Mike Chaney's Tech Corner

http://www.ddisoftware.com/prism

v8.42    Aug 5, 2014    v8.42 includes the following:

    - Better handling of out-of-gamut colors for printer profiles increases performance on all papers but most notably matte papers.
    - Includes a new data file for most recent PP-included color target (R130730-ddi) derived with our in-house spectrophotometer.

Mike

Hello Mike.

The printed test results of 8.42 look very good.

Incidently a few days ago a visitor with a good critical eye compared my test prints of 8.0, 8.1, 8.3, 8.4 and 8.41. 8.41 was quickly deemed to produce the most realistic colours.

This morning I foolishly put the IT8 on a cushion while I fetched something from another room. When I came back my cat was sitting on the IT8!

There's now about 5 small creases in the IT8. Is this likely to effect results? If so, how do I go about purchasing a new IT8?

Thanks    

Regards

Peter

Hi Peter,
I think it's time for a new one - bad cat!  :o
You can order a new IT 8 target from Mike which will mean you can use his calibration of it rather than the Wolf-Faust version; Mike said:-
"Includes a new data file for most recent PP-included color target (R130730-ddi) derived with our in-house spectrophotometer."
Alternatively one can be ordered directly from Wolf-Faust http://www.targets.coloraid.de/ (http://www.targets.coloraid.de/)
Terry

I can vouch for what Terry says, first hand.
I had an old, presumably, faded target. Mike deemed it 12 years old from the charge number.
So I got a new target, and I have the new ddi created file that goes with it.

I was a staunch supported of 8.41... still am, but 8.42 is a truer color with the Wolf Faust file or the ddi file.

I have a full envelope of test prints and lay them out under the Ott light... Some change is barely noticeable, and some changes are readily visible.
The most noticeable is the Matte paper improvement in the red family.

Fred
 

Thanks for your comments Terry and Fred.

I'll order a new target card from Mike immediately.

Fred: no file name transfer button in PP yet!

Regards

Peter

I mentioned that I screw up 50% of the time, forgetting to fix the name.
He said he will have a look after he gets the new PP working perfectly.
After making so many new profiles, I was able to see what MY problem was.
I was setting the new file name and new descriptor and then recalling the previous profile job with all the corner brackets in place.
Whammo! The filename and descriptor went back to the original settings.
So I had to train myself to recall first and rename second.

Fred

Thanks for following up Fred.

Yes, I use the recall feature when I'm repeating a profile generation form with a previous reference scan TIFF. Recall then edit!

However when doing a completely new scan I have the reference scan TIFF named with a fully descriptive title including date.

Hence my request.

Cheers

Peter 

Hi, Terry, Fred,

I have not profiled for a while, nor ordered a new target.

Please explain this statement "Mike which will mean you can use his calibration of it rather than the Wolf-Faust version"

From memory, the two targets I received (a few years ago, and a few years apart), were only the Hard Copy,
where does Mikes Calibration come into it?

Cheers

Daniel

H Daniel
See screen shot attached.
Where you specify the IT8 reference number, it actually points a a txt file that calibrates that particular target to  a more accurate colour. Most of those in the list have calibration data from the supplier Wolf-Faust but as you see from the screen shot, the last in the list has been calibrated by Mike with his new spectrophotometer. These targets are produced in batches so each batch (reference number) are reckoned to be identical therefore only one needs to be calibrated.
I hope that helps.
Terry

Hi Daniel!

Years ago, in the beginning, (sounds like some  book I read a long time ago), there was the paper  target followed by a Q Kodak target.
Then came the IT-8 with many many more patches for accuracy.
These It-8 targets come with small .TXT files which have the same number as the Target. These text files tweak the IT-8 for accuracy.

Mike's latest batch of IT-8 targets are from a batch that carries the (R130730) Charge number. It naturally and usually comes with a TXT file with the same number that should show in the Profile Prism working window.  This is for accuracy.
Mike has a Spectrophotometer ( a big word for rectal thermometer) which adds perfection to the TXT file that comes with the target.
This will be an R130730.ddi.txt file which he will supply with any target purchased from this batch and subsequent batches of targets.
That's the story

Fred

Sorry to hear about the IT8 with catch scratch fever.  Never heard of that on an IT8 but probably best to get a new one as you did.  ;)

Mike

That cat showed its true colors.!

Fred

Until then the IT8 was in pristine condition: carefully stored flat and in a cool dark place.

What amazed me was that the cat still expected a meal that evening!

Just out of curiosity Mike, how much different were the values you read with your spectrophotometer versus the values supplied by Wolf-Faust?  Do you think that a ColorMunki would be up to the task of spot-reading patches from an IT-8?  My original from you is getting pretty old and scratched up, but I acquired a couple from stuff packaged with old AGFA flatbed scanners that are in near pristeen condition.  Being at least 15 years old, (although stored in a cool, dark place) I question whether the data files for them are still accurate.

The data files are comparable and they produce very similar profiles.  Overall, mine reads a bit darker, perhaps because I used a darker backing when measuring.

The ColorMunki is up to the task (accurate enough).  The only problem with that device is the 8mm eye hole.  That's the same size as the color patches on the IT8 so each patch has to be measured with absolute precision.  Even a half millimeter off and you're measuring part of a different patch than the one you intended.

Mike

Hello Mike.

I'm eagerly awaiting the new IT8 as I'm involved in a project that would benefit from it.

Was the replacement IT8 sent by air or surface mail?

Thanks

Peter

How did you request shipping? Did you send extra money for expedited shipping ?

Even surface mail goes by air... they just dont rush it or promise a special day.
Fred

They are all shipped USPS Air Mail.  It's been more than the usual 10 days now so I suspect it is getting very close to delivery.  All packages have a customs declaration and must pass through customs though, so that can add a day or two in some cases.

Regards,
Mike

Received today via courier.

Now to keep the cat away from it!

Regards