PixelGenius, LLC has added a free ICC profile for the new Epson Stylus® Photo 2880 Printers designed to work with the Epson Exhibition Fiber Paper. The free profiles are available from the PixelGenius web site on this page. This brings the number of free profiles available to 10 including profiles for the R2400, 3/4/7/9800 series as well as the 4/7/9/11880 series printers.

PixelGenius has partnered with Epson America, Inc. in the development of these custom profiles for Exhibition Fiber Paper for use with Epson Stylus® Pro Printers that use UltraChrome K3 Ink™ and UltraChrome K3 Ink™ with Vivid Magenta. In addition PixelGenius has made available useful color management information and instructions on how to create the finest prints.

The profiles are provided “As Is” with no warrantee nor direct tech support from either Epson nor PixelGenius. The profiles have been created and tested by members of PixelGenius and are being provided to the printing community for free as a public service. 

We highly suggest that you visit the Epson Web Site to make sure you’ve downloaded and installed the most current printer driver and firmware for your particular printers.

To use these profiles, you should install them in the correct location for your OS;

Mac OS X: /Library/ColorSync/Profiles (available for all users)
Mac OS X: User/Library/ColorSync/Profiles (available for just this users)

Windows98: C:\Windows\System\Color
Windows XP: C:\Windows\System32\Spool\Drivers\Color
Windows 2000, XP: C:WinNT\ System32\Spool\Drivers\Color
Windows Vista: Right-click on the ICC profile, and choose “Install Profile”

METACOW: A Public-Domain, HighResolution, Fully-Digital, Noise-Free, Metameric, Extended-Dynamic-Range, Spectral Test Target for Imaging System Analysis and Simulation

Geek Alert: the following would really only excite a “color geek”…

Sent in from Greg Barnett of RIT is this info about a geeky color test target from the Munsell Color Science Lab at RIT (that’s Rochester Institute of Technology for those who didn’t attend school there). From the web site:

“Standard, easily accessible, test targets have long served the field of color imaging as a foundation for comparison of the performance of various imaging systems and algorithms and the open and meaningful exchange of research results. This website details the creation and application of a new digital color test target useful for research and development of color imaging systems. The target has several advantages over previous types of targets that include spatial resolution, dynamic range, spectral resolution, metameric properties, lack of noise, and continuous tonal variations. All these features can be important for visual assessment, computational analysis, and colorimetric evaluation. This target, known as METACOW, is freely available to all performing research in color imaging.”

The METACOW test target is available to all for use in imaging system design and evaluation. Since it is such a large image it is not really practical to download, it will be provided on DVD for a nominal $25 media & shipping/handling fee. On this fabulous DVD you get: Many Gigs of Fullsize METACOW Glory, Smaller and Easier to Manage MINIMETACOW, Matlab Source Code for Reading and Rendering METACOW, and Much More.

Or you can download a smaller version (420×600x77) here: Small METACOW Images.

Contact Garrett Johnson or Mark Fairchild for details on how to order your very own METACOW DVD

For a computer, dealing with color is just another math problem. And Microsoft wants to change the way your PC counts.

The company has developed a color space–a way to encode colors as numbers a computer can process–called scRGB. If the company succeeds in getting it to catch on, the technology could help add depth and richness to photos taken with digital cameras and viewed on a computer or TV screen.

Today’s cameras and computers usually employ a color space called sRGB, developed in the 1990s by Microsoft and Hewlett-Packard, that describes colors as a particular combination of red, green, and blue. But sRGB is limited both in the breadth of colors it can display and in the subtlety of the tonal shades that separate bright from dark, and scRGB is designed to lift those limits.

The sRGB goal was to make Web page colors more consistent from one computer to the next, and it succeeded at that, said Bill Crow, who has led Microsoft’s HD Photo effort to improve digital imagery and who has just been named group manager of the company’s Microsoft Live Labs Seadragon imaging effort. But it’s designed to match the performance only of decade-old CRT monitors, which fall short of the spectrum of hues that human eyes can distinguish and that newer monitors can display, he said.

“The challenge of sRGB is that it’s a subset of the total color space. We are discarding colors when we encode…into sRGB,” Crow said. “ScRGB would allow a richer saturated red value…than the sRGB limit for red.”

Read entire story

The profiles are available on the PixelGenius web site for free download. Click here to go to the download page. PixelGenius also posted detailed instructions on the use of the profiles as well as a Profile FAQ page that includes gamut plots of the EFP 11880 printer profile with new Vivid Magenta Inks and Adobe RGB color space.

Profiles are available for:
Epson UltraChrome K3 Ink™ Family of Printers

• Epson Stylus® Photo R2400 Printers
• Epson Stylus® Pro 3800 Printers
• Epson Stylus® Pro 4800 Printers
• Epson Stylus® Pro 7800 Printers
• Epson Stylus® Pro 9800 Printers

Epson UltraChrome K3 Ink™ with Vivid Magenta Family of Printers

• Epson Stylus® Pro 4880 Printers
• Epson Stylus® Pro 7880 Printers
• Epson Stylus® Pro 9880 Printers
• Epson Stylus® Pro 11880 Printers

Adobe just posted a new color management module (CMM) on Adobe.com as a free download at http://www.adobe.com/downloads/. The move is the latest in Adobe’s effort to advance open, vendor-neutral color management systems.

The new Adobe CMM is based on the latest ICC (International Color Consortium) profile format, version 4, and it helps achieve more consistent color workflows across platforms since it enables Windows XP users to also use ICC version 4 profiles. Users can now download the CMM component for their applications that support selection of third-party CMMs, and for custom software built to access Adobe CMM directly.

Press Release: LAS VEGAS, NV – Photo Marketing Association (PMA®) International Trade Show – March 1st, 2007 – X-Rite Incorporated, a global leader and internationally known name in color technology, unveils its dynamic X-Rite i1®Display hardware/software monitor calibration solutions for the growing digital imaging market – including a first-ever look at the latest X-Rite i1Display monitor calibration offering for enthusiasts, X-Rite i1®DisplayLT – at the Photo Marketing Association (PMA®) International Convention Trade Show, March 8 – 11, 2007 in Las Vegas.

The All-New X-Rite i1Display family of products is the result of a merger with fellow world-class color technology developer GretagMacbeth. Visitors to the X-Rite Booth B-191 have an opportunity to explore these enhanced color management display systems where ease-of-use and affordability no longer have to compromise color accuracy and versatility.

All functionality is made user friendly through wizard-driven technology that delivers exceptional color control functionality at breakthrough price points.  With X-Rite i1-Match software, digital imaging enthusiasts as well as social photographers can breeze through calibration processes with a state-of-the-art colorimeter and can upgrade effortlessly as their color management needs expand.  In addition, X-Rite i1Display products come complete with a compact X-Rite i1Display colorimeter for emissive color measurements of LCD, CRT and laptop displays;

• A detachable ambient light head to capture ambient light measurements and to protect against dust and other contaminants;
• A method of easy attachment to both LCD and CRT monitors with built-in counterweight and suction cups; and
• USB powered use at multiple workstations, with no additional licensing fee.

Setting the stage for true-to-life colors from the start, the X-Rite i1DisplayLT delivers an accurately profiled monitor with unrivaled controls so that enthusiasts and other digital imaging prosumers can be sure of precise onscreen color. Features of the entry level X-Rite i1DisplayLT include:

• Gray balance optimization for more neutral and better-defined grays;
• An ambient light check to determine optimal room lighting for color-critical work;
• A profile reminder to ensure true and reliable color over time;
• Push Button Calibration (PBC), X-Rite’s one-step profiling process for industry-leading monitors; and
• Before and after images that highlight instant results.

PMA attendees also can learn first-hand how simple it is to upgrade to the X-Rite i1®Display2. This step-up for the pro-user is an award-winning monitor calibration solution that offers easy- and advance-mode Wizards. It has all the functionality of the X-Rite i1DisplayLT and leverages an enhanced X-Rite i1Display colorimeter sensor to power higher repeatability, faster measurements and higher sensitivity in the dark areas for better control in shadow detail and more neutral gray scale.  The lightweight, sleek design comes with an ambient light head that easily snaps onto the device, also acting as a dust protector. Both display products are excellent choices for the photo and design education market.

Photographers and other digital imaging professionals can learn how to ensure exceptional performance for the most accurate monitor calibration in today’s digital workflow by viewing the X-Rite i1Display2 at PMA 07, which delivers all the benefits of the X-Rite i1DisplayLT plus:

• A Workgroup Match function to ensure excellent color control in collaborative production environments by utilizing reference profiles that match all monitors in a workgroup;
• Unlimited gamma white point and luminance settings including native gamma and measure luminance as targets for superior color balancing; and
• Validation functionality that delivers monitor validation and trending graphs.

As PMA’s marketing research reveals, the photo imaging is growing at a remarkable rate, currently an impressive $87 billion industry worldwide. As this digital market evolves and the creative processes it embodies become streamlined, the demand for accurate, easy to use color solutions across media has increased as well. All X-Rite i1Display products on view at this year’s show were designed to meet these needs, with exceptional and affordable functionality for both the discerning digital imaging enthusiast and the professional.

For The X-Rite i1-Monitor Solutions Brochure,:
http://www.xrite.com/documents/literature/gmb/en/Eye-One_Monitor_Solutions_en.pdf

About X-Rite
(NASDAQ: XRIT) X-Rite, which recently acquired GretagMacbeth, is the global leader in color management, offering hardware, software and services for measuring, formulating and matching color. The company serves a range of industries, including printing, packaging, photography, graphic design, video, automotive, paints, plastics, textiles, dental and medical. X-Rite serves customers worldwide from its offices in Europe, Asia and the Americas.  Visit http://www.xrite.com for more information.

ACE is built into Adobe products and therefore couldn’t be used by non-Adobe products. This project takes a chunk of ACE (the color conversion engine) and packages it for use by applications that support external color management modules using ColorSync on the Mac OS and ICM2/WCS on Windows.

The CMM can be used by applications that support selection of third-party CMMs. It can also be integrated into workflows using custom software to access the CMM APIs. See the Read Me document on Labs and in the CMM download for details.

Adobe intends to provide the final release of the CMM after the prerelease cycle is complete. It will be provided free of charge to users who agree to the licensing terms in the CMM licensing agreement.

Additional information and downloads are available from the Adobe Labs Adobe Color Management Module web page.

Make Your Color Work

The full day seminar will demonstrate how to effectively implement digital color management for the entire workflow, including inputs, displays, editing, proofing and every kind of final output. Dynamic instructors will help participants master best practices and color settings for the latest versions of popular applications, including Adobe Creative Suite 2 and Quark 7. Attendees will learn how to simplify color matching so that their monitor shows what is in the file and their prints match what they see on screen.

Tools You Can Use

Each registrant receives the X-Rite Color Toolkit, equipping them to start applying their color control knowledge immediately. The kit includes the Eye-One Display 2 monitor calibrator and software, our Need to Know: Color manual, a full-color presentation workbook, Color Glossary, reference CD and discounts from event sponsors.

Registration & Available Discounts

For cities and dates, complete agenda and online registration visit http://www.colorwithoutlimits.com or call 888.439.4403 x200 to speak with seminar coordinators and register by phone. The $349 seminar fee includes lunch and the X-Rite Color Toolkit.

10% Early Bird discount is available for online and phone registrations through October 31st using coupon code “CWL2.”Groups of four or more are invited to register by phone for only $250 per attendee. For student discounts or payment by purchase order, please call 888.439.4403 x213.

About X-Rite

X-Rite, which recently acquired GretagMacbeth, is the global leader providing color measurement technology solutions, comprised of hardware, software and services for the verification and communication of color data. X-Rite serves a broad range of industries, including imaging and media, industrial color and appearance, retail color matching and medical. X-Rite serves customers in more than 100 countries from its 21 offices in Europe, Asia and the Americas. Visit www.xrite.com for more information.

NEW FEATURES (5.0.7)

NEW DEVICE DRIVERS
- Eye-One iO SDK version 1.1.0
- Eye-One SDK version 3.3.2

NEW MEASUREMENT MODE FOR THE EYE-ONE iO

The Eye-One iO is now capable of measuring charts that have been predefined / built for the SpectroScan or for the Eye-One. This has been realized through a new automatic spot measurement mode. Since ProfileMaker and MeasureTool will only display those reference file that are relevant for the attached measurement instrument, you will have to manually open the SpectroScan / Eye-One chart that you intend to measure on your Eye-One iO. Please do so by choosing “open” in the reference file list.

NEW MEASUREMENT OPTION FOR THE EYE-ONE / EYE-ONE iO

Both the Eye-One and the Eye-One iO now provide a new measurement mode that allows to reliably measure charts that have been printed with low resolution. This is especially of interest for large format printing as the standard measurement mode of the Eye-One and the Eye-One iO usually leads to error messages on such patches that have been printed in very low resolution. The new “Low Resolution Mode” intelligently avoids these errors.

64 BIT SUPPORT
ProfileMaker 5.0.7 now provides 64 bit-capable measurement device drivers for GretagMacbeth instruments on 64 bit Windows systems.

MAC INTEL PROCESSOR SUPPORT
ProfileMaker 5.0.7 now provides complete support for Mac Intel processors on Mac OS 10.4.6 und higher.

Eye-One DISPLAY LT SUPPORT
The Eye-One Display LT is now supported and recognized by ProfileMaker 5.0.7.

ECI2002
ProfileMaker 5.0.7 now also provides a one-page version of the ECI2002 for the Eye-One.

BUG FIXES

- The A2B2 tag in v4 ICC profiles is now implemented as “mAB” and not any longer as “mBA”.

CONTENT OF THE PROFILEMAKER SOLUTIONS

- ProfileMaker 5 Photostudio
Modules: Monitor, Camera, Output,
Tools: ColorPicker, MeasureTool Basic*, ProfileEditor
*Similar to MeasureTool functionality without dongle

- ProfileMaker 5 Publish
Modules: Scanner, Monitor, Output,
Tools: ColorPicker, MeasureTool Complete, ProfileEditor

- ProfileMaker 5 Publish Plus
Modules: Scanner, Monitor, Output, MultiColor (CMYK+N)
Tools: ColorPicker, MeasureTool Complete, ProfileEditor

- ProfileMaker 5 Packaging
Modules: Scanner, Monitor, Output, MultiColor (CMYK+N), aNy-Color with GOP
Tools: ColorPicker, MeasureTool Complete, ProfileEditor

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:

Apple Macintosh®
- Power Macintosh® G3, G4 or G5
- Mac OS X 10.3 or higher
- 128 MB of available RAM
- 500 MB of available hard-disk space for full program installation
- 17″ or larger color monitor, resolution 1024×768 pixels is recommended
- 24-bit video card
- Safari, Internet Explorer 4.0 (or later) or Netscape Navigator 4.0.1 (or later)

Windows®
- Pentium II or faster processor
- Windows® 2000, XP
- 128 MB of available RAM
- 500 MB of available hard-disk space for full program installation
- 17″ or larger color monitor, resolution 1024×768 pixels is recommended
- 24-bit video card
- Internet Explorer 4.0 or later or Netscape Navigator 4.0.1

Downloads for registered users are available from the ProfileMaker product page under Software/Downloads.

The Major Benefits of the Acquisition Are Expected to Include:
*Creating a global market leader in the color industry
*Accelerating technology innovation
*Building the strongest talent pool in the industry
*Generating significant synergy potential

The combined company expects to achieve approximately US$25 million of annual operating expense savings in connection with the transaction in year three. The company expects to incur cash restructuring costs totaling approximately US$20 million during the first three years. The transaction is expected to be accretive to X-Rite’s cash EPS during year two of the combined operations.

“Our new company combines top notch talent, technology and products in the color industry,” said Michael C. Ferrara, X-Rite CEO. “We expect our expertise, talent and technology to help us expand the global color market through innovation.”

Organization of the Combined Entity:
A strong team of X-Rite and GretagMacbeth executives lead the combined organization. Michael C. Ferrara is the CEO, Thomas J. Vacchiano, Jr. is the President and COO, Mary E. Chowning is the CFO, and Dr. Francis Lamy is the CTO. The X-Rite Board of Directors is now comprised of nine members, including six current directors of X-Rite and three former directors of Amazys Holding AG.

“I am confident that the new X-Rite Board of Directors and senior management team under the leadership of Michael C. Ferrara, CEO, will ensure that X-Rite excels in every aspect of the business. The combined company is poised to lead the future of the color industry and maximize shareholder value,” said John Utley, X-Rite Chairman.

The global headquarters for the combined entity is in Grandville, Michigan, with European Headquarters in Regensdorf, Switzerland, and Asia Pacific Headquarters in Hong Kong. X-Rite will be represented by the new logo that appears on this page, incorporating the core colors of both companies, and symbolizing how our shared values and goals will drive this new company.

About X-Rite:
X-Rite is a global leader offering color measurement technology solutions comprised of hardware, software and services for the verification and communication of color data. The Company serves a broad range of industries, including graphic arts, digital imaging, industrial and retail color matching, and medical, among other industries. X-Rite is global, with 21 offices throughout Europe, Asia, and the Americas, serving customers in 100 countries. Visit www.xrite.com for more information.

ZURICH, Switzerland — Swiss conglomerate Eichhof Holding AG said Friday it’s considering a bid on Amazys Holding AG (and it’s subsidiary GretagMacbeth), which is currently in takeover talks with X-Rite Inc. of the United States.

Amazys, based in Regensdorf, Switzerland, is the second-largest provider of color technology for products in various sectors, ranging from graphic arts, printing and packaging to textiles and automotive.

It ranks behind market leader X-Rite, based in Grandville, Mich. X-Rite shares fell 10 cents to $12.40 in afternoon trading Friday on the Nasdaq Stock Market.

X-Rite launched a takeover offer for Amazys in late January.

Eichhof said it hasn’t determined the exact per-share price of the bid, but said it would be at least 5 Swiss francs ($4) higher than X-Rite’s bid, “which would make it at least 108.80 (Swiss francs),” or about $84.

Both the final price, as well as the decision to go through with the bid, hinge on a due diligence process, it said.

Swiss industrial conglomerate Eichhof also offers color solution management through its U.S.-based subsidiary Datacolor.

Read about the X-Rite Announcement of Agreement to Acquire Amazys Holding AG

It is my pleasure to share with you some exciting news. Today, we are announcing our intent to join forces with X-Rite, also a recognized leader in the color industry.

Combining GretagMacbeth and X-Rite will enable us to unite the best-of-the-best in terms of product innovation, service and support, and talent. Our opportunity to deliver exceptional customer value from this combination increases exponentially. I could not be more thrilled with the prospects that lie ahead.

Combining our R&D, sales and marketing resources will be a major driver for new innovation and growth in the combined company. The joining of the two companies will provide the scale, market reach and talent never before enjoyed in the color management solutions markets.

While X-Rite will acquire the shares of Amazys Holding AG, the parent company of GretagMacbeth, for cash and stock, the spirit of the deal is one of a “merger”. The CEO of X-Rite, Mike Ferrara, will continue as CEO. I will become President and COO of the combined company and intended successor to Michael Ferrara, subject to approval by the Board of Directors. Mary Chowning will have the role as CFO and Francis Lamy will become CTO. We are very excited about having an opportunity to lead in this new situation.

We at GretagMacbeth understand you will have questions about what this means for the GretagMacbeth products and solutions you have come to rely upon. In the short-term, GretagMacbeth and X-Rite will continue to operate as separate companies. We will remain with our own respective products and services, and you will have the same contacts at GretagMacbeth as you do now. We will continue to provide a high level of service and support on existing and future purchases, so you can recommend or purchase GretagMacbeth solutions with confidence.

Following the completion of the transaction, expected in late Spring 2006, we will bring together the best and brightest technologists and marketers from each company to focus on next generation technologies, existing product portfolios and convergence issues. While consolidation naturally occurs when two such organizations unite, I can assure you that decisions will be made in a thoughtful, measured manner keeping all of our stakeholders in mind.

As we keep you informed along the way, we encourage your involvement, and value your thoughts and input. As is our tradition at GretagMacbeth, we will solicit your active participation in our product development cycles based on your area of expertise. We are very excited that Francis Lamy has agreed to be our CTO and chief driver of new technology. As you are probably aware, Francis has been extremely instrumental in bringing our Eye-One technology to market and we anticipate an accelerated rate of new advances under his leadership.

Please feel free to contact any of our marketing or sales managers with any questions or concerns. Details about the announcement may be found on our web site at gretagmacbeth.com/announce .
I would like to thank you for your ongoing support and the opportunity to further demonstrate how truly committed we are to seeing our industry flourish. The best is yet to come!

Sincerely,
Thomas J. Vacchiano Jr.
CEO, GretagMacbeth

ColorThink Pro offers enhancements to 3D color graphing and ICC color profile analysis for Mac OS X and Windows 2000/XP. Also introduced is a ground-breaking Color Worksheet tool for workflow modeling and color analysis, and the new ColorCast profile technology.

ColorThink Pro adds major features to the award-winning ColorThink software toolset. While most tools have been updated and enhanced, the biggest changes are the Color Worksheet, the ColorSmarts Guide and in the Graphing and Profile Inspector tools.

New underlying architecture allows integration across tools, supports up to 10- channel profiles everywhere!

Powerful profile linking. Create device-link and abstract profiles from ANY multi-profile combination. Includes clean-black links.

Revolutionary ColorCast technology modifies existing profiles to have powerful build-in proofing capabilities. Overcome Photoshop limitations for proofing up to 10 channels!”Our ColorThink toolset is used by every major imaging company in the world, as well as color consultants, trainers, prepress technicians and photographers” explained Steve Upton, CHROMiX CEO and President. “As you can imagine, we’ve received a long and varied list of feature requests over the years. ColorThink Pro is the first in a new level of professional-grade tools that offers many of the advanced analysis and trouble-shooting tools that are needed today.”

A color managed workflow involves multiple color conversions using several ICC profiles. If the resulting colors are not satisfactory, it can be difficult and confusing to isolate each color conversion and determine where the problem lies. The Color Worksheet allows the user to lay out the workflow graphically and use images or color measurements to illustrate where the problem lies.

But the Color Worksheet’s utility doesn’t stop there. Any list of profiles (including device, abstract and link types) can be bonded together to create device link abstract or standard device profiles. Linking existing device profiles to other profiles is a radical and powerful new technology called ColorCast that offers solutions to several sticky color problems around today.

ColorCast profiles capture complex color transformations such as proofing a 6-channel press and embed them inside regular workingspace and device profiles which can be used anywhere – see technology announcement for ColorCast, also announced today.

Tying all of this together is the ColorSmarts Guide. A combination automator and teacher, the ColorSmarts Guide is like having a color consultant standing over your shoulder. Select from over 20 tests that are built into the Guide, and it will perform them for you and present the results as a graph, worksheet or delta-E report.

ColorThink’s graphing and profile analysis abilities have been expanded as well. Graphs can now be saved as movies or sessions, and include gridlines and a sectioning tool called the Slicer. The Profile Inspector adds dot gain curves, gamut volume calculation, and ink statistics.

About CHROMiX

CHROMiX was founded in 1998 to provide technical services and products to businesses in content-production industries. We have dedicated our efforts to color management and image fidelity and have combined an excellent suite of tools with many years combined industry experience. We feel we are uniquely qualified to serve our customers. Much of our business takes place in the US but we regularly provide products and services internationally and have customers, dealers and partners in over 95 countries.

Press Release: Copenhagen, November 15, 2005: Danish digital imaging specialists Pixmantec ApS are pleased to announce the immediate release of RawShooter | Color Engine. A plug‐in for both existing and forthcoming RawShooter RAW workflow applications, RawShooter |Color Engine provides discerning photographers with an excellent alternative to the standard RawShooter profiles. Designed in cooperation with color expert Magne Nilsen of ETCETERA Consulting, RawShooter | Color Engine seamlessly integrates into all RawShooter applications. Built using an advanced architecture, RawShooter | Color Engine delivers a level of sophistication that has yet to be seen in DSLR profile management and thus has the potential or exciting enhancements to come.

RawShooter | premium 2006 provides standard colour profiles, for all DSLRs that it supports, that will satisfy most photographers needs. However, color is very subjective and what looks great to one photographer may not be to another photographers’ taste. Hence some photographers may require a different color interpretation than the RawShooter | premium 2006 standard profiles provide. Previously solutions to the problem have been to produce static color profiles but for many this method has been too complicatd to use due to the out of the way location of Windows directories where certain files must be stored. RawShooter | Color Engine is a sophisticated color application that takes this to a new level, allowing the photographer to obtain the ultimate in color matching and accuracy from RawShooter | premium 2006. The plug‐in technology is simple to install, use and maintain, no matter what the skill level of the individual photographer. Users donʹt have to worry about having the latest versions of different profiles, since these are always included inside the latest version of RawShooter | Color Engine.

Pixmantec CEO Kenneth Laerke said “Releasing RawShooter | Color Engine to the market demonstrates our continued commitment to providing the best and most flexible RAW workflow managemet solutions to all levels of photographers. ETCETERA Consulting is regarded within the industry a leading supplier of generic camera profiles for specific conversion prodcts.

Pixmantec CTO Michael Jonsson: “The RawShooter | Color Engine clearly underscores the flexibility of the RawShooter imaging technology and architecture as it demonstrates the apability of supplementing RawShooter with seamlessly integrated add‐on solutions. Offering a compelling alternative color rendition is a significant addition to RawShooter and a token of our devotion to meet istinct demands in a timely fashion.ʺ

RawShooter | Color Engine is priced at $59.00, with a special introductory offer of $49.00 good until November 30th 2005. When new color profiles are added to the RawShooter | Color Engine, existing customers can at any time update to the latest version for $29.00. Initially RawShooter | Color Engine will only function with RawShooter | premium 2006; details of support for RawShooter | essentials 2006 will be announced later.

RawShooter | Color Engine provides color profiles for the following cameras:

• Canon EOS 1D; Canon EOS 1Ds; Canon EOS 1D Mark II; Canon EOS 1Ds Mark II; Canon EOS 1D Mark II N; Canon EOS D30; Canon EOS D60 ; Canon EOS 10D; Canon EOS 20D; Canon EOS 5D; Canon EOS 300D/Digital Rebel/Kiss Digital; Canon EOS 350D/Rebel XT/Kiss Digital N

• NIKON D2X; NIKON D2H; NIKON D50; NIKON D70; NIKON D70S ; NIKON D100

The product is available for immediate download from http://www.pixmantec.com

About ETCETERA Consulting…
ETCETERA Consulting has been involved in creating printer drivers, printer engines, profiles, and color management software since 1988. In 1999 ETCETERA started building a software suite specifically tailored to building color mappings and ICM‐profiles for digital cameras. Most profiling packages available focuses on creating printer and scanner profiles, but digital cameras needed a different kind of solution. Therefore ETCETERA created its own proprietary software and techniques for making profiles for digital cameras. The profiles are of high quality and have a more natural feel and accurate tonal balance compared to computer generated profils since ETCETERA also uses the feedback of experienced and knowledgeable photographers as the final step in tuning the profiles Pixmantec are therefore pleased to have ETCETERA Consulting as our exclusive partner for 3rd party alternate color renditions or the RawShooter product family.

ColorCast technology alters ICC profiles by embedding color transformations into normal ICC device profiles. The result is a profile that is usable with any ICC compatible system but contains complex proofing or modeling transformations.

Photoshop, the CS2 suite, Quark and Freehand don’t support Hexachrome™ or other multicolor printing systems directly. End-users with the need to soft and hard-proof multicolor workflows are faced with the additional expense and confusion of plugins which aren’t available for many of the professional publishing or desktop applications people use.

“ColorCast technology is remarkable because, while there is considerable color wizardry going on under the hood, the resulting profile is still a regular ICC-compatible print, scan, or monitor profile.” explained CHROMiX president and ColorCast creator Steve Upton. “As a result, soft and hard-proofing of multi-color and abstract profiles is now available in ANY application, print driver or RIP that supports ICC profiles.”

Multicolor printing is expanding every year and has seen significant inroads in the packaging industry. One challenge faced by printers is communicating the advantages of multicolor printing to their clients and allowing them to simulate final expected results. ColorCast profiles can be created to capture the effect of a complex multicolor printing system (up to 10 channels) within a client’s working space or printer profile. The client can use the profile in a wide variety of applications to simulate final color. Rendering intent choices select the simulated profile’s intents, allowing full flexibility. The technology can also be applied to input and working space profiles. A digital camera profile could be combined with effect or utility profiles increasing contrast or modeling a film type. Working space profiles can combine with abstract profiles to inherit their abilities and still remain standard profiles supported in Photoshop.

ColorCast technology appears in the ColorThink Pro application (also announced today) and may appear in other applications in the future.

ColorCast contains patent-pending technologies and CHROMiX has engaged the firm of Schwabe, Williamson & Wyatt (www.schwabe.com) as their intellectual property representatives. ColorCast and ColorThink Pro were both announced at the Print05 show in Chicago.

About CHROMiX
CHROMiX was founded in 1998 to provide technical services and products to businesses in content-production industries. We have dedicated our efforts to color management and image fidelity and have combined an excellent suite of tools with many years combined industry experience. We feel we are uniquely qualified to serve our customers. Much of our business takes place in the US but we regularly provide products and services internationally and have customers, dealers and partners in over 95 countries.

Press Release: Minneapolis, MN – Advertisers, agencies and major publishers have reacted favorably to last week’s SWOP certification of CGS Publishing Technologies International’s digital soft proofing system. With solid approvals by the review committee, CGS’ interactive soft proofing system, ORIS Soft Proof, was granted SWOP certification for the 23″ Apple Cinema and the Eizo ColorEdge CG2200 displays.

“SWOP certification of ORIS Soft Proof is an important step. Users can now benefit from a truly integrated soft proof / hard copy proof environment.”
– Lida Jalali Marschke, Color Management Group

The review committee commented favorably on the color quality and gray balance of the ORIS system, which produces color-accurate PDF/X-3 files and distributes them, automatically, to any location in the world. “As print production becomes increasingly global, there is a real need for uniform color in every phase of the process,” said Lida Jalali Marschke, co-founder of the Color Management Group consortium. “Because SWOP is so commonly used in desktop applications, like Adobe Photoshop and Acrobat, SWOP certification of ORIS Soft Proof is an important step in that direction. Users can now benefit from a truly integrated soft proof / hard copy proof environment – both of which can meet SWOP requirements.”

Details of the Certification Process
Both the Apple and Eizo displays were chosen for their color quality and consistency, as well as being preferred by CGS’ major publishing customers. As part of the SWOP certification process, the monitors were calibrated, using GretagMacbeth ProfileMaker and X-Rite MonacoProfiler software.

ORIS Certified Proof was used to measure specific color output from each monitor, to verify that each was capable of achieving the color gamut requirements of the SWOP specification. For visual comparison, a SWOP-certified press sheet was viewed under standard lighting conditions, using a Just Normlicht Image Pro 5000 XL DI viewing booth.

The four-member review committee evaluated both systems on September 29, at a scheduled review session at Arizona State University Polytechnic Campus in Mesa, Arizona. The solid approval of both systems was a consensus decision, based on visual analysis of the display output compared with the SWOP press sheet.

Integrated Soft Proofing Workflow
ORIS Soft Proof differs from other display-based systems, because it is a truly integrated solution. Both hard copy and monitor proofs use the same underlying color management engine. ORIS Soft Proof users have the option to print hard copy, contract-quality proofs at any stage of the process. The PDF-based system uses Adobe Acrobat’s extensive annotation and review tools, which are the de facto standard for digital collaboration.

ORIS Soft Proof PDF/X-3 files are generated automatically by ORIS Color Tuner at the origination site, using an add-on module. The ORIS Soft Proof plugin for Adobe Acrobat is used at the receiving site to verify the proof file, check the color management status and monitor profile, and mark the PDF file as “approved” or “rejected” as a valid soft proof — using a standard Acrobat annotation. The plugin may be distributed free of charge, and the user does not pay a “per-click” or “per-job” fee to view the soft proof.

About SWOP
SWOP (Specifications for Web Offset Publications) is part of IDEAlliance (International Digital Enterprise Alliance), an association of advertising agencies, printers, publishers, and technology partners. The mission of SWOP is to continue to raise the level of publication printing quality by setting forth specifications and tolerances, and by providing specifications for everyone involved in graphic arts workflow. More information can be found on the organization’s web site, www.swop.org.

GretagMacbeth is readying both a new release of Eye-One Match software as well as new hardware for inclusion in certain Eye-One colour management packages.

Eye-One Match v3.3

GretagMacbeth has informed its network of dealers that Eye-One Match v3.3 is slated to ship later this week. The new version adds a simple profile editing module to the Mac and Windows software that’s included with all Eye-One systems. The release of this version will fulfill a promise GretagMacbeth made late last year to weave a profile editor into the software.

Eye-One Match v3.3 is scheduled to be posted for download on the GretagMacbeth web site on October 6, 2005. The profile editing module should automatically be enabled in the new version for anyone who purchased Eye-One Photo, Eye-One Proof or Eye-One XT after mid-December 2004. It will be available as an extra-cost upgrade for owners of an older Eye-One Pro spectrophotometer as well, though this may not coincide with the software’s release.

(Editor’s Note: the Eye-One Match v3.3 update is currently available for download)

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Premium ICC color profiles were specifically created for the Epson Stylus Photo R2400 using X-Rite’s award-winning MonacoPROFILER 4.8 software, the graphic arts industry’s leading color profile engine. X-Rite is currently offering the same bundle for the Epson Stylus Photo R1800 printer, introduced at PMA in February.

“Epson strives to set new standards that enable photographers and digital artists to both express and exceed their vision,” said Patrick Chen, Product Manager, Photo Imaging, Epson America. “X-Rite shares these same values and we are proud to include X-Rite premium ICC profiles for the mutual benefit of our customers.”

“X-Rite and Epson have shared a long, successful partnership and we are delighted once again to offer premium ICC profiles for Epson Stylus Photo R2400 customers,” said William Bieger, X-Rite’s Account Executive, Imaging Products. “Combined with our Complete Guide to Color Management publication and trial version of MonacoEZcolor software, the customer will have the necessary color tools to achieve consistent color fidelity from image to print.”

About X-Rite’s Color Management Solution Bundle for Epson
• Premium ICC Profiles: The Epson Stylus Photo R2400 includes premium ICC profiles created by X-Rite’s MonacoPROFILER 4.8 software, providing users even better quality color prints. Customers will be able to download their premium ICC profiles from the Epson Stylus Photo R2400 webpage on http://www.epson.com.

• The Complete Guide to Color Management: A 48-page publication designed to help users better understand color management. Includes step-by-step instructions for creating a color managed workflow.

• Demo of award-winning MonacoEZcolor software: Try a demo version MonacoEZcolor, an award winning color management application for photographers and graphic designers. The program saves the time, cost and frustration of multiple print jobs by creating custom ICC profiles to compensate for variances in color between input, output and viewing devices.

Pricing and Availability
The Epson Stylus Photo R2400 can be purchased through Epson’s authorized dealers, mail order, resellers, computer superstores and on Epson’s retail Web site at http://www.epson.com.

About the Epson Stylus Photo R2400
The Epson Stylus Photo R2400 driver is enhanced to provide users with exhibit-level color and unprecedented black and white image control. A new “Advanced Black and White Mode” in the driver offers quick toning presets, separate controls for shadow and highlight tonality control, maximum optical density control, reduced gloss differential, and custom tone control. Epson’s proprietary driver and screening technology benefits users by offering a unique and easy method for converting color digital images into professional quality black and white prints without altering the original file.

About the Epson UltraChrome K3 Ink Technology
The Epson UltraChrome K3 ink set is a unique eight-color system designed specifically for professional and fine art photographers and digital artists who seek exhibit-level photo quality. Inspired by Epson’s past generations of pigmented inks, Epson UltraChrome K3 uses higher density pigments to widen the color gamut. In addition to cyan, magenta, yellow, light cyan and light magenta, UltraChrome K3 features a special three-level black ink system that simultaneously uses black, light black and light-light black to create professional neutral and toned black and white prints from a single ink set.

About Epson
Epson offers an extensive array of award-winning image capture and image output products for the consumer, business, photography and graphic arts markets. The company is also a leading supplier of value-added point-of-sale (POS) printers and transaction terminals for the retail market. Founded in 1975, Epson America, Inc. is the U.S. affiliate of Japan-based Seiko Epson Corporation, a global manufacturer and supplier of high-quality technology products that meet customer demands for increased functionality, compactness, systems integration and energy efficiency. Epson America, Inc. is headquartered in Long Beach, Calif.

About X-Rite
X-Rite is a leading provider of color measurement solutions comprised of hardware, software and services for the verification and communication of color data. The Company serves a broad range of industries, including graphic arts, digital imaging, industrial and retail color matching, and medical. X-Rite is global, with 18 offices throughout Europe, Asia, and the Americas, serving customers in over 88 countries.

Press Release: ROCHESTER, N.Y., September 30 – Kodak today announced an agreement with CHROMIX, a new channel partner for distribution and customer support for the award-winning KODAK COLORFLOW Custom Color Tools profile editing software in North America.

CHROMIX was founded in 1998 to provide technical services and products to businesses in content-production industries. They are dedicated to providing solutions for color management and image fidelity. “At CHROMIX, we have worked hard to build a suite of best-in-class color tools for the graphic arts market. We are very pleased to work with Kodak to deliver this award-winning color management software to our customers,” said Steve Upton, President, CHROMIX.

KODAK COLORFLOW Custom Color Tools version 3.1 earned a 2005 GATF InterTech Technology Award for the value it delivers to color management experts, enabling them to optimize the color reproduction of devices equipped with International Color Consortium (ICC) compatible color management. Using the latest version of KODAK COLORFLOW Custom Color Tools, users easily edit and create profiles based on ICC standards to facilitate color matching across an extensive variety of input, display and output devices. The software operates on the MACINTOSH OS as a set of ADOBE PHOTOSHOP plug-ins, allowing profiles to be edited as easily as color correcting an image with the ADOBE PHOTOSHOP Image Adjust tools.

“By using familiar PHOTOSHOP color adjustment tools, KODAK COLORFLOW software is an easy-to-use method of visually tuning ICC profiles in a manner that is consistent with the way prepress, printers and photographers normally operate to adjust the color of any image,” said Doug Goertzen, Worldwide Director, Color Solutions, Kodak’s Graphic Communications Group. “The ease of use helps meet the output requirements of their customers while improving turnaround time and increasing the profitability of their operations.”