Skip navigation
teloscientist
teloscientist
Currently Being Moderated

Why a difference between picture quality in InDesign and PDF output

Jan 27, 2013 10:37 PM

We are comparing the CS5 pdf output of our book with the ID version. The images are MUCH clearer and the colors are better when we view a page inside of ID side by side with the PDF. The pictures actually look blurry in the PDF, even though we are outputting at 600dpi.When we export to PDF in cs6, the clarity is much better but the color is still a little off. Is this normal?

450 Views   6 Replies   Latest reply: Rob Day, Jan 28, 2013 5:15 PM
 
Replies
  • teloscientist
    Currently Being Moderated
    1. teloscientist,
    Jan 27, 2013 11:00 PM   in reply to teloscientist
    Report

    here is a screenshot difference in the colorsUntitled-3.jpg

     
    |
    Mark as:
  • teloscientist
    Currently Being Moderated
    2. teloscientist,
    Jan 27, 2013 11:03 PM   in reply to teloscientist
    Report

    and here is the full page pdf exported using cs5 and cs6. cs5 is blurry compared to cs6

    cs5 - http://rationalspirituality.com/cs5-page221.pdf

    http://rationalspirituality.com/cs5-page221.pdf

     

     

    cs6- http://rationalspirituality.com/cs6-page221.pdf

    http://rationalspirituality.com/cs5-page221.pdf

     
    |
    Mark as:
  • Rob Day
    2,300 posts
    Oct 16, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    3. Rob Day,
    Jan 28, 2013 12:30 PM   in reply to teloscientist
    Report

    Where are you viewing the PDF? In AcrobatPro XI the two PDFs appear to be identical both in resolution and color.

     

    The color is all device CMYK (no profiles), so the preview of the CMYK color will depend on the reader application's color management capabilities or settings. Try exporting using either PDF/X-4 or PDF/X-1a if you want to force everything to CMYK.

     
    |
    Mark as:
  • teloscientist
    Currently Being Moderated
    4. teloscientist,
    Jan 28, 2013 4:54 PM   in reply to Rob Day
    Report

    We are viewing the pdf in acrobat pro XI.
    When I look at the two files, the cs5 version is blurry compared to the cs6 - color is the same.
    When I look at the file open in InDesign, it is darker and richer than the cs5 or cs6.

     

    Are the application color management capabilities or settings different from Acrobat Pro XI and InDesign CS5 or CS6?

     

    The X-1a exporting from CS5 looks much better than the normal output, and better than the CS6 output. What would cause that? I want to understand this, as it opens up a world I did not know existed.

     
    |
    Mark as:
  • Peter Spier
    Currently Being Moderated
    5. Peter Spier,
    Jan 28, 2013 4:54 PM   in reply to teloscientist
    Report

    I'm not seeing any color differences here, either. I'm on Acrobat 9.

     

    Are your color settings the same in both versions of ID? Are you using the same simulation profile when using output preview for both files in Acrobat?

     
    |
    Mark as:
  • Rob Day
    2,300 posts
    Oct 16, 2007
    Currently Being Moderated
    6. Rob Day,
    Jan 28, 2013 5:15 PM   in reply to teloscientist
    Report

    The X-1a exporting from CS5 looks much better than the normal output, and better than the CS6 output. What would cause that?

     

    If you export a CMYK PDF with no profiles and open it in AcrobatPro, Acrobat's Color Management's Working CMYK space handles the preview. So here's the difference between two very different profiles Fogra Coated and SNAP Newsprint:

     

     

     

    Screen shot 2013-01-28 at 8.02.28 PM.png

     

    Screen shot 2013-01-28 at 8.03.26 PM.png

     

    When you export PDF/X-1a an output intent profile is included (usually your document's CMYK profile) and that is used in Acrobat for previewing CMYK instead of the current CMYK working space.

     
    |
    Mark as:
Actions

More Like This

  • Retrieving data ...

Bookmarked By (0)

Answers + Points = Status

  • 10 points awarded for Correct Answers
  • 5 points awarded for Helpful Answers
  • 10,000+ points
  • 1,001-10,000 points
  • 501-1,000 points
  • 5-500 points