I am in a newspaper production department and we are using Windows with CS3 Suite with a ISONewspaper30v4 profile. Our pages are output as .XPS files through Prinergy Evo 5.1 , which is using the ISOnewspaper26v4 profile, outputting as .PDF to our print centre's Goss web offset. Until recently, Evo was using the USWebcoated(SWOP) profile and the colour reproduction wasn't too bad, but since changing to the 26v4 profile, the colours have been very light and clients are starting to complain.
I have 2 questions:
1: Is there a conflict with us using the 30v4, then having the 26v4 profile applied later?
2: Does the Prinergy profile get applied to the whole page on the way out or is it only to objects on the page which haven't that profile applied?
Is there an existing tone reproduction curve being applied to the plate? That could account for the lightness if you change to a newspaper profile for your separations.
In my experience, in the typical newspaper workflow, images are separated to PShop's default settings (the case with the majority of incoming CMYK files/ads etc.) and a tone reproduction curve applied to the plate to deal with dot gain.
So, that does suggest that there is a tone reproduction curve being applied to the plate. And that would account for the lightness you're getting by changing to a newspaper profile for your separations.
You also appear to be using Staccato 36 FM screening. I would assume that at some point in the past, plate curves were created to align the FM screening tone reproduction to your existing AM screening presswork.
My speculation is that your conflict is likely that customers are supplying images separated using the USWebcoated(SWOP) profile which worked fine with your existing plate curve set up. Switching to a newspaper profile for separations is likely creating images that are precompensated for newspaper dot gain. So you are now effectively compensating for dot gain twice - once in the separation profile and then with the plate curves.
You might want to do, for a period of time, an audit of all the files you receive. If the majority are separated to SWOP (more than likely), then stay with plate curves only. You might want to implement a device link profile to manage total area coverage down to what makes sense for newspaper i.e. to SNAP.
On the other hand, if you do the separations for the majority of your work, then you might consider ditching plate curves and switching to using a newsprint specific profile. Then doing reseparations on the few outside images you receive.
Personally I'd stick with the plate curves, SWOP separations and possibly a DVL to harmonize separations to SNAP.
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