Proper prepress department lighting....

[FasterMD]

Not sure exactly where to put this question so I'll start here.

Rumor has it my company is going to be moving to a new location soon. Sounds like we'll be completely redesigning an existing space.

The question I need an answer to is this:

<h2>What would your ideal prepress department lighting consist of? Any thoughts on physical layout as well?</h2>

I'm asking for ideas on layout, lighting, location in relation to other departments within the plant, etc. The department will consist of 3-4 technicians, 4 mac workstations, 2 pc workstations, an Epson 4000 proofer and a small HP color laserjet printer, and a DPX poly platemaker.


Any and all leads are greatly appreciated. My main concern is lighting - we've been drowning in fluorescent for long enough!

 

[akalaray]

Re: Proper prepress department lighting....

The biggest thing would be deep parabolic lenses in the fluorescent fixtures. This makes the light shine straight down, with no reflection on the monitors. The bulbs should be 5000k

 

[Bowner]

Re: Proper prepress department lighting....

Hi there,

You should consider a standard 5000 K lighting environment with neutral gray color surrounded.

There are actually GATF requirements for color evaluation and they really comprehensive. I had some materials when preparing for GATF exams and not sure if I still have them. I'll try look for them at home and you can try to search at www.gain.net for now.

As for our case, we are using those cheap individual lights near each workstation and user is up to maintain own preferable lighting conditions. But all intermediate and final color checks are done at booth, the same booth as those ones in pressroom. Maintenance guys from company who sold them are measuring light temperature and replacing bulbs after certain time span. Upper light is always off. Furniture, cabinets and walls are gray.

At my workstation I'm using a set of two Philips spiral fluorescent bulbs, one is yellowish and one bluish (daylight) together which gives me a very close to neutral light, enough to do an adjustment without running to booth. As for my own experience same proofs look way different under sunlight and indoor light

Edited by: Bowner on Jan 21, 2008 4:59 PM

 

[PeterA]

Re: Proper prepress department lighting....

I dont think the lighting should be any diferent than for any other work station unless your are doing colour correction /soft proofing - where I think it is D6500 and colour matching hard copy D5000 (in both cases surround should be grey - as mentioned before)

Peter

 

[Paultheprinter]

Re: Proper prepress department lighting....

Hi there,

we moved to a new unit about five years ago and went for all out daylight tubes in every strip light on the production floor. it was ok for the printers when checking colour ( 2 col 52 and 74 ) as they had no booth to check colour in, But everyone else hated it and complaied about headaches for months/years after. The ironic thing about it was the studio where all the proofs were adjusted for colour with customers had normal tubes throughout. My advice would be to go for a booth to view proofs in under correct conditions and use normal tubes everywhere else. espescially if your studio is the only area which would have colour correct lighting, I think most of the problems was due to people walking under different lighting temperatures from unit to unit. Sorry if this is not what you want to hear but its what happened to us.

Paul

 

[alarson]

Re: Proper prepress department lighting....

Depending on how many bulbs you are looking at putting in, you might want to try full spectrum bulbs (or greenhouse grow lamps) which are not 5000K, but much better than the cool white cheapo ones. Or, take out all the light bulbs completely and put money towards light booths with 5000K.

I think that the wall color in a neutral grey is just as important in perceiving the color. Go with the matte for the battleship theme.

One site I saw put in indirect lighting (hidden tubes of 5000K) that shone down with a scattered light onto the originals, and they had MatchPrint Virtual software running on 30" CinemaDisplays. Very easy on the eyes.

We all like windows, bu the scattered blue light can really mess with our eyes.

When in doubt about the magentas, ask a woman's opinion since they have lots more red cones than us men. (Not a hint of a joke there. )

I find halogen lights have much better pure white light for working under at a desk area, and you will save lots on overhead lights when you turn them off.

I find this thread very enlightening...
Allan Larson
Senior Demonstrator
Graphic Communications Group
Kodak

 

[JRom]

Re: Proper prepress department lighting....

I would go with Industry standard 5000k lighting for your View booths, GTI makes a nice Booth !
Would also use the same brand for your workstation viewers as well.

Don't mix and match, stay consistent with what every you get !

John

 

[neotrog]

Re: Proper prepress department lighting....

From my experience I'd say don't worry about the lights or the paint colors in the room. The artists will usually pull out all the bulbs and work in the pitch freakin' dark. They'll also wear red sweaters with sequins and it's the operator that the display reflects most.

A good viewing booth with proximity to a calibrated monitor like an Eizo with a hood. The rest is almost irrelevant unless you want to mimic the conditions where sign-off will take place.

 

[G_Town]

Re: Proper prepress department lighting....

I find black lights with a few Lava lamps scattered about to be ideal.

 

[alarson]

Re: Proper prepress department lighting....

If you are just looking at trannies and Photoshop, you can get by with no wall paint, etc. Assuming you have a light booth with the right lighting.

Many of our customers using MatchPrint Virtual with either the Cinema display or the Eizo monitors will have a room with controlled lighting during the day, (no sunlight) and away you go.

HOWEVER, if anyone makes decisions on color by looking at any of the following, you should do the neutral grey walls, proper lighting action:
1) Look at Pantone swatches
2) Look at hard proofs on their own...
3) Make color corrections to scans on monitor based on former press sheet.

Or, you could be like a pressman and install the hockey arena potlights...

Now, if you could only get the Photoshop guy to stop wearing the clown costume that sparkles from the reflection of the lava lamp, you have some process control.

Until then, squint, hold your thumb up and move it from side to side slowly a couple times before approval.
AL

 

[G_Town]

Re: Proper prepress department lighting....

"Until then, squint, hold your thumb up and move it from side to side slowly a couple times before approval."


Hey! Just like our pressman!