Quark vs. Indesign

[JoeatData]

I have an interesting situation here.

A client has supplied me with a PDF that was created from Quark 8.12 along with the native document and links. Most of these photos are quite muddy within the mid-tone/highlight values. This is true with both the PDF and the Quark 8.12 document that was supplied. The native Photoshop files show to be a better quality when opened in Photoshop.

I can place the same exact link into a Indesign CS4 document and have it show something that is more true to what the client is expecting to print. It also shows truer to what I am seeing when I open the link in Photoshop.

I've included a couple of attachments showing what I am seeing. You can see quite a difference between Quark and Indesign. I know Quarks preview doesn't compare to Indesign. But, this is a drastic difference. Again, the same link was placed in both documents at the same size.

When I export to PDF from either document it shows true or close to the same as I am viewing within each document. It's tends to show a "What you see is what you get." from both indesign and Quark.

My question is.....What is Quark-or is Quark doing something to the link to produce a subpar mid-tone/highlight quality? Ok it may not be correct to point the finger at Quark. It is Adobe Indesign and Adobe Photoshop. But, is it possible there's something with the link that Quark doesn't see that Indesign does(the link has no profile attached)? Why such a drastic difference between both these programs?

Any info will be helpful. Thanks in advance

 

[buckeye]

I see that the attachments appear to be grayscale, but are the linked files RGB before going into Quark and InDesign but being converted to different CMYK color spaces? Are you exporting your PDF straight from Quark or distilling a postscript file?

-Erik

 

[dabob]

IMHO . . . its just that quark's on screen displays suck when compared to indesign's . . .

 

[JoeatData]

dabob,
I agree Quark's screen display sucks. But I have proofed both these pages on an Epson proof and you can still see the difference between the Indesign document and the Quark document. The comparison is like the screen captions I have included with the thread.

buckeye,
all the images have been supplied grayscale. I exported to pdf from both Indesign and Quark. The client supplied me a pdf that appears to be a distilled postscript file. Which is what I thought the problem could be at first. So I have done my own tests, I export to pdf I am getting the same flattened result as I am seeing within the preview of Quark.

 

[rich apollo]

sounds like the color management settings in Quark aren't set up optimally.

 

[Drake]

What you're describing sounds like a difference in postscript output. If you define a PDF standard and apply it accross the board at least you know you're being consistent. Quark "shall I say" is a little bit "Quarky" but can still achieve the same results as ID (albeit in a very round-about way)

 

[JoeatData]

rich, the color management settings make sense. I've checked those setting and even changed them. I still haven't been able to produce the same quality that I am seeing or producing with Indesign.

Drake, even though the client initially distilled from a postscript file. I have been exporting with the few tests I've done. Quark has always been known for "Quarky" results with PDF's. I've kept with a standard. Still no luck.

I am planning on trying a few different things at a later time when I get the time. If I figure something out I will post what I find. Thanks for the info so far everyone.

 

[spoocobra]

First thing, why have you not updated to 8.5? Are you using the opi extension in quark? If you want I can go through our quark preferences with you and see if what is different. I just did a quick look and this is our "General Color Settings" also what export settings are you using on Quark? You using Fontwizard? Or Output style? Direct to PDF or making a PS then re-distilling? What are your distiller settings? I am betting it is something to do with your quark settings. I can give you our specific version quark and indesign export to PDF settings that we use and have been using since adobe cs and quark 6, (updated each new version of course). Holler if you have any questions or need anything else.