Can I use a i1Pro2 Spectrophotometer to measure date in Harmony?

[Benk]

Good Day Everyone,

As you may have noticed, I am throwing myself in at the deep end with the tasks I wish to accomplish. My query today concerns the creation of calibration curves.

Our workflow is very basic and heavily relies on old school visual adjustment at the time of printing. This is mainly due to the refusal of our print operators to embrace the technology that is already available.

Having recently discovered that I have all the tools at my disposal to calibrate our presses I am now on a steep learning curve to bring our presses up to date.

My question today is:

Can I use a i1Pro2 Spectrophotometer to measure date in Harmony? Or do I need a densitometer? I have looked in the harmony preferences but my spectrophotometer is not listed. It could be that our version of Harmony is too old.

I would greatly appreciate some direction from anyone who has experience in this area.

Have a wonderful day

Ben

 

[arossetti]

Does Harmony list the i1Pro (the first edition) as being supported? I've found that any software that took readings from my i1 will work with my i12 in M0 measurement mode.

 

[gordo]

Good Day Everyone,

As you may have noticed, I am throwing myself in at the deep end with the tasks I wish to accomplish. My query today concerns the creation of calibration curves.

OK. I assume you mean tone reproduction curves.

Our workflow is very basic and heavily relies on old school visual adjustment at the time of printing. This is mainly due to the refusal of our print operators to embrace the technology that is already available.

Or maybe not.

Having recently discovered that I have all the tools at my disposal to calibrate our presses I am now on a steep learning curve to bring our presses up to date.

What do you mean by "calibrate?"

My question today is:

Can I use a i1Pro2 Spectrophotometer to measure date in Harmony? Or do I need a densitometer? I have looked in the harmony preferences but my spectrophotometer is not listed. It could be that our version of Harmony is too old.

I would greatly appreciate some direction from anyone who has experience in this area.

This may be completely out of date but when I was at Creo/Kodak there wasn't any development anticipated for Harmony software. But things may have changed since I left.
Harmony was a 2D tone reproduction curve generator.
Basically you needed a target tone reproduction curve (i.e. the tone values you wanted on press from your in-file requested tones)
You needed the on press tone values resulting from your non-linearized plates run at optimal ink densities (the "current curve")
Harmony would then calculate the tone reproduction compensation curve to bring the current curve to align with the target curve.
Typically the data is coming from a densitometer (2D data) because Harmony can't use spectral (3D data)

 

[gig0]

Basically you needed a target tone reproduction curve (i.e. the tone values you wanted on press from your in-file requested tones)
You needed the on press tone values resulting from your non-linearized plates run at optimal ink densities (the "current curve")
Harmony would then calculate the tone reproduction compensation curve to bring the current curve to align with the target curve.

Exactly. The end result is the calibration curve which would then be linked to the various plate exposure process templates.


As far as the i1 is concerned, you would need third party software to get the readings from press (150 line uncoated, 175 line coated, etc.) and then import that data into the Harmony. We didn't use an i1 but that's pretty much how it worked for us. But don't forget, your proofers will need to be aligned as well.

If you feel you're in over your head, talk to your ink vendor. They should be more than willing to send out a color expert to get you into alignment for free, or at least at a discount.

 

[Benk]

Thank you for all of the advice. Sure, the whole process is a bit daunting but I like a challenge. I have another question though. What target file should I use? Or should I created my own?

 

[gordo]

Thank you for all of the advice. Sure, the whole process is a bit daunting but I like a challenge. I have another question though. What target file should I use? Or should I created my own?

What do you mean by "target file?"

 

[gig0]

I think he means using something like the P2P targets for readings along with a bunch of color bars and gray balance images on the press sheet?

 

[Stephen Marsh]

This may be completely out of date but when I was at Creo/Kodak there wasn't any development anticipated for Harmony software. But things may have changed since I left.
Harmony was a 2D tone reproduction curve generator.

I believe that is correct Gordo, the curve creation features of Harmony have been incorporated into Kodak ColorFlow, which comes with Prinergy. Adding the Pro license upgrade to ColorFlow would also enable the creation of ICC profiles and DeviceLink profiles. Rather than having separate tools for tonal and colorimetric work, Kodak now offer one tool that does it all.


Stephen Marsh

 

[gig0]

Colorflow is an optional expensive license with Prinergy, fyi. It's just not activated in the base install. But I digress, you don't need Colorflow to build calibration curves. It just doesn't sound like OP has that option.

 

[Stephen Marsh]

Colorflow is an optional expensive license with Prinergy, fyi. It's just not activated in the base install. But I digress, you don't need Colorflow to build calibration curves. It just doesn't sound like OP has that option.

ColorFlow *Pro* is an optional paid license, I believe the base ColorFlow comes bundled with Prinergy Connect and is not a paid extra (not sure about Evo though). Agreed, I was replying directly to Gordo, not the OP.

http://graphics.kodak.be/KodakGCG/KodakGCGPages/EmptyTemplate.aspx?id=4294982598

IT'S IN THE BOX!

Did you know KODAK Prinergy Workflow includes ColorFlow Software? That's right - ColorFlow Workflow Edition is built right into your workflow so you already have a powerful color tool that will allow you to:

Centrally manage your color consistency
Build gray balance press alignment curves to specifications
Improve your consistency with ColorFlow Software Reports
Simplify your operations with quick and easy editing tools

Stephen Marsh

 

[gig0]

Gotcha. I can confirm it doesn't come bundled with EVO. Based on OP's comments, it didn't sound like he had the full blown Prinergy tools available at his disposal.

 

[Benk]

Yes, that is the kind of target file I need. We are using SWOP Coated standards so does that mean I should use a swop target file?

I have another question to you all. We have always used the swop standard. No though, we have newer digital presses that run alongside our offset presses. I wish to maintain colour consistency across all our printing presses regardless of the technology.

Should I employ a different standard?