Converting CMYK or RGB to Grayscale with Acrobat?

[prepressDog]

Im wondering what others do...
Most of the time we have a B&W job... its not built that way. Ha. Sure most others deal with the same.
We just use the convert color tool in Acrobat.... pick Gamma gray 1.8 or 2.2 (never see much diff?)
Then Print... Or we print directly from the color, depending which looks better.
Is there a better way to do this?


Here is an example of color file after converting
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/8525742/B4print%20Weird%20Gray%20haze%20Test.pdf


One of my questions... when we convert using acrobat to Gamma Gray 1.8 or 2.2....seems like there is a "haze" or transparency overlay. making everything look flat. When I select a Pic, using the edit orig tool in acrobat. Open it in PhotoShop. Looks different. Nice... Not like a haze overlay???
Is there a way to make it look sharper?? With out editing every pic?
 

[Joe]

I'm no color management expert but I've heard from a guy that used to post here that if you setup your color management in Adobe Bridge the way you want it, for example like your Photoshop is setup, that you can tell all of the other Adobe apps to use the Bridge settings so all Adobe apps will convert the same way.

[gnubler]

All hail The Warlord.

[Joe]

All hail The Warlord.

 

[DigiCorn]

I'm no color management expert but I've heard from a guy that used to post here that if you setup your color management in Adobe Bridge the way you want it, for example like your Photoshop is setup, that you can tell all of the other Adobe apps to use the Bridge settings so all Adobe apps will convert the same way.

That's how I have our machines set up.

[gnubler]

What's color management? "We don't do that here"  :laugh:

[Farabomb]

We manage to get color onto the sheet and that's about it.

[gnubler]

If it looks good on my screen I just push print.

[youston]

All hail The Warlord.

No.

[gnubler]

Ok. All but youston. Yer out!

[frailer]

I seem to find strange differences in a lot of non-grayscale but mono-required files that we get. I use whatever combination works; the biggest problem stepping around is retaining or restoring 100K type, but also having images go washed-out, or transparency go whacky.
Regularly use what you do, but also PitStop GCs/EALs/Inspector, but also Quite A Box Of Tricks. Images I'll sometimes 'fix' by extracting into PhSh, after I've been flailing around with the scythe.   :laugh:

[mattbeals]

In the color conversions you can tell Acrobat to keep black objects. It is limited in what it can do though. If you find that you have odd "blacks", like some 4/c blacks and non 0,0,0 RGB blacks then strange things can happen. This is where PitStop Pro and callas pdfToolbox really come in handy. It's pretty easy in both to get a good conversion to gray. A bit easier in pdfToolbox, but pretty easy in both.

The Gamma 2.2 and 1.8, gamma 2.2 darkens the picture and 1.8 lightens it up. People use them instead of profiles for dot gain. Depending on what you are converting it may be advantageous to use one of the gamma profiles. But you can also build your own fake ICC profile for grayscale in PhotoShop for linear gray. Then you can import that into Acrobat Pro and use it. I made one that was linear but the 90-100 tints were set to 100.

Your mileage may vary...

[prepressDog]

Thanks All.... I will mess around with few of the tips n tricks.
B&W is an Art... Feel people get away from that. Just convert and go...
Stamp and Process.
But... when we can. At least myself.. like to go the extra steps, when can. and make it look best we can.
All the feedback is very helpful... Tks again!


TGIF!!!

[gnubler]

TGIF!!!

Ditto.

[prepressDog]

Just went to check my color settings in Bridge. Was on North America Gen Purp 2.
Changing to North American Prepress2? Give it a shot... Idk which was using b4?


What are others using?