Skip to main content
A
Aneta277820941tzq
Participating Frequently
July 28, 2023
Question

the pdf file displays different colors than indesign

  • July 28, 2023
  • 2 replies
  • 2084 views

I have a problem with displaying colors in pdf. I prepare graphics in photoshop with Fogra38 profile, then I import it to inDesing, also with Fogra39 profile. Everything looks fine here, right. However, after exporting to pdf, the colors look different in Adobe Acrobat. For this project, the blue colors in pdf acrobat look more turquoise. Interestingly, when I open the same pdf in illustraror, the design looks fine, same as in photoshop and indesing. Can anyone solve this problem? Any settings in adobe acrobat?

This is an indesign project:

 

a tutaj Adobe acrobat:

 

 

    This topic has been closed for replies.

    2 replies

    rob day
    Community Expert
    rob dayCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    July 28, 2023

    Hi @Aneta277820941tzq , Try Exporting to the default PSF/X-4  preset and view in AcrobatPro with Output Preview turned on—the PDF/X standards include an Output Intent profile, which Acrobat uses for the soft proof simulation

    A
    Aneta277820941tzqAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    July 28, 2023

    As you write. I checked the numerical values and both photoshop and pdf are the same. And one files look so different. This annoys me a lot and makes my job more difficult. I haven't had that much of a problem with it for many years. Of course I understand your concept of work.
    However, now that you've written about Adobe Pro. I noticed that I have Adobe Acrobat installed, not AcrobatPro. This may create problems....!!. I don't understand why I don't have AcrobatPro in my plan

     

     

    E
    Community Expert
    Eugene TysonCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    July 28, 2023

    Colours on your screen don't matter for print.

     

    Colours your clients see in acrobat pro or not or 9n their 3rd party viewers don't matter.

     

    You cannot cater to all in screen viewership.

     

    You can cater for output.

     

    Yes can be more difficult 

     

    But if it was easy then anyone could do it.

    E
    Community Expert
    Eugene TysonCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    July 28, 2023

    You're relying on a screen that is RGB to display CMYK.

    InDesign/Illustrator/photoshop display of CMYK info is below par at best and have independent settings for display of colour.

    Then you have your own monitor display.

     

    Acrobat will have it's own settings for viewing PDFs unless you change the viewing capabilities of Acrobat in the preferences.

     

    What you see on screen is no reflection of output, which have no connection to your screen, unless calibrated.

     

    I'm not very good at explaining this stuff. @rob day  is a master of this.

     

    To my mind, what I see on screen is just a representation of the colour.

    I've managed over the last 25 years to disassociate what I find on screen to what is in print - and I don't really pay attention to screen colour any longer.

    I know all the CMYK and Pantone colours in my mind and how they should print. 

     

    And in the end that's all that matters to me - how they look on screen is something I don't pay attention to.

    It's not important to me.

     

     

     

     

    A
    Aneta277820941tzqAuthor
    Participating Frequently
    July 28, 2023

    Thank you very much for information. In your opinion, what is important? what I see in indesign and not pdf in adobe acrobat? I haven't seen such big discrepancies before, after changing my computer and reinstalling adobe programs I have this problem.

    Should I change anything to help display colors for printing in Adobe Acrobat?

     

     

     

    E
    Community Expert
    Eugene TysonCommunity Expert
    Community Expert
    July 28, 2023

    There's a lot of influential factors.

     

    Honestly, I cannot say. 

     

    I work with the numbers that I see not the colours that I see.

     

    If brand book says 100 m and 23 C and 93 Y and I can measure that InDesign/Illustrator/Photoshop and see that in a final output in Acrobat then that's good enough for me.

    I could turn my screen to Black and White and get results in print.

     

    I'm not saying you're doing anything wrong - I'm just trying to focus you on the output result.

    Again - I'm probably not the best person here - but I hope it alieves something.

     

    I'm also not saying things should be inconsistent your side.

    I have 4 monitors, and the colour is different on all 4 of them. 

     

    I'm just not that focused on the colour I see on screen. I guess I've tuned to output results than other results.

    Terms & ConditionsAccessibility statement
    Using the community Terms of use Privacy Cookie preferences Do not sell or share my personal information ad choicesAdChoices