GretagMacbeth Reaches Out to Creatives

When it comes to color-managing workflows, creatives preparing images for the web or corporate presentations have different needs than digital photographers preparing images for the printing. And, digital photographers preparing images for conventional offset printing have different color-management requirements than those who plan to print their own inkjet prints on an Epson inkjet printer. To accommodate these various requirements”?while making it less intimidating for novices to get started”?Gretag Macbeth has introduced four new Eye-One? packages, built around Eye-One Match 2.0 software.

The upgraded Eye-One software features a new user-interface for greater simplicity, on-screen help guides, and two modes of operation. In the “easy” mode, novices can used predefined settings for automated monitor and digital-projector profiling. The “advanced” mode gives experienced users more precise controls.

Eye-One Display, priced at $249, provides a quick, more affordable way to calibrate and profile any CRT or LCD computer display. In addition to the Match 2.0 monitor profiling software, the Display package includes a compact colorimeter that attaches easily to any CRT and LCD display. This package was developed for creatives who need to know that the colors they are viewing on screen are accurate enough to make design decisions. For many users, this instrument probably won't provide a long-term solution to their color-management woes. In response to the growing need to get creatives more involved in color-management, Gretag Macbeth is simply providing an entry-level stepping-stone from which creatives can upgrade in the future.

Eye-One Photo, priced at $1495, was developed for digital photographers who produce their own prints on a digital RGB printer, such as the Epson Stylus Photo and Pro devices that process RGB files. In addition to Eye-One Match software for monitor and RGB-printer profiling, this package includes the Eye-One Pro spectrophotometer and hardware needed to mount it on CRT or LCD displays. If a photographers wants to see how lighting in other settings (e.g. galleries or retail stores) will affect the appearance of their images, the Eye-One Pro can be equipped with an optional head that measures ambient light. This device can also verify the color temperature of color-viewing booths.

Eye-One Publish, priced at $2695, can help digital photographers, ad agencies, graphic designers, and publishers ensure consistent color reproduction from the time an image is captured until a publication is designed, proofed, and printed. This package includes Match 2.0 software for calibrating and profiling all types of monitors, scanners, and printers, as well as the Eye-One Pro spectrophotometer with ambient-light measurement capabilities.

The Eye-One Beamer, $1595, helps photographers, corporate executives, ad agencies, designers, and A-V firms ensure that digital projectors and screens used for group presentations are consistent with the colors shown on the presenter's laptop. This portable package includes the Eye-One Pro measuring device, a holder for positioning the device on the projector, and Eye-One Match 2.0 software. (Gretag Macbeth: www.i1color.com)