HP Designjet Z6200 1067mm Photo User Manual

							●All pages must be in one or other of the follow
ing two groups (the two groups cannot be mixed in
the same nest):
◦ CALS/G4
◦ PostScript, PDF, TIFF, JPEG
● JPEG, TIFF and CALS/G4 pages with resolutions gr
eater than 300 dpi may not nest with other
pages in some cases.
How long does the printe r wait for another file?
So that the printer can make the best nest possible,  it waits after a file has been received to check
whether a subsequent page will nest with it or with  pages already in the queue. This waiting period is
the nest wait time; the factory defaul t nest wait time is two minutes. This means that the printer waits for
up to two minutes after the last fi le is received before printing the final nest. You can change this
waiting time from the printers front panel: select the Setup menu icon 
, then  Job management
options  > Nest options  > Select wait time . The available range is 1 to 99 minutes.
While the printer is waiting for nesting to time out,  it displays the remaining time on the front panel.
You can print the nest (cancel the nest wait) by pressing the  Form feed and cut key.
Use ink economically
Here are some recommendations for making economical use of ink.
●For draft prints, use plain paper 
and move the print-quality slider to the left end of the scale
(Speed). For further economy, select cu stom print quality options, then select Fast and
Economode .
● Clean the printheads only when needed, and clea
n only those printheads that need cleaning.
Cleaning the printheads can be useful, but it uses ink.
● Leave the printer permanently turned on so that it
 can maintain the printheads in good condition
automatically. This regular printhead maintenance uses a small amount of ink. However, if it is not
done, the printer may need to us e much more ink later to restore the health of the printheads.
● Wide prints make more efficient use of ink th
an narrow prints, because printhead maintenance
uses some ink, and its frequenc y is related to the number of passes made by the printheads.
Therefore, nesting jobs can save in k as well as saving paper (see 
Nest jobs to save paper
on page 92).
ENWW Use ink economically
93
Print options
 
						

							7 Color management
●What is color?
●
The problem: color in the computer world
●
The solution: color management
●
Color and your printer
●
A summary of the color-management process
●
Color calibration
●
Color profiling
●
Color-management options
●
Color-adjustment options
●
HP Professional PANTONE* Emulation
●
Color emulation modes
94 Chapter 7   Color management ENWW
Color management
 
						

							What is color?
We see the world around us as steeped in color. Color is in the first instance simply an aspect of how
we experience our environment and is therefore subjective. Our color experiences are closely related to
brain activity that is triggered by s ignals that our eyes send to it. These signals undergo a complex and
highly interlinked sequence of proc essing stages that make the relationship between what our eyes emit
and what we experience anything but direct. The sign als sent by the eye depend on the light-sensitive
cells that line the back of our eyes, and they belo ng to three types, each sensitive to electromagnetic
radiation of different physical properties (wavelengt hs). Such electromagnetic radiation is called light
and objects appear to have certain colors because of  how the objects interact with light (by emission,
reflection, absorption, tran smission, scattering, etc.).
Our individual experiences of color are also affected by our previous experiences and memories and
by the way in which we put our experiences into  language. Finally, environmental factors such as
changes in lighting, scene content, or the proximity of  other colors also have an effect, which makes the
way in which we view a given display or print an esse ntial part of the colors we see. Differences in all
these aspects (from physiological differences between people, to differences in their past experiences,
memories and linguistic tendencies ) can result in people talking about colors differently even in
response to the same light reflected from an single  object. However, many similarities exist between
how individuals experience color. You can make very  specific judgments about color that others will
also agree with when care is taken  in the process. In conclusion we can say that color results from the
interaction between light, objects, and a viewer, wh ich makes it a very complex and to a large degree
subjective phenomenon.
The problem: color in the computer world
Color-imaging devices such as printers, displays, pr ojectors, and televisions create colors by using
different methods and materials (colorants). Displays , for instance, use colorants that emit red (long
wavelength), green (medium wavelength), and blue (s hort wavelength) light. A white color requires all
three colorants and black requires that  none of them be used (i.e. that no light be emitted). Devices that
use light-emitting colorants are calle d additive, because the light from them is added together before it
enters a viewer’s eyes. Printers, on the other hand , use materials that absorb parts of the light that
shines on them. They are called subtractive. Typica l prints use cyan (red absorbing), magenta (green
absorbing), and yellow (blue absorbing) inks and an  additional black ink that absorbs light at all
wavelengths. To get white using a printer requires not absorbing any  of the light that illuminates a
piece of paper and to get black, all of the inks need to  be used to absorb all of the light that is present.
ENWW What is color?
95
Color management
 
						

							To control the output of color imaging devices, the following color spaces are normally used:
● RGB (Red, Green, and Blue)  is the color space typically used for additive devices. A color is
represented as a combination of sp ecific quantities of red, green, and blue colorants that create
the range of colors (color gamut) in the device.
NOTE: Colors in subtractive devices  can also be controlled by using RGB data. Especially when
control over the printer’s black ink is un necessary, this is an efficient option.
●
CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, and Black)  is the color space for subtractive devices, such
as printers or presses. A colo r is represented as a combination  of cyan, magenta, yellow, and
black (K) inks, and combinations provide the entire range of colors in the device.
Color spaces are only methods of controlling diffe rent color-imaging devices. They do not describe
colors directly. The same CMYK va lues, for example, create different colors when sent to different
printers that use different inks an d paper types. For example, consider  a printer that can use indoor inks
or outdoor inks. The printer (hardware) is the same , but it has two different color gamuts due to the
different chemistry of the inks (d ye-based versus pigmented). Furthermore, they need to work with
different paper types, as ink interaction with the  paper depends on its chemistry. Thus, the colors
resulting from given CMYK values depe nd on the types of inks and papers that you use with a printer. If
this is the case using the same printer, you can  easily imagine how different results can be obtained
with printers using different technologies  and therefore using different ink chemistry.
The same happens with RGB-controlled devices. For  example, imagine that two different monitors from
the same manufacturer have their white points at  9600 K and 6500 K, respectively. Their colors are
going to be different because they will be related  to a different white point reference. The situation
varies even more among monitors from different  manufacturers. To emulate the standard color
temperature of the graphic-arts in dustry, set the white point of your monitor to 5000 K (also called
D50).
NOTE: The white point is the brightest neutral color that  a device can reproduce or that is present in
an image. The human visual system automatically ada pts to the content of an image based on its white
point.
Different devices do not give acce ss to the same color gamuts: some  colors that can be shown on a
display cannot be matched in print, and vice versa.  The following figure illustrates how the human eye
perceives a larger range of colors  than a typical display or printer. It also shows that the color gamuts
in two different types of  color-imaging devices do  not match each other.
96 Chapter 7   Color management ENWW
Color management
 
						

							1.All colors
2. Computer monitor gamut
3. CMYK press gamut
Some color spaces are not device-dependent, but instead represent how a viewer sees colors, such as
CIE Lab or CIECAM02. These color spaces are de fined by the CIE (Commission Internationale de
l’Éclairage). The advantage of these spaces is that if two objects have the same CIELAB values, they
look the same when viewed under the same conditions. Values in these spaces can be obtained from
measuring the light emitted or  reflected by an object.
The solution: color management
Many colors from an RGB-controlled device cannot  be reproduced in a CMYK-controlled device, and
vice versa. These colors are  called “out-of-gamut” colors.
1. Describe the color behavior of a device as  accurately as possible by using an ICC
profile.  The color behavior of a device can be  described by taking various RGB or CMYK
combinations, sending them to a device, measuring the resulting output, and expressing it in a
device-independent color space (for example, CIE Lab). The resulting relationship is stored in an
ICC profile, which is a standard file that translates the color space of a device(CMYK or RGB) to a
device-independent color space (f or example CIE Lab). The process  of generating an ICC profile is
called profiling.
2. Convert colors as effectively as possi ble by using a Color Management System
(CMS).  A CMS is software that uses information from  ICC profiles to transform the color space of
one device (defined by a source profile) into  the color space of another device (defined by a
destination profile). In this solution, difficulties ar ise with the colors that exist in the gamut that one
device uses and that the other does not use.
The following four settings describe a CMS:
ENWW The solution: color management
97
Color management
 
						

							●CMS:  Color Management System. The software that co nverts the color information that is stored in
the input image (defined by a source profile)  into an output image that has the color space
specified by a destination profile.  Many different CMSs are on the market: in software programs,
in operating systems, and in printing software, including the Z6200 internal RIP.
● Source profile:  a description of the color  behavior of the input device
● Destination profile:  a description of the color behavior of the output device
● Rendering intent:  the most difficult challenge in color management is when a color in the
source gamut does not correspond directly to a  color in the destination gamut. When a perfect
match is not possible, choices must be made ab out how to treat gamut differences. These choices
are called rendering intent. There are four different  possibilities depending on the final output that
you want to achieve.
◦ Use Perceptual  for the most pleasing final output. It  is suitable for photographic content.
◦ Use Saturation  for vivid final output. It is suit able for business graphics (charts,
presentations, and so on), but is  not recommended for color matching.
◦ Use Relative Colorimetric  for press proofing. This render ing intent provides a match for
colors that are inside both the source an d destination gamuts, and minimizes differences
when a match is not possible.
◦ Use Absolute Colorimetric  for press proofing (like Relative Colorimetric), when you also
want to simulate the colo r of the source’s paper.
The following are the most commonly used device color spaces and profiles:
● RGB mode:
◦
sRGB (sRGB IEC61966-2.1):  for images that typically originate from consumer digital
cameras and scanners and from the Web
◦ Adobe® RGB (1998):  for images that typically originate from professional digital cameras
◦ Specific RGB device space:  for images that are coming from or going to a specific RGB
device that has been profiled
● CMYK mode:
◦
SWOP:  Specifications for Web Offset  Publications, a set of press standards that have been
defined for a typical U.S. press and  for different types of paper stock
◦ ISO 12647-2:  a set of press standards that have been defined by the International
Standards Organization for diffe rent types of paper. Some examples of the definitions
include Coated, Uncoated, and so on.
98 Chapter 7   Color management ENWW
Color management
 
						

							◦Other regional standards:  Euroscale, JMPA, Japan Color
◦ Specific CMYK device space:  for images that are coming from or going to a specific
CMYK device that has been profiled.
Color and your printer
As a creative professional, predictable and dependable results from your printer are essential to getting
your job done. Predictability is a key element of an  efficient color workflow. You need prints that match
your expectations and that generate neutral grays an d correct colors on your selected paper, print-to-
print and printer-to-printer. Dependability ensures that  every print is free of print-quality defects and
ready to use or send to your cust omer. You save time and effort an d avoid wasting ink and paper, and
you can meet demanding product ion schedules with confidence.
The Z6200 printers have been engineered with advanced hardware and driver features to ensure
predictable and dependable results,  and offer dramatic improvements in efficiency and control for your
color workflow.
HP Embedded Spectrophotometer
The Z6200 printer series revolutionizes professional color workflows by using a built-in
spectrophotometer for color calibration and profiling.
A spectrophotometer is a precision instrument that  can determine the exact composition of the light that
is reflected from a color patch. It splits the refl ected light into different wavelength components and
measures the strength of each component. The  HP Embedded Spectrophotometer is mounted on the
printhead carriage.
The Z6200 printers use the spectrophotometer to ge nerate custom ICC profiles automatically for your
preferred paper types. It then calibrates the printe rs to deliver print-to-print and printer-to-printer
consistency with less than half the color error  of earlier HP Designjets, under all environmental
conditions, and even on unknown (not factory-profil ed) paper types. A built-in white calibration tile,
which is protected by an automatic shutter, ensu res reliable measurements that meet international
standards.
The printer, color-imaging pipeline, and profession al-quality spectrophotometer with GretagMacbeth i1
color technology are integrated with the HP Co lor Center software for the Z6200. Giving the
calibration and profiling processes direct access to  the writing system allows precise control of ink
levels and color separations for each printed  color patch. The automated measurement process
eliminates the need to handle the test print, pr ovides repeatable drying times, and allows fast
measurements with precise electromechanical posi tioning of the spectrophotometer over the color
patch. This provides unprecedented ease of us e and matches or exceeds the performance of more
expensive offline, handheld profiling systems.
ENWW Color and your printer
99
Color management
 
						

							A summary of the color-management process
To get the accurate and consistent colors that you want, follow these st eps for each paper type that you
use.
1. If the printer does not recogni
ze your paper type, add the type to  the printers list of known
papers. See 
Use non-HP paper on page 48. Typical users might add a few custom paper types
every year.
2. Color-calibrate the paper type to ensure consistent colors. Perform 
this calibration when a printer
alert recommends this calibration (typically, ev ery few weeks for each paper type you use). In
addition, calibrate immediately be fore a particularly important print job in which color consistency
is vital.
3. Color-profile the paper type to ensure accurate colors. Profiling does not normally need to be
repeated; after you have a profile for a partic
ular paper type, you can continue to use it.
However, re-profiling does no harm, and some  users repeat the profiling process every month to
ensure that the profile is up-to-date.
4. When printing, select the correct color prof
ile for the paper type that you are using.
Paper types that are defined in the printer also have color profiles stored in the printer. However, HP
recommends that you calibrate the paper before using it.
If you define a new paper type, th e printer automatically leads you through calibration and profiling.
The following diagram shows the operations that the HP Color Center performs, in order.
100 Chapter 7   Color management ENWW
Color management
 
						

							NOTE:You can perform all three operations in sequence , as shown. You can also choose to start
with or stop after any of the three operations. Ho wever, color calibration is performed automatically
after you add a new paper type.
Color calibration
Your printer uses color calibration to produce consis tent colors with the specific printheads, inks, and
paper type that you are using, and in your particula r environmental conditions. After color calibration,
you can expect to get identical prin ts from any two different printers that are situated in different
geographical locations.
Calibration should be done in an y of the following circumstances:
● Whenever a printhead is replaced
● Whenever a new paper type is introduced that has 
not yet been calibrated with the current set of
printheads
● Whenever a certain amount of printing ha
s been done since the last calibration
● Whenever the printer has been turned off for a long period of time
● Whenever the environmental conditions (tempe
rature and humidity) change significantly
The printer usually reminds you with an alert whenever you need to  perform color calibration, unless
you have disabled the alerts. Howe ver, if the environmental conditions change, the printer will not be
aware of it.
You can check the color calibration status of the cu rrently loaded paper at any time by selecting the
 icon, then View loaded paper. The status can be one of  the following conditions:
● Pending: the paper ha
s not been calibrated
NOTE:Whenever you update the printers firmware, th e color calibration status of all papers is
reset to PENDING. See 
Update the printer firmware on page 138 .
● Recommend: the printer software recommends that
 you calibrate the printer because it has
recognized a condition that might require calibration
● Obsolete: the paper has been calibrated, but the 
calibration is now out of date and should be
repeated
● OK: the paper has been calibrated, and the calibration is up to date
● Disabled: this paper cannot be calibrated
NOTE:
Colored papers; glossy canvas; and transpar ent materials such as translucent bond,
clear film, tracing paper; and vellum are not suitable for color calibration.
You can also check the color calibration status by using the HP Utility.
Calibrate a paper type before creating its color profil e. Later recalibration does not require a new color
profile.
ENWW Color calibration
101
Color management
 
						

							You can start color calibration in the following ways:
●From the printer alert that recommends calibration
● From the HP Color Center: select Calibrate Your Printer
● From the front panel: select the 
 icon, then  Calibrate color
After launching calibration, the process is fully au tomatic and can be performed unattended after you
have loaded appropriate paper. The pape r must be at least 24 inches wide.
The process takes about 8 minutes and consists of the following steps.
1. A calibration test chart is printed, which contai
ns patches of each ink that your printer uses.
2.To stabilize the colors, the test chart dries for a period of time that depends on the paper type.
3. The HP Embedded Spectrophotometer 
scans and measures the test chart.
4. The printer uses the measurements to calculate th
e necessary correction factors for consistent color
printing on that paper type. It also calculat es the maximum amount of each ink that can be
applied to the paper.
Color profiling
NOTE: Color profiling information applies only to PostScript printers.
Color calibration provides consistent  colors, but consistent colors are not necessarily accurate colors.
In order to print accurate colors, convert the color  values in your files to the color values that will
produce the correct colors when usin g your printer, your inks, and your paper. An ICC color profile is a
description of a printer, ink, an d paper combination that contains all the information for these color
conversions.
When you have defined and calibrated a new paper typ e, the printer is ready to create a ICC profile
for use with your paper, which allows you to prin t on it with the best possible color accuracy.
Alternatively, if your paper type is  already known to the printer, you already have its appropriate ICC
profile.
Create your own profile
Create a color profile easily by us ing the HP Color Center to select Create and Install ICC Profile .
The printer prompts for information about the paper, and then creates and installs the new profile
automatically.
102 Chapter 7   Color management ENWW
Color management