ISO 14861:2015

INTERNATIONAL ISO
STANDARD 14861
First edition
2015-08-15
Graphic technology — Requirements
for colour soft proofing systems
Technologie graphique — Exigences pour les systèmes d’épreuve à
l’écran couleur
Reference number
ISO 14861:2015(E)
©
ISO 2015

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ISO 14861:2015(E)

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ISO 14861:2015(E)

Contents Page
Foreword .iv
Introduction .v
1 Scope . 1
2 Normative references . 1
3 Terms and definitions . 1
4 Requirements . 2
4.1 Data delivery . 2
4.2 Display requirements . 2
4.3 Viewing condition requirements . 3
4.3.1 General. 3
4.3.2 Displays to be used alone . 3
4.4 Display driving and simulation requirements . 4
4.4.1 General. 4
4.4.2 Testing of display driving . 4
4.4.3 Testing of the simulation . 5
4.4.4 Visual . . . 6
Annex A (informative) Reference set of RGB triplets . 7
Annex B (normative) Test patches for display driving and simulation requirements .8
Bibliography .10
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ISO 14861:2015(E)

Foreword
ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards
bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out
through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical
committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International
organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work.
ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of
electrotechnical standardization.
The procedures used to develop this document and those intended for its further maintenance are
described in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1. In particular the different approval criteria needed for the
different types of ISO documents should be noted. This document was drafted in accordance with the
editorial rules of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2 (see www.iso.org/directives).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. Details of any
patent rights identified during the development of the document will be in the Introduction and/or on
the ISO list of patent declarations received (see www.iso.org/patents).
Any trade name used in this document is information given for the convenience of users and does not
constitute an endorsement.
For an explanation on the meaning of ISO specific terms and expressions related to conformity
assessment, as well as information about ISO’s adherence to the WTO principles in the Technical Barriers
to Trade (TBT) see the following URL: Foreword - Supplementary information
The committee responsible for this document is ISO/TC 130, Graphic technology.
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ISO 14861:2015(E)

Introduction
The use of images displayed on a colour monitor is increasingly being used in the graphic arts industry
for colour evaluation and colour acceptance (commonly referred to as “soft” proofing). This requires
that the colour display and its associated viewing environment be able to simulate the appearance of
the final printed image viewed under standard graphic arts viewing conditions. The major components
required to accomplish this are assembled to create a soft proofing system which is usually comprised
of a monitor, colour measurement device, driving software (for calibration, profiling the monitor, and
displaying the data), and a viewing cabinet. The overall design and calibration has to control and take
into account the influence of ambient lighting.
As the use of soft proofing increases, the need for an objective and vendor neutral assessment of soft
proofing systems is steadily increasing. This International Standard specifies requirements for systems
that are used to produce, from digital data, images on electronic displays that are intended to simulate
a characterized printing condition defined by a set of characterization data and spot colours defined by
a physical reference.
This International Standard builds on the monitor requirements defined in ISO 12646, the viewing
cabinet defined in ISO 3664, and the requirements for contract hard copy proofing defined in ISO 12647-7.
Three common soft proof scenarios are typically encountered. In the first scenario, a soft proof is
displayed on a monitor without an associated viewing cabinet. In the second scenario, a viewing cabinet
is associated with the monitor. In the third, the monitor is a part of, and built-into, a viewing cabinet. To
test how closely the displayed image simulates the encoded colorimetric data of the original, there is no
need to differentiate between these three scenarios. However, to assess the similarity of the soft proof
reproduction (as described in this standard) to a reference print, a viewing cabinet or controlled room
lighting is required.
The objective assessment of a soft proofing display system is carried out in three steps. First, the
monitor and the viewing cabinet are tested to ensure that these components are capable of achieving
the results needed to produce a high quality soft proof. Second, the capability of the combination of the
monitor and the display driving software is tested. Third, the simulation of an output condition, usually
a characterized printing condition, is assessed.
With respect to the data handling and display driving software, a separation is made between the driving
of the display and the simulation of a given colorimetric reference, termed simulation. The primary
focus of the display driving software lies in the accurate characterization of the display. This is typically
accomplished by a contact measurement device.
Once the display device itself is evaluated, the integration of the display and any associated viewing
cabinet (or a room lighting setup to function as a viewing cabinet) and the effect of ambient lighting
has to be evaluated. The simulation of an intended characterized printing condition represents the
colorimetry of the display as seen from the viewer position. For that reason, telespectroradiometric
readings are required at this stage of evaluation.
The use of a display and an associated viewing cabinet and/or the display integrated into a hard copy
viewing cabinet often occurs in situations where a printed product, like a newspaper or offset print,
is being evaluated with respect to the soft copy proof in the absence of a hard copy proof. In this case,
there is active research as to how a concrete document can be shown reliably in order to facilitate it as
a contract proof or reference in disputes of colour difference.
The use of a standalone display in uncontrolled ambient lighting is not subject of this International
Standard because the final visual appearance of a soft proof on a display cannot be judged without
taking into account the influence of the ambient light, even when the soft proof is viewed alone, without
comparison to a physical object like a proof print, production print, or product sample.
Obtaining a good soft proof simulation of a reference is not simple and to be fully accurate requires
careful control of many aspects of the process. The primary purpose of this International Standard is to
establish the criteria and tolerances needed to evaluate a complete soft proofing system.
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INTERNATIONAL STANDARD ISO 14861:2015(E)
Graphic technology — Requirements for colour soft
proofing systems
1 Scope
This International Standard specifies requirements for systems that are used to produce, from digital data,
images on electronic displays that are intended to simulate a characterized printing condition defined
by a set of characterization data and spot colours defined by a physical reference. Recommendations
are provided with regard to equipment selection, setup, operating, and environmental conditions.
Appropriate test methods associated with these requirements are specified.
2 Normative references
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and are
indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated
references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
ISO 3664, Graphic technology and photography — Viewing conditions
ISO 12639, Graphic technology — Prepress digital data exchange — Tag image file format for image
technology (TIFF/IT)
ISO 12646, Graphic technology — Displays for colour proofing — Characteristics and viewing conditions
ISO 12647-7, Graphic technology — Process control for the production of half-tone colour separations, proof
and production prints — Part 7: Proofing processes working directly from digital data
ISO 15930, Graphic technology — Prepress digital data exchange using PDF
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1
display
electronic device capable of visibly communicating information
3.2
characterized printing condition
printing condition for which process control aims are defined and for which the relationship between
input data (printing-tone values, usually CMYK) and the colorimetry of the printed image is documented
[SOURCE: ISO 15930-8:2010, 3.1]
3.3
power off
condition in which the display (3.1) is switched off
3.4
soft proof
visualization of colour image data using a display (3.1) with the intent of synthesizing the colour
appearance under a defined illumination and viewing condition
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ISO 14861:2015(E)

3.5
soft proofing system
system of hardware and software components used to reproduce the colour appearance for a specific
viewing condition
3.6
spectroradiometer
instrument for measuring radiometric quantities in narrow wavelength intervals over a given spectral
region
[SOURCE: IEC 60050-845:1987 17.4]
3.7
telespectroradiometer
spectroradiometer (3.6) that uses an optical relay component to allow measurements to be made at a
distance from the specimen
[SOURCE: ISO 13655:2009, 3.12]
Note 1 to entry: The measurement of spectral radiance is independent of the distance from the source, but the
area that is imaged will not produce constant results unless the source is perfectly uniform. The surface of most
displays (3.1) are not uniform enough for the radiance from a 25 mm diameter area to produce the same results
as the radiance from a 10 mm diameter area. The distance to the display face and the cone half angle needs to be
noted in the report.
Note 2 to entry: While some instruments of this type have obvious external input optics such as lenses and
apertures (telescopic optics), many simpler, portable instruments used in graphic reproduction have such input
optics inside the instrument housing and may have the ability to be used as a non-contact spectroradiometer with
full conformance with this definition.
3.8
surround
area adjacent to the border of an image which, upon viewing the image, can affect the local state of
adaptation of the eye
3.9
viewing cabinet
area of controlled illumination (usually enclosed on the sides and back) intended to provide a specified
intensity and spectral power distribution to allow consistency viewing of a specimen
4 Requirements
4.1 Data delivery
Soft copy proofing systems shall accept digital data delivered as PDF/X data files as defined in ISO 15930
or shall accept digital data delivered as TIFF/IT files as defined in ISO 12639. Where TIFF/IT files are
used, colour information shall be included using tag 34675 or tag 34029 as defined in ISO 12639.
NOTE PDF/X-1a requires that the intended printing condition be indicated. Where the intended printing
condition is included in the registry of characterizations maintained by the International Color Consortium (ICC)
and the digital data are cyan-magenta-yellow-key (black) (CMYK), the name used in the ICC registry is usually
used for identification in lieu of including an ICC output profile. If the intended printing condition is not included
in the said registry, PDF/X-1a requires that an ICC output profile be included.
4.2 Display requirements
The displays used for soft proofing shall meet either the class A or class B requirements of ISO 12646.
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ISO 14861:2015(E)

4.3 Viewing condition requirements
4.3.1 General
The visual environment should be designed to minimize interference with the viewing task. It is
important to eliminate extraneous conditions that affect the appraisal of images on the display and
prints in the viewing cabinet. There are many potential variations possible in soft proofing setups. To
minimize variations, specific requirements are needed. In this International Standard, the final colour
stimulus will be judged by instrumental measurements with specific requirements. For this reason, no
additional normative requirements are provided for the position of the display.
Principally, there are two different setups. The first environment consists of a display situated next to
(but not inside) a dedicated viewing cabinet. Here, the ambient shall be controlled so that stray light is
not having a significant impact on the displayed image or its surround. In this situation, the illuminance
level inside the viewing cabinet
...