#COLOR19 Ideal Viewing Conditions:

QC Across the Color Supply Chain

Robert McCurdy
President
GTI Graphic Technology, Inc.

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About GTI
§ Leading manufacturer of tight tolerance lighting systems
§ 100% dedicated to the lighting business
§ Desktop viewers to large format viewing areas
§ Headquarters in Newburgh, NY
§ All products manufactured in the United States
§ Sales and distribution office Germany
§ Worldwide network of dealer partners
§ Graphiclite® D50 products
§ Designed for the graphic arts market
§ Conform to the ISO 3664:2009 viewing standard
§ CMlite® D65 products
§ Designed for the industrial color market
§ Conform to the ASTM D1729-2009, SAE J361,
and BS-950 Part 2 standards

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Every partner in the supply chain needs to be
concerned about viewing conditions.

Brand Owner Designer Photographer

Print Buyer Printer Pre-Press

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What are Ideal Viewing Conditions?
§ Conditions that conform to ISO 3664:2009
§ The international standard for graphic
technology and photography
§ Conditions that are consistent
§ From viewer to viewer and location to location
§ Good viewing environment
§ Minimum ambient light, neutral colors, etc.

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Why Do We Need a Viewing Standard?
§ To enable effective communication of color
between all participants in the supply chain
§ Optimize critical comparison of target image
and reproduction

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What is ISO 3664:2009?
§ ISO 3664:2009 is a set of specifications
§ Defines targets and tolerances for D50 viewing conditions
§ Reflective media – prints and photographic
§ Transmissive media – transparencies
§ Images displayed in isolation on a color monitor
§ Enables lighting engineers and manufacturers to design,
test, and certify their viewing systems.
§ When properly implemented it will reduce errors and improve
color communication
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Five Elements of ISO 3664:2009
§ Color Quality
§ Light Intensity
§ Evenness
§ Surround
§ Geometry

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Color Quality
§ On the viewing surface
§ Chromaticity coordinates of a light
source should be within a 0.005
radius of the D50 chromaticity
coordinates (u’10 = 0.2102, v’10 =0.4889).
§ Color Temperature should be 5000K
§ Not all 5000K lamps are the same

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Color Quality
§ Spectral Power Distribution
§ Most important in determining the rendition of colors
§ Close as possible to CIE illuminant D50
§ Color Rendering Index (CRI): 90 or greater
§ Metamerism Index: MIVIS<1, MIUV <1.5
§ Defines energy in visible and UV region of the spectrum (300-780 NM)

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 Color Quality
§ Spectral Power Distribution - examples

UV Visible
Daylight Cool White Fluorescent Incandescent

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Light Intensity
§ Consistent light intensity is critical to
consistent image rendition
§ Proofs and prints should be 2000 lux
§ Preferred tolerance +/- 250 lux Acceptable Range

Preferred Range
§ Required tolerance +/- 500 lux
Acceptable Range
§ Allows full tonal visibility of shadow detail
without washing out highlights
§ Transparencies should be 1270 cd/m2
§ Preferred tolerance +/- 160 cd/m2
§ Required tolerance +/- 320 cd/m2
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Evenness
§ Even light intensity across the image
assures correct interpretation of print 1200 Lux> 1200 Lux>

reproduction quality
2000 Lux
§ Prints and proofs should be at least 1200
lux (60% of 2000 lux) at all points on the 1200 Lux> 1200 Lux>

viewing surface
§ Transparencies within 75% of nominal
(953 cd/m2)
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Surround
§ Surround color and reflectance affect color appearance
§ Prints and proofs: a neutral and matte surround with a
luminous reflection of 10% and 60% should be used
§ 60% reflectance is comparable to Munsell N8/ gray
§ Transparencies: 5% to 10% luminance level 50mm on sides

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Geometry
§ Light source, image, and observer’s
eyes need to be positioned to
minimize glare
§ Standard doesn’t specify lighting
geometry but states glare should be
minimized

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How to Meet ISO 3664:2009 Conditions
§ Use a light booth from a recognized
manufacturer
§ Construct Viewing System using
correct components
§ A system consists of electronics,
structure, reflectors, lenses, and
lamps

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Maintaining Conformance
§ To maintain conformance a maintenance program
consisting of relamping, cleaning, and measurement is
required.

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Maintaining Conformance
Before Relamp After Relamp

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Maintaining Conformance
Lighting – Measurement Instrument Requirements

“This requires that the instrument used be

capable of collecting data from
300 nm to 780 nm
and reporting these data corresponding to
measurements made at a data interval of 5
nm with a triangular bandpass and with a
half-power width of 5 nm”

ISO 3664:2009 Annex D

Spectral power distribution conformance testing

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What to Consider When Purchasing a
Viewing Station
§ Size of samples
§ Do you need to view a proof and press sheet simultaneously
§ Number of reviewers
§ The surrounding environment
§ Ambient light
§ Background colors
§ The light source(s)
§ Budget
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The Light Source – All 5000K
lamps are not the same.
§ To meet the ISO standard a lamp must have
a spectral power distribution of D50 daylight.
§ GTI lamps have a unique blend of fluorescent
phosphors that produce an excellent CIE D50
§ When used in GTI viewing systems, GTI color viewing lamp
produces an actual system CRI approaching 95.

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The Light Source –
Fluorescent D50 Simulation

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What About LED?
§ There is a big difference between general lighting
applications and highly demanding applications like
color viewing.
§ The CIE has not presented standards for LED lighting.
§ The lack of standardization is an issue and can result in
inconsistencies between manufacturers and a variance
in daylight lamp quality.

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What About LED?
§ LED characteristics change with time, temperature, current,
and from batch-to-batch and manufacturer-to-manufacturer.
§ LED technology is expensive in comparison to fluorescent.
§ The cost to relamp a 29” x 52” fluorescent booth is currently
$165.00. You can relamp this booth once a year for nine years
before you recover the cost of a higher priced LED booth.

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What About LED?
§ There is minimal energy savings from a daylight LED
viewing booth.
§ An LED and fluorescent luminaire designed to illuminate a
30” x 52” wide viewing area use nearly the same power.

LED Daylight
160 Watts

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What About LED?
§ GTI is excited about the potential of LED technology
and look forward to further implementing it into our
product portfolio as it matures.
§ Until standards are in place we recommend D50 fluorescent
light be used for color evaluation and quality control.
§ LED, along with other sources, be used as a secondary
source to further check metamerism.

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“The lighting industry does not want to
make the same mistakes with LED as
they did with CFLs by moving too
quickly into unknown, unproven areas.”
- Dr Martine Knoop, lighting application specialist at Philips Lighting Eindhoven

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How Will ISO 3664:2009
Viewing Benefit You?
§ Consistency
§ Color will be viewed in the same lighting condition across the supply chain.
§ The variable of lighting conditions is removed from the production process.
§ Communication
§ Reduces miscommunications due to non-standard light sources.
§ Results in fewer proofing cycles, less redos, and faster customer approvals.
§ Customer experience
§ Viewing in consistent conditions provides a better experience
for your customers and their customers.
§ A light booth offers a more professional presentation atmosphere during reviews.

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Conclusion
§ Color plays a significant role in the
consumers buying decision
§ All parties in the supply chain should
be using D50 lighting.
§ ISO 3664:2009 ensures color is viewed
under standard conditions.
§ All GTI light booths ship with a Certificate of Conformance
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Conclusion
§ Standard viewing results in better color
communication, reduced errors, fewer
remakes, faster turn around, and greater
profits.
§ A controlled standard lighting system will help
brand owners, production departments, and
retailers to improve color management and
communication for products of all types.

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Without standard lighting three people look at With standard lighting three people look at the
the same color and see it differently. same color and see the same color.

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Thank You!

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