CMYK in Frame

[Jacob Schäffer]

Hi Scott,

When you work with images in Framemaker on Windows and import image formats that resemble RAW image CMYK data (such as CMYK TIFF or CMYK JPEG) you *will* experience a loss in color fidelity because Framemaker on Windows can't use bitmapped CMYK data directly. However, FM can *read* the RAW CMYK data and convert them to some RGB or sRGB format Windows GDI (or GDI+) can use downstream, i.e. for display and print.

Unfortunately CMYK -> RGB conversion is lossy in regard to color fidelity because of gamut limitations in the CMYK color space (reflective colors depend a lot on paper quality, light temperature etc.). Therefore, Framemaker on Windows try to do something reasonable with such CMYK input (i.e. it basically uses canonical CMY -> RGB conversion with the addition of a reasonable, but less intelligent "guess" of what to do with the K component -- NOT at all comparable to "true" color management based CMYK -> RGB transforms, but *reasonable* yet not "good enough").

EPS *without* PostScript color management or PDF directly saved from Photoshop does NOT suffer. Hence, EPS or PDF are preferred formats for CMYK image data. PDF is overall preferred *unless* you need duotone images, which Framemaer does NOT support in PDF format at all -- au contraire to the FM documentation.

To make a long story short: Save CMYK images as not color managed EPS or PDF directly from Photoshop. PDF is preferred because of file sizes and because PDF performs A LOT better with screen preview, screen redraw speed and printing speed than EPS.

WARNING: Framemaker does NOT support some SPOT color definitions in PDF, so *IF* you use SPOT colors with imported artwork or images then use EPS instead.

For some aged, but still relevant, additional info, please see http://www.grafikhuset.net/publipdf/whitepaper_difficult_pdf_documents.html


Best regards / Med venlig hilsen
Jacob Schäffer  |  Chief Developer
Grafikhuset
Paradis Allé 22, Ramløse
DK-3200 Helsinge, Denmark
Phone: +45 4439 4400
Email: js at grafikhuset.dk
Web: www.grafikhuset.net



> -----Oprindelig meddelelse-----
> Fra: framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com 
> [mailto:framers-bounces at lists.frameusers.com] På vegne af Scott White
> Sendt: 9. oktober 2008 18:20
> Til: framers List
> Emne: CMYK in Frame
> 
> 
> I know this has been covered many times before, but I need a 
> refresher  
> in regards to cmyk .tif or eps images are brought into Frame 
> on the PC. I believe the color shifts when the image is 
> imported and then looks  
> like an rgb image. When you print to file and distill the image, it  
> doesn't carry over the cmyk properties but comes out as rgb. 
> The file then needs to be manipulated to print cmyk. EPS seem 
> to play  
> better with Frame than tif in regards to color?
> 
> On the mac there is no problem.
> 
> I usually deal with grayscale here, but I need the best way 
> to explain  
> to a PC Frame client why they are seeing what they are seeing. Any  
> help would be appreciate.
> 
> Frame in Classic/Frame 7.2 on Windows XP.
> 
> 
> Scott White
> Media Production Manager
> Implementation Coordinator
> 210-704-8239
> swhite at alamark.com
> 
> 
> 
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