3 Replies Latest reply: Oct 24, 2013 12:35 PM by Soda19 RSS

    Trouble creating grayscale PDF

    Soda19 Community Member
    Soda19 Oct 18, 2013 4:18 AM

      Hi!

      I have a bunch of grayscale PDS-files, dot grain 20%, that I need to make into a grayscale PDF. This has proven more difficult than I expected. I did a PDF from Bridge with "Output"-"preserve embedded color profile" checked, but it seems that didn't do much. The printing place said it reads like a colour PDF.

       

      Then I tried Acrobat Pro, first to make a new PDF file from my  images, and then to convert my earlier Bridge-PDF using "Preflight" - "convert colour to grayscale". That made the images low resolution and dark. The file size went down from Bridge's 140 MB to 45 MB.

       

      Finally I gave InDesign a shot, but I lack the skills to do much with it.. If I put some effort into learning InDesign, will I be able to export one single PDF-file, with the original (or close to it) resolution and tone values, and with a grayscale colour profile?

        • 1. Re: Trouble creating grayscale PDF
          MichaelKazlow CommunityMVP
          MichaelKazlow Oct 18, 2013 8:03 AM (in response to Soda19)

          What is a PDS file. There were many different pds file formats that were graphic related. If these are raster image files, can they be opened with Photoshop? What OS are you using?

          • 2. Re: Trouble creating grayscale PDF
            Soda19 Community Member
            Soda19 Oct 18, 2013 8:59 AM (in response to MichaelKazlow)

            Thanks for the quick response! They are Photoshop files, saved in Photoshop format. I have also saved the images as hi-res JPEGs with colour profile "dot grain 20%" and tried to do a PDF from those in Acrobat, same problem=dark, low-res, pixellated.

             

            I'm using MacOS 10.6.8 for Acrobat XI, Bridge CS5 and Photoshop CS5, and have access to a PC laptop with InDesign CS6 on it.

            • 3. Re: Trouble creating grayscale PDF
              Soda19 Community Member
              Soda19 Oct 24, 2013 12:35 PM (in response to Soda19)

              ...for any others stumbling upon this thread I got help in another forum: The solution to my problem was to save the grayscale PDS files individually in Photoshop as PDF, then put all the PDFs together in Acrobat as one single PDF. = high-res grayscale PDF.