Importing a Photoshop file into Flexi 7.6

[stuart@accupress.com]

What file format should I save the photoshop file as? I have saved as a tif and as a jpeg and both times the print comes out very grainy.

Any help is appreciated.

Thanks

[iSign]

I save as .tif files & for some reason have better results saving in RGB format even though I'm printing on a CMYK printer (haven't figured that one out yet)

also, it probably goes without saying, but high enough resolution for the size you will be printing is also important. I go with a minimum of 100 dpi AT FULL SIZE. On smaller prints, I go up to 150 dpi or more if I am really looking for photo quality, but typically on a large format printer, we are printing stuff to be viewed from a distance, so anything over 100 dpi wastes time for no good reason.

[stuart@accupress.com]

Thanks Doug.

[TresL]

I use the PSD, as it's higher res than a JPG or other raster type....

It is still a little grainy, due to being raster graphics.

I try and make sure all type is done with vector.(use as little raster as possible)

[Fred Weiss]

I use the PSD, as it's higher res than a JPG or other raster type....

It is still a little grainy, due to being raster graphics.

I try and make sure all type is done with vector.(use as little raster as possible)

By higher res I assume you mean pixel dimensions. How many pixels you have is in direct relation to how good your print will look. But it takes a core amount of color information in the form of pixel dimensions to be able to successfully enlarge a raster file and to rip it with decent results. Resolution (DPI) is not a factor of an image file ... it is a factor of a printing device. Files are usually evaluated in pixels per inch or PPI for short.

PSD is simply Photoshop's native format which supports layers and some other program features. It has nothing to do with the pixel dimensions and the same file has the same pixel dimensions (or resolution) in any format you save it in.

My experience is that you need to have somewhere around 800 to 900 pixels in height or width to have enough color information to accomplish an enlargement of up to 400%. Beyond that, you will see pixelation if you are standing close enough.

[bob]

I save as .tif files & for some reason have better results saving in RGB format even though I'm printing on a CMYK printer (haven't figured that one out yet)

When you do, let me know. Someone of the cognoscenti in these matters explained it to me once but I can't recall the details. Is has to do with the larger color gamut of RGB and the translation of the RBG into LAB space and hence to CMYK by the RIP.

I think it's just magic, but, being a hardcore pragmatist, it works for me as well. It's a Mystery no doubt.

[Spot Color]

This is likely a no brainer but I always merge layers before I save as .tif. Smaller file size.

[TresL]

Fred is correct(again), I miss worded....:-)
I didn't have any of the losses as can happen with JPG....

I have most always had issues with JPG...They are great for web..
But not for print.....

[thewood]

I agree with alot of the suggestions here. I'm also using Flexi to rip. When I want to print a psd, I size it to 72 ppi (for banners and such) or 150 ppi (for close-up viewing) at full size. I flatten the image and save it as a tif, embedding the Adobe RGB profile. I use no compression because I have had funny things happen when Flexi opens a compressed tif. This works for me.