Kodak Approval, CREO, Matchprint Lazer Proof, Dupont etc...

[ooyooz]

Hello all .. I'm very new at this, I'm a Photographer and i've been using photoshop for quite some time, i never had a clinet asked me to provide a digital proof from a halftone dot proofer.

My question is this, I'm very new at this i do not even know what these mean, what is a digital proofer? is this a software or a printer that they are requireing a hard copy of the final image?

Please let me know or a particular website that you know of that gives better tutorials and info regarding this.

I just started working with advertising directors where i've been getting asked to send digital proofs. does this have anything to do with color profiles/setting?

Thanks in advance.

[clod]

A halftone dot proofer is simply proof that is simulating the dot pattern of the final printed piece (you know about the dots right?...believe it or not some people don't). The digital part means generated from a file, rather than film. Proofers of this type would include: Kodak Approval, Dupont Digital Water Proof, Fuji FinalProof, Imation Matchprint Digital Halftone Proof, Polaroid PolaProof, etc. I suppose you could add to this list an inkjet proofing system that uses 1-bit tiffs to generate a screened proof. Proofs that do not attempt to simulate a dot pattern could be called contone proofs.

I believe what your client is after is a industry trusted, contract quality proof rather than a print off your inkjet...something that is attempting to match the press as accurately as possible. A lot of ad agencies have pretty strict guidelines for supplied proofs...with good reason. But IMO, the "halftone" part is becoming less important as the quality of properly driven inkjet proofs continues to improve. Color-wise, I'd put up a proof off my GMG driven Epson up against any of the above for a better match to press.