Pdf or Eps

[salazar]

Is there a difference when you print using pdf or eps, I usually use eps files but did not know if there is a difference in printing

 

[P Wagner]

Is there a difference when you print using pdf or eps, I usually use eps files but did not know if there is a difference in printing

There can be differences in printed output between these file formats. The difference does not necessarily lie in the colors in the file, but in the way that your programs (design and production software) define the colors in the file. Many commonly-used production file formats are able to embed working spaces to the file. Today, this includes most JPG and TIF files that are most commonly tied to the sRGB working space for RGB files and to SWOP (or GRACoL) on the CMYK side.

PDF files are able to support working spaces, but it is up to the file creator to actually do so. Many PDF files that are created using default preset settings are not using working spaces, but those that use a print-centric setting like High Quality Print will normally include the working space of each object.

EPS files never contain working spaces. Therefore it is incumbent on the person who configures the workflow to ensure that working spaces are consistently defined in both the design application(s) and software RIP, otherwise color shifts will occur based on the unique and different default working spaces that are assumed in each program.

 

[shoresigns]

PDF files are also a bit less work because they'll use your artboard size and your bleed, whereas with EPS files you have to use a clipping mask to set the document size.

 

[Biker Scout]

I prefer the output on my wide format printers in this order: .TIF | .EPS | .PDF | .PNG

I don't like .jpeg

 

[player]

I prefer the output on my wide format printers in this order: .TIF | .EPS | .PDF | .PNG

I don't like .jpeg

Why eps over pdf?

 

[Biker Scout]

.eps is printer language (at least for Post Script printers) It embeds the color information, and I can send those anywhere and expect to get back what I am expecting to get.

OK, I come from traditional printing background... Laser Image Setters and old school stand alone RIP systems. .pdf's had odd quirks that would ruin a print job from time to time. And I still see the same kinds of print oddities from .pdf's even on my wide format. Transparancies, white ghosted boxes, fonts cramming into each other. And often times not as vibrant in the color space.

I've ran the side-by-side tests so many times now, I pretty much know what to expect. If I send the same file off to 4over, let's use them as an example, because they have direct to plate technology. Send them an .eps and a .pdf... the .eps will be brighter, more vibrant.

So, when a client brings me a .pdf, depending on where it's going it what format I save it in, after tweaking things. If I'm going to the wide format, I save as a .tif now. If I'm sending off to have plates made, or CNC router stuff, or my CNC Plasma... I always use .eps

Now if the file is a vector file to begin with, I still use .eps over .pdf. But if it's going to wide format, I don't usually rasterize those to a .tif, unless there's special circumstances based on the output.

 

[player]

Thank you BikerScout.

If you have a vector file in Corel or Flexi that has a bitmap plus vectors would you still use eps?

 

[Biker Scout]

No, the combo files get flattened in PhotoShop then saved as a tif. Sometimes if I'm feeling spunky, I'll save it as a PhotoShop .eps... but not really necessary at that point, .tif will embed color space too.

 

[player]

But if the file was to be printed large, you would lose the sharp vector edges, unless you made it full size, then the file becomes behemoth.

 

[Biker Scout]

I print most things at full size. I don't do the whole 1/10th thing. There are several reasons for that. But, mainly it's about lack of pixelation, no blotchy colors, smooth lines etc.

But there is a sequence you have to use to when re-sampling the file size. The lowest I'll go at full size is 150 dpi. But the file started at 300, minimum. It's like when dealing with RAW camera files, there's just more data to extract detail and color from when you do things actual size.

Let's use the example of making a 3x8 banner. Well, I usually do my design work in InDesign. Which can handle the files at actual size and they don't take up too much room, because of the way it handles original files and links. Then when it's all ready to go, I export as a .pdf to open in Photoshop to rasterize it. That's when I can fiddle with the re-sampling. I can just say 200 dpi, do a quick Save As .tif and send that file to the RIP to print. I don't keep the .tif's around much after printing. I'd say they probably live about 30 or so days on the RIP machine. After that, the client would have to pay to have anything re-printed anyway. 30 days is long enough to have a printed item to find something wrong with it. But if the client comes back next year, I can always go back to the InDesign file and re-export it to print after changes are made.

I've literally got 6 years, maybe more worth of client files on my one iMac. It's only got a 650gb hard drive. And I'm only using about 350 of it. Because I don't keep the RIP ready files around.

 

[player]

I print most things at full size. I don't do the whole 1/10th thing. There are several reasons for that. But, mainly it's about lack of pixelation, no blotchy colors, smooth lines etc.

But there is a sequence you have to use to when re-sampling the file size. The lowest I'll go at full size is 150 dpi. But the file started at 300, minimum. It's like when dealing with RAW camera files, there's just more data to extract detail and color from when you do things actual size.

Let's use the example of making a 3x8 banner. Well, I usually do my design work in InDesign. Which can handle the files at actual size and they don't take up too much room, because of the way it handles original files and links. Then when it's all ready to go, I export as a .pdf to open in Photoshop to rasterize it. That's when I can fiddle with the re-sampling. I can just say 200 dpi, do a quick Save As .tif and send that file to the RIP to print. I don't keep the .tif's around much after printing. I'd say they probably live about 30 or so days on the RIP machine. After that, the client would have to pay to have anything re-printed anyway. 30 days is long enough to have a printed item to find something wrong with it. But if the client comes back next year, I can always go back to the InDesign file and re-export it to print after changes are made.

I've literally got 6 years, maybe more worth of client files on my one iMac. It's only got a 650gb hard drive. And I'm only using about 350 of it. Because I don't keep the RIP ready files around.

Doesn't that break the rule about goofy things from pdf's?

Thank you for sharing your workflow. I have never used InDesign. I will have to look into it.

 

[Biker Scout]

I use the .pdf only to rasterize it. Because in InDesign, you are combining raster and vector files as well as fonts. And since I'm at full size, when I open the .pdf in PhotoShop that's where I get the rasterization control. The actual size, the resolution, the color space etc. Because the .pdf will naturally have high res vector information, so that will be nice and crisp. But we often times do not get perfect studio photos to work with. So sometime, some upsampling will occur. This is where you determine whether or not the upsampling is worth the apparent loss in quality, paired right next to sharp vector. And the difference between 300 dpi and 200 dpi is not apparent by the human eye, especially at normal reading level. Much less a poster or anything larger that is viewed at 6' or more away.

This is where I can cheat sometimes. If I feel the file is too large for 200, I can manually type in 150 dpi. That actually makes a huge difference in file size. If it's mostly vector, 150 is fine, and there will be very little pixellation on a placed raster image.