ICC color management means having a workflow that is predictable, consistent, and repeatable from capture through proofing to final output. To achieve a color managed workflow, you need to calibrate your devices and create an ICC profile for every component, including the camera, monitor, projector, scanner, and printer.
Why Calibrate and Profile?
For the best color results, you need to calibrate each device that is contributing to your workflow to ensure it is accurately reproducing color. Next you need to create ICC profiles to ensure they're speaking the same language. For example, each of these devices has a drastically different color formula for reproducing this color. Although the camera and monitor are both RGB, they use different means to reproduce this color. The same is true with the printer and press, which are likely using CMYK. ICC profiling gives them a common language so they can share color data.
Choosing a Solution to Create ICC Profiles
X-Rite’s ICC profile generation tool is called i1Profiler. It’s a suite of tools that create high-end profiles for all types of input and output devices, including conventional and digital RGB, CMYK, and CMYK+ (up to 4 additional colors) printing systems on a wide range of printing substrates so you can trust your color on any device.
i1Profiler software comes bundled with the i1Pro 3 and i1Pro 3 Plus measuring devices. The i1Pro 3 hardware carries the license for the i1Profiler software. This means your device acts as a dongle to unlock functions. The product configuration you choose dictates which functions will be licensed. i1Profiler runs on Mac and Windows workstations and supports all current operating systems.
If you already purchased an i1Pro 3 or i1Pro 3 Plus hardware-only device, you can also purchase i1Profiler software as a standalone product. It is called i1Publish and is shipped with a USB dongle that carries the full license set for i1Profiler. If you prefer to have the license on your device, you can i1Publish Upgrade A to add the license to your i1Pro device using an upgrade code.
The main difference between the Pro 3 and Pro 3 Plus is the type of materials they can profile. The i1Pro 3 can be used to profile standard materials for print and packaging and can measure smaller patches than the i1Pro 3 Plus. The i1Pro 3 Plus has a larger 8mm aperture that enables profiling on a broader range of substrates surfaces, like industrial materials, signage, textiles, ceramics, and of course monitors and displays. The i1Pro 3 Plus also offers optional polarization capabilities to help correct for unique material qualities and supports emission scanning for backlit textiles, films, and other materials used in displays and signage.
There are three product configurations available for i1Profiler:
i1Basic: The Basic level licenses the functionality to profile monitors and projectors, plus additional functions to verify the accuracy of proof systems.
Learn about i1Basic Pro 3
Learn about i1Basic Pro 3 Plus
i1Photo: The Photo level licenses the functionality to profile monitors and projectors, to verify softproofing accuracy, and to create ICC profiles for RGB driven print systems as well as scanners and cameras.
Learn about i1Photo Pro 3
Learn about i1Photo Pro 3 Plus
i1Publish: The Publish level licenses the full functionality of i1Profiler software. This includes all of the functionality available in i1Photo, plus the ability to create ICC profiles for CMYK and multicolor printers using CMYK with up to 4 additional colors.
Learn about i1Publish Pro 3
Learn about i1Publish Pro 3 Plus
Get Help Creating ICC Profiles for Imaging & Prepress
Be sure to check out our i1Profiler tutorial videos on our X-Rite Support YouTube channel. If you have questions about purchasing or using i1Profiler, get in touch so one of our Color Experts can help.
