Exported pdf not same quality as direct from InDesign

[orcaslynn]

I must send my file to a small time printer who does not have InDesign. Previously, I've exported files to a High Quality PDF with no problem. However, I just upgraded to CS3 and when I printed the PDF I noticed that the quality is quite a bit less than printing directly from ID. If I send the PDF as it is, my end product from this guy will look like crap.

How can I ensure that the quality is the same? I've gone through the PDF Presets, but nothing seems to help.

 

[apepp]

...what are your current settings you use for pdf export from indesign cs3?

...when you describe "crap" are you refering to colour issues or image pixelation issues?

Andrew

 

[apepp]

...are you printing to PDF or exporting to pdf, these are quite different ways of producing PDF format files? Depending on your settings you can get quite different results...

Andrew

 

[orcaslynn]

I have exported this page from File> Export & chosen Format: Adobe PDF in the next window. In the Export Adobe PDF window that appears, I have chosen both High Quality and Press Quality from the Adobe PDF Preset menu. I've opened both resulting files within Adobe Acrobat 8.0 and printed them from there.

The page that I've exported to pdf is only text. When it's printed from the resulting pdf, the text appears somewhat faded and not at all crisp. When printed directly from ID, the text is black and crisp as it should be.

I live on a small island with a somewhat dated printer, who actually uses the printed version to make his plates, so whatever I send him must be printed by him at the highest quality possible or the finished item is hard to read.

I use Mac OS X 10.4.9 with CS3.

Thanks for your interest in helping!

 

[orcaslynn]

I just printed a pdf that I received from someone else that was not done in InDesign and it is the same crappy quality, so maybe I was hasty in thinking it was an ID problem. I updated to CS3 (which included Acrobat 8.0) from Acrobat Pro 7.0 just a few days ago and apparently have not printed anything from it until now, so...

Interesting.

 

[orcaslynn]

Back to the original problem: I checked through the Print dialog box and lo and behold, in the Advanced window, the Print As Image box was checked and it was set to 150 dpi. When I changed that to 300 dpi, the quality got considerably better. The file that did not originate from ID was great, but the file that I'd exported was better than it was earlier, but still not up to the same quality as printing it from ID and still not good enough to send to the printer.

Back to square one.

 

[jimoblak]

Do not check the 'print as image' box. This function rasterizes your type. You want to keep the type as vector data. If this box is unchecked, you will not need to enter any resolution.

 

[orcaslynn]

jimoblak, thanks for that info. It did help, but the text is still not as black a black as when printed directly from InDesign.

Comparing the pdf print with Print As Image checked with the one where it's turned off: the checked one has a green tint to the black text and the unchecked print is blacker. Again, though, this pdf print looks as though I put a filter on it with 80-90% opacity. It may be usable, but I still wonder why I wouldn't get the same density and perceived crispness as from the ID file.

 

[jimoblak]

Is the black text defined as CMYK or RGB?

Are you printing to a PostScript printer?

 

[orcaslynn]

In InDesign, the text is in CMYK: 100% K.

Forgive my stupidity, but I can't find anything in Acrobat that tells me, other than going to Advanced> Print Production> Convert Colors where it has the choice highlighted that says Convert CMYK.

I have a fairly simple Canon printer i960 that's not PostScript.

I had used Acrobat Pro 7 without ever changing or setting anything, so I'm really ignorant about it.

Thanks.

 

[dropkickmurphy]

My edumacated guess..

Pure K vs Rich K

Acrobat is printing your black as you have made it. Pure 100%K isnt very black and its more noticeable with larger coverage areas.

What your experiencing is InDesign has been deceiving you with its default settings. Displaying blacks incorrectly on screen, and converting your 100%k when printing direct from ID to a RGB Rich Black 0,0,0 which is 75/68/67/90.

InDesign > Preferences > Appearance of Black...

*Display all Blacks Accurately
*Output All Blacks Accurately

(Same goes for Illustrator)

Set large coverage areas of black to your own rich black.. 60/40/40/100 or 75/50/35/100 or any of the other countless combinations. Darker.. Cooler, warmer..ect.

Though, now you have opened up another can of worms.. Making sure you dont over saturate.. stuff like paper and press types come into effect. Avoiding potential registration issues.. using overprints.. dun dunn dunnnn




Cheers,
Dropkick Murphy
______________________________________________
Alcohol & Tobacco Quality Assurance Specialist

http://www.bancomicsans.com