Color Proofing All Jobs?

[kdc415]

Currently we run hard proofs for every job. I'd like to eliminate that on at least all flat work to speed up the job and save a few bucks. Anyone doing that and/or using soft proofing at the press?

Ken

[rbailleu]

I know of a company that does not do injet proofs. they run everything through a calibrated digital production press. so you get laser proofs. I assume for posters and other large format they run inkjet but for small page size you get laser

[DavidMa]

We do both hard proofs and soft proofs. Depends on the timeline, if they're in a hurry to get on press, they get a soft proof, if we have time, we ship out a hard proof, usually a backed up inkjet for content and an Epson or an Approval proof (depending on the budget).

[oxburger]

We currently do hard proofs on everything (including jobs that were approved via pdf) If color is involved, we run a G7 proof from our epsons for the presses to match (usually single pages) and an inkjet of the imposed job. We at bare minimum do a laser proof, but I guess it really boils down to the question "what do your customers require?" If they're happy with whatever you give them than no, a hard proof is not required.

[dlandon]

It's become quite common in publication printing. The big guys (QUAD/RRD/WCP/BPC) all offer it. Time Inc. has not sent a proof to press in 3 years.

[Colorblind]

We're an ad agency and had some material printed by RRD last year (posters) and they sent us G7 Gracol inkjet proofs (guess we asked for them). I was able to compare their proof with my own G7 Gracol profiled Epson and color was almost identical. The bottom line is if a printer commits to print to a certain standard (not sure if G7 Gracol or SWOP 2007 can be officially called standards), it's not that hard for the customer to print his own proofs or softproof the job.

[dlandon]

GRACoL and SWOP are specifications which reference a standard (ISO 12647); G7 is a process that allows you to meet one of those specifications, and if you follow all of the rules things should come out looking very much the same.

[kdc415]

Lots of great feedback - thx. Is anyone soft proofing AT the press, like with firstProof or similar? I'm very interested in saving time to help the turnaround. Even for our online orders that get PDF approval, we do an internal dylux and epson. Those go up to customer service for approval, then back to production. Unless it's stitched work, I'd like to skip and go to plate.

[dlandon]

Sorry if I was not clear. The four big web printers in the US have this installed on press at many locations, primarily where they are printing for Hearst / Hachette / Time Inc., etc. They are using either ICS, Kodak or in the case of QUAD an in-house solution. Commercial web and sheetfed printers have generally not made the investment yet - publishers have the most to gain and almost always go first with this type of thing.

[david]

We have a very nice tool for creating soft proof files that you can view anywhere - local network or internet as you please. These are full high res files with super color quality. The cost is only $1600 and it works with your existing one bit TIFF files. Here is where you can get more details:
TIFFPager The Everything Tool for all Flavors of TIFF files!

David Lewis