RE: RGB vs CMYK: gamut and some important notes for CMYK users

"the apparent superiority of this
method "

compared to what?

-----Original Message-----
From: Joe Smigiel [mailto:jsmigiel@kvcc.edu]
Sent: Saturday, December 04, 2004 8:36 PM
To: alt-photo-process-l@sask.usask.ca
Subject: RE: RGB vs CMYK: gamut and some important notes for CMYK users

One of the things I picked up on from a post a few days ago is that this
RGB vs. CMYK "debate" has been going on in some form or another since at
least early 1999 on this list and has included several of the current
participants. In that time, a lot of bickering and bad feelings have
occurred and even resulted in people actually unsubscribing from the
list as a result of this "debate".

It would seem to me that the simplest way to settle this is to actually
make some gum prints comparing the two methods and I have asked several
times for such a print comparison. But, apparently it is easier to post
theoretically ad nauseum for 5+ years on this subject rather than take
the short time needed to make a couple gum prints.

FWIW, since I made the original comparison request about a month ago I
have hands-on instructed two novice gum printers on the CMYK method
(default SWOP settings in Photoshop CS) with a contrast correction curve
applied to the separate channels before output to Pictorico OHP on the
Epson 2200. I have again witnessed the apparent superiority of this
method as they made their initial gum prints. Let me repeat that with
emphasis: absolute novice gum printers were able to make what I would
call highly accurate 4-color gum prints using the CMYK method and
neither had any previous experience whatsoever with gum printing!

Perhaps it is dumb luck. Perhaps my correction curve somehow
miraculously affects the outcome in a way I don't understand. Perhaps
my pigment choice unknowingly skews the results. In any event, I have
just witnessed another instance of the quality one is able to achieve
with the standard CMYK separation settings making gum prints. (I'll try
to get permission to scan and post the new prints next week.)

As a result, I remain absolutely and totally unconvinced that the RGB
method is superior to the CMYK method based on the actual prints I have
made and seen made. No amount of talk will convince me otherwise.
Prints will convince me.

Joe
Received on Sat Dec 4 22:52:52 2004