Different colors output. High quality print vs Distiller printer

[elinl95216665]

Hello,

When I save a pdf with high quality print vs Distiller printer the colors differs from each other (both on the photo I've put in the pdf and also the color blocks I have). Why is that? They're set in CMYK.

Kind regards,

Elin

[rob day]

Distiller is going to flatten any live transparency even when the job options allow it, and Distiller doesn't do a very good job with color management. Try exporting and distilling using the PDF/X-1a preset and see if you get a match. In general there's no reason to use Distiller anymore.

[Danny Whitehead. · Accepted solution]

Firstly, forget Distiller. If the colours are actually changing when you export from InDesign, it's solvable with the right settings.

How are you determining the difference in colour? The most reliable way is to open the PDF in Acrobat and use Print Production > Output Preview to hover over areas and see the CMYK build. Are they different to the ones in InDesign?

Is there any particular reason to use the 'High Quality Print' settings? For commercial printing, PDF/X-4 is usually best. Try that, and use Output Preview in Acrobat to see if the colours in the PDF are different.

[elinl95216665]

Thank you Danny for a helpful answer. Well I know not to trust a screen but I was chocked how different my two pdfs looked and couldn't explain why to my client.. apart from one was saved as a distiller for print and one high quality print as a sketch.

It looks much better when I use the PDF/X-4 so thank you for that. I assume that's ok to send to the printer? I've always used the distiller but feeling not so sure anymore.

Also another question. When saving the different kinds of pdfs- I can also see it doesn't save my transparency correctly on all saving option.. Do you know why that differs too?

Thank you so much again!

[Danny Whitehead.]

The PDF/X-4 should be good to send to the printer, but the best practice is always ask your printer. Many still insist on PDF/X-1a.

Like I say, forget Distiller. It still has some niche uses (like creating pre-separated PDFs for certain archaic processes), but you can deal with those when they happen.

To your last question, it depends what you mean by "it doesn't save my transparency correctly". Older versions of the PDF format (including PDF/X-1a) don't support transparency, so it has to be flattened by InDesign, and you have to choose a setting for that flattening.

[Gusgsm]

What D. Whitehead said: To produce a PDF from inDesign, forget Distiller and use an "Expor to" using a PDF/X setting:

• PDF/X-1a if your printer does not accept transparencies. CMYK required (spot inks allowed).
• PDF/X-4 in CMYK if your printer accepts transparencies. (PDF/X-4 accepts RGB or CMYK or both, spot inks allowed).

So, you may send a whole CMYK PDF as PDF/X-4 or PDF/X-1a, but only a whole/mixed RGB-CMYK PDF/X-4

In any case, you've got to know which CMYK profile you have to use to convert to CMYK. And educated guess with an standard ICC profile might serve in absence of contact with the printer (which is always the best option).