet and GMG. I picked gmg. You know what? My regular dealer that I buy all prepress things doesn't sell gmg. I went against his advice to buy CGS or EFI that he sells. I am very happy. GMG support is great but once the system is setup you don't really need it. Just one last thing - you have to get someone to install this for you because gmg is the most powerful system out there today and it has many options that you may not figure it out on you own. I did install it on my own but I really wanted to learn (my dealer does not sell and support) and I put the time to do it.

One more thing - HP 5500 is NOT the best printer for consistent color. I have one and I was not able to keep it the same. You should consider Epson 9800, 7800, 4800 or even better 4880, 7880, 9880 or HP Z2100 or HP Z3100.

Derek

[odmike]

Is anybody using Monaco Platinum profiler to make your profiles?