Pantone -> CMYK/RGB colors in Photoshop vs. Illustrator/Quark

[wienerdog]

I am looking at Pantone Coated swatches and seeing what they are equivalent to CMYK and RGB colors. I noticed Photoshop gives me different CMYK/RGB numbers than Illustrator and Quark do. Any reason for this I'm not aware of?

[DesignerScott]

Oh, and if you import an illy file into flash you'll get yet another set of values. Not as surprising really, but thought it would be worth mentioning.
This one's bugged me for a while...

[Silence04]

i would buy the Pantone to Process Chip book...

[wienerdog]

Yeah, I'll probably have to speak to them here about getting one.

[PrintDriver]

Different versions of the software have different numbers. Pantone updated their colors in 2000/2001.
Also changing color modes in the middle of a design will screw your numbers up drastically.

What versions are you using?

[rockem]

They should be the same if using the same version of software, and make sure you are using the same swatches like coated, uncoated, trumatch, metallic, etc.
If there not you are using different color modes, or maybe started with the same color mode and swithced for an effect to be possible then swithced back, that will mess up your values.
Not sure about quark as I havent used it since indesign came out. BUt remember never having problems with it

[PrintDriver]

Rocker, basically what I said with more words.
Quark changed Pantone values in V5.
If your CMYK or RGB numbers have decimal points in them, somewhere someone change color modes. You will have to reapply from the Library, not the swatch palette.

Please be aware that the pantone to process book only gives approximate values and shows what the color will look like on a typical 4 plate press.

Check with your printer before using CMYK equivalents rather than PMS spot colors.

In large format work, that pantone to process book is a bio-hazard. Hazardous to YOUR health.

[PrintDriver]

Psst. Why are you using RGB numbers?

[panzer]

rgb is for web etc like flash is for web / you wouldnt use a pantone on web ??

cmyk and pantone is for printing

[PrintDriver]

RGB is also used for printing.
Wide format Lambda or Lightjet continuous tone prints.
Don't make assumptions.

[wienerdog]

I think I was comparing how the Pantone colors I'm using had different formulas when converting to RGB and CMYK. I'm setting up some company logos for web and didn't realize it would be inconsistent. I'm trying to match the RGB color to something close to the Pantone. The Pantone color in an RGB document is vastly different in color to the same Pantone swatch applied in a new CMYK.

[panzer]

i didnt Printdriver thats why the question mark was there

[rockem]

if ya use the most up to date ps, you will always get the correct conversion as the books, just make sure you are under the right specification of the pms

[PrintDriver]

^...and in the right profile and in the right color space. Any of the different ICC profiles native to Photoshop give different CMYK numbers. Those numbers are device dependant. Especially in large format world. A PMS number is simply a code to 'look up' in an ICC profile chart and depending on the degree of color management and calibration, what's printed comes close to the PMS. Or not, depending on gamut. LOL.

Why are you comparing RGB colors to CMYK colors? Of course they are different.

[panzer]

by the way any advice on good calibration for my emac