Monique Tremaine of Kodak has posted the results of an image quality analysis by spencerLAB, an independent digital imaging testing firm. At Tremaine's Grow Your Business blog, she writes:
Earlier this year, Kodak contracted with spencerLAB, an outside image quality laboratory, to perform an independent comparison of the print quality of the Stream Concept Press print samples and use image quality measurements to compare these to offset printed samples. Here's what they had to say about the Stream Concept Press:
- Our analysis found that overall, the Stream Concept Press from Kodak demonstrates the potential of approaching 175-line offset print quality.
- Images were one area of impressive print quality, particularly on glossy media. Gamut volume was 35% larger than 175-line offset in our tests.
- Black density was 29% higher compared to offset.
Tremaine also provides a direct link to the spencerLAB study (PDF).
Here's the press release Kodak put out at drupa 08 regarding the studyThis article at WhatTheyThink.com by Andy Tribute provides a good overview of the technology.
Discussion
By Jack on Sep 19, 2008
This is a very interesting technology from Kodak. My company saw this press at drupa and said that the quality is amazing. It promises to be a major development for the printing industry.
By Henk Gianotten on Sep 19, 2008
The basic question will be: "Does the color gamut of Stream, match the color gamut of sheet fed and web offset?"
35% larger is not important as long as not all primary and secondary colors can be matched. In the graph, showing the gamut differences, one can see that on one specific L-level, green cannot be matched. The report nowhere shows how the gamut comparisons behave in other L-levels.
A 3-dimensional graph would help.
By the way: Kodak has a huge potential in color science and a lot of knowledge in spectral color management. Can they instruct SpencerLab to provide the Lab values for comparison?
Discussion
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