1.

1 Default Setting of Maximum Densities and Calibration Factors

Default setting for maximum densities:
Dmax red = 2.4
Dmax green = 2.3
Dmax blue = 2.15

Default settings for calibration factors:

Calibr.fact. red = 1.03
Calibr.fact. green =1
Calibr.fact. blue = 0.98

The default settings are optimized for the Agfa Prestige

digital paper or other papers released by Agfa for use in
the d-lab and developed with Agfa d-lab chemicals.
Therefore we recommend to leave the values for Dmax
and the calibration factors unchanged.
If papers and/or chemicals of other manufacturers are
used, the settings can be changed to improve the
calibration for these papers and/or chemicals and thus
improve the quality of the production (see Defining new
maximum densities for a paper and Changing the gray
balance of the internal densitometer ).
Refer to the following section (When should the
maximum densities be changed?) to learn in which
cases the settings for maximum densities should be
modified.
Note:
The specified maximum densities (Dmax) refer to the
measured results of the internal d-lab densitometer.
The internal densitometer uses filters which are different
to status A.
Therefore the values measured on external
densitometers will usually be different from the results
of the internal densitometers.

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1.2 When Should Maximum Densities Be Changed?
An incorrect balance of maximum densities is mainly
noticeable in B/W pictures, in scenes with large black
areas, or in case of synthetic motifs. The following
characteristics should be optimized with the balance of
the maximum densities:
a) Neutral appearance of shadows
A neutral black balance in the shadows can be
obtained if the maximum densities of the three color
channels show a neutral balance in the PBL field
with the highest density. This balance (grayscale) is
depending on the paper type in use.
E.g. the red shadows can be corrected …
- by increasing the red Dmax value;
- or, if the red channel is already at the limit of the
laser intensity, by decreasing the green and blue
Dmax value accordingly.
b) Depth of shadows
Basic rule: The higher the maximum densities on the
PBL print the more depth in the shadows can be
obtained.
However, we do not suggest to enter maximum
densities higher than 2.5, as this may cause
irregularities in the color scale around highly
saturated colors especially in synthetic motifs.
c) Neutral appearance of fringes caused by blooming
effects
Fringes may appear in motifs with sharp edges and
high density differences, e.g. thin white lines of
white letters on black background (black leaks into
the white letters). Especially the colored fringes or
rims look irritating. Therefore a neutral color should
be adjusted for the fringes.
Generally these fringes can be reduced by reducing
the maximum density. The colored appearance of
fringes can be adjusted by variations of the
respective maximum density.
Whereby a reduction
- of Dmax red results in less cyan,
- of Dmax green results in less magenta,
- and of Dmax blue results in less yellow
... in the fringes.

The fringes react quite critically to the changes of the

Dmax value, therefore do not use values for ∆red,
∆green, or ∆blue that are higher than 0.05.

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 The adjustment of neutral fringes should be made with a
suitable motif, i.e. thin white lines or print on black
background or a fine black and white crosshatch pattern.
The variations of the maximum densities for the
adjustment of the fringes always results in a
compromise regarding the characteristics mentioned in
item a) and b).

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1.3 Changing the Maximum Densities of a Paper
The function with laser point must be activated in the
screen Print PBL. Now the maximum densities (Dmax)
for the three color channels can be entered for the
selected paper configurations. The entered Dmax values
are used to determine the maximum intensity of the
laser.
Thereby the following facts should be considered:
– The maximum intensity of the laser is only
determined by means of a PBL with laser point. In
case of a PBL without laser point the settings for the
Dmax densities have no effect.
– The maximum densities of the three channels are not
completely independent of each other due to the
color dyes in the paper. If the maximum density of
one channel is changed this also has an effect on the
maximum densities of the other channels.
– The specified Dmax values refer to measuring results
with the internal densitometer.
– If a paper is to be calibrated and the maximum
densities of the PBL on this paper are not as
expected, an external densitometer must be used to
measure this print. In this case we recommend a
device with Status A characteristics (e.g. X-Rite
Densitometer).
– Due to the deviating filters of the densitometer
integrated in the d-lab, the required nominal values
(Status A) of the maximum densities cannot be
entered directly in the screen Print PBL. To
determine the values to be entered proceed
according to the description on the following page.
– For external measuring of the test strip always the
same densitometer must be used.

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Procedure for paper calibration to new maximum densities
1. Measure the obtained maximum densities (Dactred,
Dactgreen, Dactblue) on a current PBL print on an
external densitometer. Measure the field with the
highest density on the PBL print (fully right).
2. Calculate the differences with respect to the nominal
external maximal densities (Dnomred, Dnomgreen,
Dnomblue):
∆red= (Dnomred – Dactred),
∆green= (Dnomgreen - Dactgreen),
∆blue= (Dnomblue – Dactblue).
3. Read the old Dmax values in the screen Print PBL
(function with laser point activated) and add the
calculated differences to these values:
Dmaxred_new = Dmaxred_old + ∆red,
Dmaxgreen_new = Dmaxgreen_old + ∆green,
Dmaxblue_new = Dmaxblue_old + ∆blue.
Enter the new Dmax value and press Start to
initiate a new PBL with laser point.
4. Measure the obtained maximum densities on the
first PBL print (i.e. the third test print coming out of
the machine) in the external densitometer (see 1.).
5. Repeat the steps 2. to 4. until the required maximum
densities can be obtained. By experience we know
this may take several cycles.

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Restrictions
In some cases the required maximum densities cannot
be obtained:
1. Restriction by the capacity range of the maximum
laser intensity
The maximum laser intensities can only be adjusted
within a limited range. Thereby we differentiate two
basic cases:
a) Restrictions by reaching the maximum possible
laser intensity of a channel,
e.g. the required higher maximum densities
cannot be obtained on papers which are not
suitable for laser exposure. (The color density
curves of these papers reach saturation at low
densities with the short time exposure that is
typical for laser. Even a theoretically infinitely
increased intensity cannot produce a sufficient
increase in density.)
b) Restrictions by reaching the minimum possible laser
intensity of a channel,
e.g. it is possible that the required low maximum
densities cannot be adjusted any more for
papers with extremely high sensitivity to light.
2. Restrictions of the maximum densities by fringing
Laser exposure on photographic papers is always
subject to fringes caused by blooming. The fringing
increases with the increasing laser intensity, e.g. the
effect is irritating color fringes.
In case of a PBL with laser point the fringes are
measured by evaluation of the halo print (the second
test print). Based on these results the fringing and
thus the maximum intensity of the laser is restricted
to a photographically acceptable value. As a
consequence the reachable maximum densities can
also be limited by the blooming or fringing effects.
3. Reaction of the d-lab
If there is a restriction in one channel caused by the
capacity range or by fringing, the respective
maximum density on the print is adjusted to the
maximum reachable value.

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1.4 Changing the Gay Balance of the Internal Densitometer
Correction factors (calibration factors) for the three color
channels can be entered for the selected paper in the
Print PBL screen. Based on these values the gray
balance of the internal densitometer can be changed,
e.g. to correct the color casts on the PBL print.

Application
– Papers of different manufacturers may contain
different color dyes. According to the spectral
properties of the color dyes the measuring values of
the internal densitometer must be corrected to adapt
the color reproduction of the different papers.
– This correction or adaptation is made by means of
the three calibration factors; i.e. different paper types
usually need different calibration factors.
– The PBL print should be adapted in such a way that
gray color tones appear neutral gray. (This is of
special importance in black-and-white prints.)

Procedure for changing the calibration factors of a paper

The adjustment of new calibration factors for a selected
paper can be made with or without an external
densitometer.

Procedure without external densitometer:

1. Print a PBL without laser point on the selected paper.
2. Determine the color cast in the grayscale on the last
PBL print by its optical impression (PBL is in
tolerance).
3. Reduce the calibration factor of the respective color.
Whereby a reduction of the calibration factor by 0.02
results in a reduction in density by about 2% (with
0.1 by about 10% etc.).
4. Repeat the steps 1. through 3. until the grayscale on
the last PBL print comes out neutral.

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 Procedure with external densitometer:
1. Print a PBL without laser point on the selected paper.
2. On the last PBL print that was developed measure
the density of a grayscale field in an external
densitometer and note the measured values. We
recommend to measure the field with medium gray
density, which is directly next to the field with
maximum density (second from the right). (Do not
take the field with maximum density!)
3. Determine the new calibration factor of a color
according to the following formula:
corr_new = corr_actual x D_nom / D_act,
with:
corr_new: new calibration factor
(to obtain a neutral
grayscale)
D_nom: required density of the color
D_act: measured density of the color
corr_actual: current calibration factor.
4. Repeat the steps 1. through 3. until the grayscale
comes out neutral.

Note:
A PBL without laser point (function with laser point is
inactive) has no influence on the paper fog and the
maximum densities. Only densities between these two
extreme values will be calibrated.
The calibration factors have no influence on the Dmax
values.

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