Linearization in

Fiery proServer and Fiery XF

Wide Format Series

Kerry Moloney John Nate

Product Marketing Manager – Fiery Wide Format Educational Architect and Trainer – Fiery Wide Format
Session overview
• Linearizations really are the foundation of great ICC color
profiles
• Great ICC profiles deliver the most accurate color matches
regardless off your chosen printers, inks and substrates
• Creating custom color files for all your printer, ink and
substrate combinations is a reality
• This session guides you through the linearization process and
best practices to create the best color output for your
customers
• Take a poll...

2
After this webinar, you will be able to…

• understand the importance of color calibration.

• understand the different types of drivers available.
• select the best driver available.
• create custom calibration files specifically for your inks and
substrates.

3
Your color toolkit
What do you have available

4
The EFI solution

• Built-in capability
– Create Base Linearization

5
 Fiery XF color options
Basic Color Tools options

Color Profiler options 6

What is linearization?
Why is it important?

7
Linearization = calibration

8
Linearization = calibration
• Per channel ink limits

9
Linearization = calibration
• Per channel ink limits
Wet
92%
No additional saturation
89%
No additional saturation
96%
Wet
81%
10
Linearization = calibration
• Per channel ink limits
• Per channel linearity
Non-Linear 75%

25% Non-Linear

25% 50% 75%

Linear
11
Linearization = calibration
• Per channel ink limits
• Per channel linearity
• Total ink limit
No darker

280% 290% 300% 310% 320% 330% 340% 350% 360% 370% 380% 390% 400%

12
Linearization = calibration
• Per channel ink limits
• Per channel linearity
• Total ink limit
No darker

280% 290% 300% 310% 320% 330% 340% 350% 360% 370% 380% 390% 400%
TIL

13
Linearization = calibration
• Per channel ink limits
• Per channel linearity
• Total ink limit
No darker

280% 290% 300% 310% 320% 330% 340% 350% 360% 370% 380% 390% 400%
TIL

Wet

280% 290% 300% 310% 320% 330% 340% 350% 360% 370% 380% 390% 400%

14
Linearization = calibration
• Per channel ink limits
• Per channel linearity
• Total ink limit
No darker

280% 290% 300% 310% 320% 330% 340% 350% 360% 370% 380% 390% 400%
TIL

Wet

280% 290% 300% 310% 320% 330% 340% 350% 360% 370% 380% 390% 400%
TIL
15
Linearization = calibration
• Per channel ink limits
• Per channel linearity
• Total ink limit
• Acceptable gray balance

Poor gray balance

Good gray balance 16

CT, HT, RGB drivers
• Not all printers support all drivers
• Manufacturer dependent
• Contone (CT) is the default driver, if available

17
 18
MFG

MFG
EFI
EFI

Screening
4+
3
4
4

# of Ripped Channels
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X

Optimization Possible
CT, HT, RGB drivers

Re-linearization Possible
X
X
Control over Light Inks
X
Control over Black

X
X
X
Channel

X
X
Easy Linearization

RGB
EFI+
HT
CT
 19
MFG

MFG
EFI
EFI

Screening
4+
3
4
4

# of Ripped Channels
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X

Optimization Possible
CT, HT, RGB drivers

Re-linearization Possible
X
X
Control over Light Inks
X
Control over Black

X
X
Channel

X
X
Easy Linearization

RGB
EFI+
HT
CT
 20
MFG

MFG
EFI
EFI

Screening
4+
3
4
4

# of Ripped Channels
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X

Optimization Possible
CT, HT, RGB drivers

Re-linearization Possible
X
Control over Light Inks
X
Control over Black

X
X
Channel

X
X
Easy Linearization

RGB
EFI+
HT
CT
 21
MFG

MFG
EFI
EFI

Screening
4+
3
4
4

# of Ripped Channels
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X

Optimization Possible
CT, HT, RGB drivers

Re-linearization Possible
X
Control over Light Inks
X
Control over Black

X
X
Channel

X
X
Easy Linearization

RGB
EFI+
HT
CT
 22
MFG

MFG
EFI
EFI

Screening
4+
3
4
4

# of Ripped Channels
X
X
X
X
X
X
X
X

Optimization Possible
CT, HT, RGB drivers

Re-linearization Possible
X
Control over Light Inks
X
Control over Black

X
X
Channel

X
X
Easy Linearization

RGB
EFI+
HT
CT
 23
MFG

MFG
EFI
EFI

Screening
4+
3
4
4

# of Ripped Channels
X
X
X
X
X
X
X

Optimization Possible
CT, HT, RGB drivers

Re-linearization Possible
X
Control over Light Inks
X
Control over Black

X
X
Channel

X
X
Easy Linearization

RGB
EFI+
HT
CT
 24
MFG

MFG
EFI
EFI

Screening
4+
3
4
4

# of Ripped Channels
X
X
X
X
X
X

Optimization Possible
CT, HT, RGB drivers

Re-linearization Possible
X
Control over Light Inks
X
Control over Black

X
X
Channel

X
X
Easy Linearization

RGB
EFI+
HT
CT
 25
MFG

MFG
EFI
EFI

Screening
4+
3
4
4

# of Ripped Channels
X
X
X
X
X
X

Optimization Possible
CT, HT, RGB drivers

Re-linearization Possible
X
Control over Light Inks
X
Control over Black

X
X
Channel

X
X
Easy Linearization

RGB
EFI+
HT
CT
 26
MFG

MFG
EFI
EFI

Screening
4+
3
4
4

# of Ripped Channels
X
X
X
X
X
X

Optimization Possible
CT, HT, RGB drivers

Re-linearization Possible
X
Control over Light Inks
X
Control over Black

X
X
Channel

X
X
Easy Linearization

RGB
EFI+
HT
CT
For maximum ink...
• Epson
– Premium Semimatte Photo Paper
– Epson Proofing Paper White Semimatte
• HP
– HP ID Photo Gloss
• Canon
– Special 5 – Gloss
– Special 10 - Matte

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Contone drivers
• Settings
VERY important

28
Contone drivers
• Per-channel ink limits

29
Contone drivers
• Per-channel ink limits - advanced
If a reference
profile is not
selected, ISO will
be used by default

30
Contone drivers
• Per-channel linearity

31
Contone drivers
• Per-channel linearity - advanced
Normally no
adjustment
needed

32
Contone drivers
• Total ink limit
If printed target is
wet, reduce this
value and reprint

33
Contone drivers
• Quality control
Measured values
are saved into the
header of the file
and used as target
values for re-
linearization

34
Contone drivers
• Summary and save
Option to modify
name that will
appear in drop-
down menu on
Media tab within
Fiery XF

35
 36
MFG

MFG
EFI
EFI

Screening
4+
3
4
4

# of Ripped Channels
X
X
X
X

Optimization Possible
CT, HT, RGB drivers

Re-linearization Possible
Control over Light Inks
X
Control over Black

X
Channel

X
Easy Linearization

EFI WF

RGB
HT
CT
 37
MFG

MFG
EFI
EFI

Screening
4+
3
4
4

# of Ripped Channels
X

Optimization Possible
CT, HT, RGB drivers

Re-linearization Possible
Control over Light Inks
Control over Black

X
Channel

X
Easy Linearization

EFI WF

RGB
HT
CT
Halftone drivers
• Settings
Not as important
as when using the
CT driver

38
Halftone drivers
• Settings - advanced
Used to reduce
the amount of
light ink added to
normal inks at the
100% levels

39
Halftone drivers
• Per-channel ink limits

40
Halftone drivers
• Per-channel ink limits - advanced

41
Halftone drivers
• Per-channel linearity

42
Halftone drivers
• Per-channel linearity - advanced
Used to modify
where normal ink
begins to be
introduced and
light ink begins to
be reduced

43
Halftone+ drivers
• Settings

44
Halftone+ drivers
• Per-channel ink limits

45
Halftone+ drivers
• Per-channel ink limits - advanced

46
Halftone+ drivers
• Per-channel linearity

47
Linearization & gray balance
• DO NOT expect a match between K & CMY rows
• Expect “evenness”

48
 49
MFG

MFG
EFI
EFI

Screening
4+
3
4
4

# of Ripped Channels
Optimization Possible
CT, HT, RGB drivers

Re-linearization Possible
Control over Light Inks
Control over Black
Channel
Easy Linearization

EFI WF

RGB
HT
CT
RGB drivers
• Settings

50
RGB drivers
• Quality control

51
 52
MFG

MFG
EFI
EFI

Screening
4+
3
4
4

# of Ripped Channels
Optimization Possible
CT, HT, RGB drivers

Re-linearization Possible
Control over Light Inks
Control over Black
Channel
Easy Linearization

EFI WF

RGB
HT
CT
Driver usage
• CT
– Continuous-tone proofing
• HT
– Use of special media (e.g. Clear Film, Newspaper)
– Halftone proofing (one-bit files/screened contone files)
• RGB
– RGB photo printing

53
VUTEk, Matan, & Reggiani linearization
• The same theory…
• Some visual targets
• Additional controls

54
VUTEk, Matan, & Reggiani linearization

55
VUTEk, Matan, & Reggiani linearization
Use caution
when
modifying
values. Do
not use them
to try to
reduce ink
consumption.

56
 VUTEk, Matan, & Reggiani linearization

Pre-ink limits are only useful if your printer/media combination cannot handle
the full amount of inks, and bleeding, mottling, or drastic ink thickness effects
can be seen on your primary color gradations.

57
VUTEk, Matan, & Reggiani linearization

Unlock icon,
used to
modify ink
limits
individually

58
VUTEk & Matan linearization
• Advanced limits (medium light inks)

59
VUTEk & Matan linearization
• Advanced limits (medium light inks)
Select a value
where you can
just detect that
the hexagon is
visible.

60
VUTEk & Matan linearization
• Advanced limits (medium light inks)

61
Reggiani linearization
• New Advanced Ink Limit charts

62
Reggiani linearization
• New Advanced Ink Limit charts

Select a value
where the small
extensions are not
filling in

63
VUTEk, Matan, & Reggiani Linearization

64
VUTEk, Matan, & Reggiani recommendations

• Never touch the 200% or the 300% values

– Step back and lower your primary ink limits
– If you must…
• 200% - Never lower than 190%
• 300% - Never lower than 285%

• Only adjust the 400%

– NEVER go below 360%
– Step back and lower your primary ink limits
65
 5% to 15% ink reduction = large gamut impact!

L*=65
L*= 65.00

L*=40
L*= 40.00

L*=25 L*= 25.00

80 80 80

60 60 60

40 40 40

20 20 20
b*

b*

b*
0 0 0

-20 -20 -20

-40 -40 -40

-60 -40 -20 0 20 40 60 -60 -40 -20 0 20 40 60 -60 -40 -20 0 20 40 60

a* a* a*

66
No ink limits

67
15% ink reduction

68
Ink reduction comparison
48

46

44

42

40

38

36

34

32

30
L *

28

26

24

22

20

18

16

14

12

10

137 150 162 175 187 200 203 209 215 222 228 234 240 247 253 259 265 272 278 284 291 297

[% ]

69
VUTEk, Matan, & Reggiani linearization
• Optional Gray Balance step
– Average Delta C < 2.0

70
VUTEk, Matan, & Reggiani linearization

71
White ink linearization
• Two methods
• Method #1 – DON’T!
– Fiery will generate a curve based upon the other color curves
• Method #2 – custom built

72
White ink linearization

No “Normal ink” adjustment

If needed, use “Pre-ink Limits”

73
White ink linearization

Recommendation:
Leave “Dot gain at 50%” setting at 0%

74
Session summary

• We learned
– Why custom linearizations are worth it
• Superior color matches, better gray balances, potential ink
savings
– Different printer driver types, and where they
are best used
– Do’s and don’ts of ink limiting and ink reduction
75
Session resources
• We have two linearization guides
– Non-EFI Printers
– EFI Printers
• Both available on help.efi.com

76
Additional World of Fiery sessions
• October 19 – Linearization in Fiery proServer and
Fiery XF
• November 30 – Profiling and Optimization in Fiery
proServer and Fiery XF
• Have your say on the World of Fiery Wide Format
sessions for 2017

77
Recorded World of Fiery sessions
• Don’t forget the existing Wide Format sessions from
2015 and 2016 – view here

78
Linearization

Questions?

79
Linearization

Thank you!

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