Nikon Scan 4 User manual

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Preferences—Nikon Color Management
Nikon Color Management
Nikon Color Management
Keeping Colors True
Keeping Colors True
The Nikon Color Management System, or Nikon CMS, en-
sures that image data from Nikon scanners are reproduced
consistently and accurately on monitors or printers. With this
powerful tool, colors can be manipulated in a calibrated RGB
color model before the data are passed to the host applica-
tion. Profiles detailing the color characteristics of the chosen
color model and the output device (monitor or printer) en-
sure that colors will be reproduced accurately in almost any
operating environment.
Nikon CMS involves two categories of preferences, one
(“Gamma”) for use when Nikon CMS is off and the other
(“Color Management”) for use when Nikon CMS is on.
“Gamma” specifies how data from the scanner will be mod-
ified for display on the monitor. Because monitor profiles
can not be used when Nikon CMS is off, this adjustment
must be made manually. “Color Management” is used to
turn Nikon CMS on and off and select the profiles for use
with the monitor and with the CMYK and calibrated RGB
color models when Nikon CMS is on.
Turning Nikon CMS Off
Turning Nikon CMS Off
In general, much better results can be achieved with Nikon CMS on. It
may however be necessary to turn color management off to:
• Speed processing
If the computer has a slow CPU, the processing required for color
management may result in longer scan times. Try turning color man-
agement off for reduced scan times.
• Edit data from the scanner directly
Advanced users may want to turn Nikon CMS off to edit uncalibrated
RGB data from the scanner.
CMYK
CMYK
Images can not be scanned in CMYK. If CMYK data are required, con-
vert images to CMYK before saving them to disk. Note that images
can only be saved in CMYK if Nikon CMS is on (Nikon CMS is on by
default).

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Preferences—Nikon Color Management
How Nikon CMS Works
Color-Space Profiles
Separate profiles are available for the RGB and CMYK color
models. Nikon Scan comes with a selection of profiles for
the RGB color model, while CMYK profiles for color printers
are usually provided by the manufacturer. Color-space pro-
files are used when editing images in the scan window and
when making the final scan.
Monitor Profiles
Monitor profiles are usually provided by the manufacturer,
although profiles for some common monitor types may be
included with the computer operating system. Monitor
profiles apply when images are displayed on a monitor, for
example when an image is displayed in the preview area or
an image window.
Creating Monitor Profiles
Creating Monitor Profiles
If desired, Adobe Photoshop can be used to create a monitor profile for
a specific environment. This profile can then be used in Nikon Scan.
For information on creating monitor profiles, see the documentation
provided with Adobe Photoshop. This option is not available in Adobe
Photoshop LE.
When image data are passed from an input device, such as
a scanner, to an output device, such as a monitor or printer,
color management ensures that the image displayed on the
output device “looks the same” as the original. To accom-
plish this task, the color management system must have
information about the color characteristics of both the input
and output devices, as well as the color space used for edit-
ing. The files containing this information are called “ICC pro-
files.” Nikon Scan uses the following three types of profile:
Input Profiles
Input profiles provide information on the input device, i.e.,
the Nikon scanner. Fixed profiles detailing the color char-
acteristics of supported Nikon scanners are provided with
Nikon Scan. An input profile is selected automatically based
on the model of scanner used and the type of media (pos-
itive or negative) being scanned.

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Preferences—Nikon Color Management
Scan
Scan
Preview
The Scanning Process
The illustration below shows the role Nikon CMS plays in
the scanning process. CMS profiles are shown in blue, user
operations in red.
When Nikon CMS is on, uncalibrated RGB image data from
the scanner are converted to grayscale or calibrated RGB,
depending on the color model selected in the scan window.
RGB data are processed according to the profile selected for
the calibrated RGB color space. These data are stored in
memory so that the color model can be changed without
performing another preview. Any changes made using the
color enhancement and Unsharp Mask tools also apply to
these data. When the image is displayed in the preview win-
dow, the monitor profile is used to ensure that the preview
image is as true as possible to the data in memory.
When the Scan button is clicked to perform the final scan,
the scan data are processed according to the selected color-
space profile and any changes that were made using the
color enhancement and Unsharp Mask tools in the scan
window. The data are then transferred to the host appli-
cation. Where possible, the color-space profile is transferred
to the host application together with the image data. The
TWAIN interface used in Windows, however, does not allow
profiles to be passed to another application, with the result
that under Windows the profile is only transferred to the
host when Nikon Scan is used as a “stand-alone” application
(note that profile information is lost when the image is saved
in a format such as BMP that does not allow the profile to
be recorded). When images are displayed in image windows
in Nikon Scan, the monitor profile ensures that the image on
the screen reflects the original as closely as possible.
Before preview
Film type selection
Color model and profile
selection
Preview
Color-space
profile
Image processing
Changes to color
model or color-
space profile
New color-
space profile
Curves
Color Balance
LCH Editor
Unsharp Mask
Scanner
input profile
Monitor
profile
Monitor
profile
Scanner Extras
Digital ICE4Advanced
Scan Image Enhancer
Analog Gain
Processed tab
Natural tab
Host application

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Preferences—Nikon Color Management
Scan
Scan
PreviewBefore preview
Gamma adjustment
Preview
Image processing
Curves
Color Balance
Preview
gamma
Scanner Extras
Digital ICE4Advanced
Scan Image Enhancer
Analog Gain
Processed tab
Natural tab
Host application
Main
scan
gamma
Preview
gamma
Scanning with Nikon CMS Off
If Use Nikon Color Management System is not selected in
the “Color Management” category, profiles can not be used
to ensure that the data from the scanner are reproduced ac-
curately when passed to another application or displayed in
the monitor. Because the color profiles required for a cali-
brated RGB color space are not available when Nikon CMS is
off, images can only be scanned as uncalibrated RGB or gray-
scale. Similarly, the absence of a monitor profile means that
gamma adjustment must be used to correct the image for
display on the monitor or for editing in another application.
These adjustments to gamma are made in the “Gamma”
category of the “Preferences” dialog.
The illustration below shows how scanning proceeds when
Nikon CMS is off. The image shown in the preview window
is adjusted for display in the monitor according to the value
chosen for preview gamma in the “Gamma” category. When
the Scan button is clicked, the main scan gamma and any
changes to curves and color balance are passed to the scan-
ner, where they are applied to scan data before the image is
transferred to the host application (if Nikon Scan is used as
a “stand-alone” application, the value for preview gamma
is passed to the scanner instead of main scan gamma). The
LCH Editor and Unsharp Mask tools can not be used when
Nikon CMS is off.

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Preferences—Nikon Color Management
Gamma
When the Use Nikon Color Management System option
in the “Color Management” category ( 84) is off, the con-
trols in the “Gamma” category are used to adjust data from
the scanner so that they display correctly when previewed on
the monitor or opened in another application.
Preview gamma
Preview gamma applies to the image displayed in the pre-
view area of the scan window. In general, preview gamma
is solely for display in the preview area and does not apply
to the image data that are passed to the host application
when the Scan button is clicked. There are two exceptions
to this rule, however. The first is when Nikon Scan is used as
a “stand-alone” application, the second when Use preview
gamma is selected as the main scan gamma option. In
these cases preview gamma is applied to image data passed
to the host application.
Preview gamma defaults to a value of 1.8 on the Macintosh,
2.2 on Windows computers. To choose a setting suited to
the current monitor, adjust the value so that the patterns of
gray lines and dots above the slider match in density. Gam-
ma can be set by entering a value directly into the text box or
by moving the slider. When making this adjustment, set the
resolution on the monitor to a low value such as 640 ×480
and sit as far away from the monitor as possible. To restore
the default setting for your platform, click Reset.

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Preferences—Nikon Color Management
Main scan gamma
Main scan gamma options are only
visible when Nikon Scan is being
used as a TWAIN source or acquire
plug-in for another program (when
Nikon Scan is used as a “stand-
alone” application, preview gamma automatically applies
both to the preview image and to the final scan). Image data
passed to the host application are modified according to the
option chosen here. Three options are available:
Use preview gamma
The gamma value chosen for preview gamma is applied be-
fore the data are passed to the host application. Use this
setting when the host application does not support inde-
pendent gamma settings and you want the final image to be
modified for display on your monitor.
Use application gamma
In some environments, a value for gamma can be chosen
in the host application and passed to the Nikon Scan plug-
in. When Use application gamma is selected, this value is
applied to the main scan data before they are passed to the
host application.
Two conditions must be fulfilled if this option is to be effec-
tive. First, the interface between the application and Nikon
Scan must allow the gamma value to be passed to the Nikon
Scan plug-in. The TWAIN interface used under Windows
does not, however, allow the gamma value to be passed to
the TWAIN source (i.e., to Nikon Scan). Consequently, in the
Windows version of Nikon Scan a default value of 2.2 is used
for main scan gamma whenever Use application gamma
is selected. Second, the application must support gamma
transfer. If Use application gamma is selected with a
Macintosh application that does not support this feature,
Macintosh system gamma (1.8) will be used.
Use custom gamma
When this option is selected, a value for main scan gamma
can be entered in the text box.

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Preferences—Nikon Color Management
Color Management
The profiles used by the Nikon Color Management System
are specified in the “Color Management” category.
Use Nikon Color Management System
This option turns the Nikon Color Management System on
and off. Changes to this setting only take effect after Nikon
Scan has been quit and restarted.
When Nikon CMS Is On…
…images are processed to ensure consistent color repro-
duction, as described in “How Nikon CMS Works” ( 79).
Because color management profiles typically contain their
own settings for gamma, the controls in the Gamma tab are
dimmed and inactive.
When Nikon CMS Is Off…
…monitor and color-space profiles are not used, and the
controls in the Color Management tab are dimmed and in-
active. The only tool available for ensuring that colors from
the scanner will be displayed accurately on the monitor is
the “Gamma” category ( 82). The only adjustments made
to the image before it is passed to the host application are
gamma adjustment and changes to curves and color balance
made in the scan window.

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Preferences—Nikon Color Management
The “Monitor” Tab
The “Monitor” tab specifies the profile that will be used
when images are displayed on your monitor, either in the
scan window preview area or a Nikon Scan image window.
Monitor profiles contain information about the color and
gamma characteristics of the monitor, allowing images to be
adjusted for more accurate color reproduction.
Use factory default monitor profile (default)
Nikon Scan is supplied with default monitor profiles for use
when no other profile is available (see below). To use the
default profile for your platform, select Use factory default
monitor profile.
Default Windows Monitor Profile (Gamma 2.2)
The default Windows monitor profile (“NkMonitor_Win.icm”)
is identical to the sRGB profile.
Default Macintosh Monitor Profile (Gamma 1.8)
The default Macintosh monitor profile (“NkMonitor_
Mac.icm”) is identical to the profile used for Apple 17˝ moni-
tors with a D50 white point.
Use custom monitor profile
Use this option to select a profile supplied by the company
that manufactured the monitor. When this option is se-
lected, the Choose Custom Profile… button will be active.
Clicking this button displays a standard “open file” dialog;
navigate to the disk and folder containing the manufacturer’s
profile. The path to the selected profile will appear in the
text box below the Use custom monitor profile radio but-
ton.

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Preferences—Nikon Color Management
The “RGB” Tab
The “RGB” tab is used to select a color-space profile for the
calibrated RGB color model. The profile used can be selected
from the Color space menu.
Each of the profiles listed may be classified according to its
gamma value and gamut. Gamma is a fundamental char-
acteristic of imaging systems which determines the intensity
of the output signal relative to the input; in human terms,
gamma controls the subjective brightness of images through
alterations to the output level for mid-tones. Windows
and Macintosh systems process video signals differently,
and these differences are reflected in the difference in the
standard gamma values for these platforms. The default
system gamma for Macintosh computers is 1.8, the de facto
standard for Windows systems, 2.2. Nikon CMS includes
eight RGB profiles with a Windows gamma of 2.2 (sRGB,
Bruce RGB, NTSC [1953], Adobe RGB [1988], CIE RGB, Wide
Gamut RGB, compensated Wide Gamut RGB, and Scanner
RGB), and three profiles with a gamma value of 1.8 (Apple
RGB, ColorMatch RGB, and compensated Apple RGB), for
use on the Macintosh. When scanning images, choose a
profile with a gamma value suited to the system on which
the image will be edited.

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Preferences—Nikon Color Management
The “CMYK” Tab
The CMYK sheet is used to select a profile for use with the
CMYK color model.
Use factory default CMYK profile (default)
Nikon Scan is supplied with a default CMYK profile (the
SWOP color library) for use when no other profile is avail-
able. This profile is used when Use factory default CMYK
profile is selected.
Use custom profile
Use this option to select a profile supplied by the company
that manufactured your printer. When this option is selected,
the Choose Custom Profile… button will be active. Click-
ing this button displays a standard open-file dialog; navigate
to the disk and folder containing the manufacturer’s profile.
The path to the selected profile will appear in the text box
below the Use custom CMYK profile radio button.
CMYK
CMYK
Images can not be scanned in CMYK. If CMYK data are required, con-
vert images to CMYK before saving them to disk. Note that images
can only be saved in CMYK if Nikon CMS is on (Nikon CMS is on by
default).

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Preferences—Nikon Color Management
RGB Profiles Provided with Nikon Scan
Windows Profiles (Gamma 2.2)
sRGB
This RGB profile is used in the majority of Windows mon-
itors. It closely resembles the RGB commonly used in color
television, and is also used in the digital television broad-
casting system that is on its way to becoming the industry
standard in the United States of America. Software and
hardware manufacturers use it as a default color profile and
guarantee operation when it used. It is also on its way to
becoming the standard for images on the web. This profile
is suited to users who plan to use their digital images “as is,”
without editing or printing them. It however suffers from
the drawback of a narrow gamut with a limited area avail-
able for reproducing blues. The corresponding RGB setting
in Photoshop 5.0 is “sRGB.”
Bruce RGB
This color profile attempts to expand on the ColorMatch
RGB gamut by defining the chromaticity for G as lying be-
tween the values for G in the Adobe RGB and ColorMatch
color-space profiles. It was proposed by Bruce Fraser, who
claims that it includes most of the colors in the SWOP CMYK
gamut. It is not provided in the standard install of Photoshop
5.0, but can be selected as the RGB color-space profile for
Photoshop by importing the profile “NkBruce.icm”.
NTSC (1953)
This is the color space for video defined by the National
Television Standards Committee (NTSC) in 1953 and used in
early color televisions. This color space is also used in some
Far-East newspaper and printing organizations. The corre-
sponding RGB setting in Photoshop 5.0 is “NTSC (1953).”
Adobe RGB (1988)
A color-space profile defined in Photoshop 5.0. It has a
wider gamut than sRGB and includes the colors found in
most CMYK gamuts, making it suitable for users involved in
desktop publishing. The corresponding RGB setting in Pho-
toshop 5.0 is “Adobe RGB (1988).”
CIE RGB
A video color-space profile established by the CIE. While
it boasts a fairly wide gamut, it suffers from the drawback
that the area devoted to the reproduction of cyan is relatively
small. The corresponding RGB setting in Photoshop 5.0 is
“CIE RGB.”
Wide Gamut RGB
This color-space profile, designed by Adobe, incorporates
most of the visible colors. This however has the consequence
that most of the colors it can express can not be reproduced
on standard monitors and printers. The corresponding RGB
setting in Photoshop 5.0 is “Wide Gamut RGB.”

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Preferences—Nikon Color Management
Wide Gamut RGB (compensated)
Nikon scanners can scan some colors that cannot be ex-
pressed using the Wide Gamut RGB color-space profile.
The compensated Wide Gamut RGB profile redefines Wide
Gamut RGB to include all the colors that can be output from
the scanner. Because many of the colors that can not be ex-
pressed in Wide Gamut RGB occur in the blue portion of the
gamut, the level of detail in the blue area has been greatly
increased (because the gamut has been expanded in a non-
linear fashion to incorporate just those colors that could not
otherwise be expressed, it can not be represented in chro-
maticity diagrams using a standard RGB triangle). As is the
case with Wide Gamut RGB, most of the colors defined in
this profile can not be reproduced on monitors and print-
ers. It is output to the host application as Wide Gamut RGB.
When scanning images into Photoshop 5.0 using this profile,
set the Photoshop RGB profile to “Wide Gamut RGB.”
Scanner RGB
This profile replicates the color space achieved when scanning
with Nikon CMS off. Its main purpose is to allow the LCH
editor and Unsharp Mask tools, which are not available when
Nikon CMS is off, to be used to edit the colors produced by
the scanner. In order to produce the effect achieved by turn-
ing Nikon CMS off, the monitor profile is not used, nor is an
ICC profile included with the image when it is opened in the
host application.

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Preferences—Nikon Color Management
Macintosh Profiles (Gamma 1.8)
Apple RGB
This profile is used in desk-top publishing applications and
in Adobe Photoshop versions 4.0 or earlier, and is the typical
RGB profile for Macintosh monitors. The corresponding RGB
setting in Photoshop 5.0 is “Apple RGB.” This profile is suit-
able for working with images displayed on the Macintosh.
ColorMatch RGB
The ColorMatch profile is native to Radius PressView mon-
itors. It has a wider gamut than Apple RGB, with a particu-
larly wide area devoted to the reproduction of blues. The
corresponding RGB setting in Photoshop 5.0 is “Color Match
RGB.”
Apple RGB (compensated)
This profile defines tristimulus (red, green, and blue) chroma-
ticity as the intersection of the curve that marks the limits of
the visible gamut with lines drawn from the Apple RGB white
point and passing through the points that define tristimulus
chromaticity in the Apple RGB color-space profile. This pro-
file is unique in that it preserves the characteristics of Apple
RGB while allowing more saturated colors. It is not provided
in the standard install of Photoshop 5.0, but can be selected
as the RGB color-space profile for Photoshop by importing
the profile “NKApple_CPS.icm”.

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Preferences—Nikon Color Management
“Gamut”
In addition to gamma, profiles can be classified according to
their gamut, or the range of colors that can be expressed us-
ing the profile. Gamut is conventionally expressed by means
of chromaticity, a measure of color developed by the Com-
mission Internationale de l’Éclairage (CIE). The CIE system,
which is modeled on human color perception, maps the
physical wavelengths of light to three coordinates (known
as CIE X, Y, and Z) that give unique numerical expression
to the full range of color differences that can be perceived
by humans. Chromaticity is a measure of color from which
considerations of brightness have been factored out, giving
a two-coordinate system.
In the chromaticity diagram at right, the complete gamut of
colors visible to humans is in the area enclosed by the green
line. The curved portion of the line gives the chromaticity
of “pure,” unmixed colors with wavelengths in the visible
spectrum of 380–780 nm. The blue end of the spectrum
(380 nm) is at the bottom left corner, the red end of the
spectrum (780nm) at the bottom right corner. The straight
diagonal line connecting these two points represents the dif-
ferent shades of purple created by combining red and blue
light. The colors inside the area enclosed by these lines are
created by mixing light of different wavelengths.
No color profile is capable of expressing the full range of col-
ors visible to the human eye. The diagram below compares
the gamut of colors visible to the eye with the colors that can
be expressed in each of the RGB profiles provided with Nikon
CMS. The gamut for each profile is contained in the triangle
defined by the three points that mark the extremes of red,
green, and blue for that profile (red is at the bottom right
corner, green at the top of the triangle, and blue at the bot-
tom left corner). The white point for each profile is shown
by the symbol in the center of the triangle.
1
1
0.9
0.9
0.8
0.8
0.7
0.7
0.6
0.6
0.5
0.5
0.4
0.4
0.3
0.3
0.2
0.2
0.1
0.1
0
0
x
y
Color Match RGB
Apple RGB
sRGB
NTSC (1953)
Bruce RGB
Adobe RGB (1988)
CIE RGB
Wide Gamut RGB
Human

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Preferences—Nikon Color Management
The following table shows the gamma values for the profiles included with Nikon CMS, together with the chromaticity val-
ues for the white point and for red, green, and blue.
Default Windows Monitor
Default Macintosh Monitor
6500K (D65)
5000K (D50 )
2.2
1.8
HDTV (CCIR 709)
Trinitron 0.625
0.64
0.33
0.34
0.3
0.28
0.6
0.595
0.15
0.155
0.06
0.07
0.3127159
0.34570291
0.3290015
0.3585386
x
y
x
y
x
y
x
y
x
y
x
y
x
y
x
y
HDTV (CCIR 709)
NTSC (1953)
Bruce RGB
Adobe RGB
(1988)
CIE RGB
sRGB
NTSC (1953)
Bruce RGB
Adobe RGB (1988)
CIE RGB
Wide Gamut RGB
6500K (D65)
Std Illuminant C
6500K (D65)
6500K (D65)
Std Illuminant E
5000K (D50 )
0.3127159 2.2
2.2
2.2
2.2
2.2
2.2
0.3290015
0.3101
0.3162
0.3127159
0.3290015
0.3127159
0.3290015
0.3333333
0.3333333
0.3457029
0.3585386 700/525/450nm
0.64
0.33
0.67
0.33
0.64
0.33
0.64
0.33
0.735
0.265
0.7347
0.2653
0.3
0.6
0.21
0.71
0.28
0.65
0.21
0.71
0.274
x
x
y
x
x
y
x
x
y
y
x
y
x
y
y
x
y
x
y
x
y
x
y
y
x
y
x
y
x
y
x
y
y
x
y
x
0.717
0.1152
0.8264
x
y
x
y
x
y
0.15
x
y
x
y
x
y
0.06
0.14
0.08
0.15
0.06
0.15
0.06
0.167
0.009
0.1566
0.0177
0.295 0.155
0.3457029
0.3585386
0.3290015
0.3127159
0.3290015
0.3127159
x
y
x
y
x
y
5000K (D50 )
6500K (D65)
6500K (D65)
P22-EBU x0.63
0.34
0.34
x x
y
y
x
y
x
y
y
x
y
x
0.65
0.341
0.625
y
y
x
y
x
Trinitron
Custom
0.077
0.14
0.0454
0.155
0.07
0.605
0.265
0.717
0.28
0.595
1.8
1.8
1.8
Apple RGB
ColorMatch RGB
Apple RGB (Compensated)
White Point
Name Value Name
Chromaticity (x, y)
R G BProfile
Gamma
Value

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Keeping Colors True in Other Applications
Keeping Colors True in Other Applications
When an image is scanned in the Nikon Scan TWAIN source or acquire
plug-in and opened in another application, or when an image saved
using Nikon Scan is opened in another application, the image will be
processed according to the color-space and monitor profiles selected in
the application before being displayed on the monitor. If the profiles
used in the application do not match those used in Nikon Scan, colors
may not be the same as those in the original image.
RGB Color Model
Choose a monitor profile that matches that chosen in the “Monitor”
tab and a color-space profile that matches that selected in the “RGB”
tab (the Photoshop profiles corresponding to those used in Nikon Scan
are listed on the preceding pages). If no matching RGB profile exists,
you can use the Nikon Scan profiles in the path Program Files\Common
Files\Nikon\Profiles (Windows) or System Folder : Preferences : Nikon
MAID : Profiles (Macintosh). The files containing the profiles listed in
the RGB sheet are given below.
Profile File name
sRGB NKsRGB.icm
Bruce RGB NKBruce.icm
NTSC (1953) NKNTSC.icm
Adobe RGB (1998) NKAdobe.icm
CIE RGB NKCIE.icm
Wide Gamut RGB NKWide.icm
Apple RGB NKApple.icm
Color Match RGB NKMatch.icm
Apple RGB (compensated) NKApple_CPS.icm
*Do not use the “Scanner RGB” profile when scanning images for use
in a third-party application.
When Nikon Scan is used as an acquire plug-in to the Macintosh version
of Adobe Photoshop 5 or later (full version), the RGB profile will auto-
matically be passed to Photoshop when the image is scanned. Be sure
that the monitor profile matches that used in Photoshop by selecting the
Photoshop monitor profile in the monitor sheet of the Nikon Scan color
management tab.
CMYK Color Model
Choose a monitor profile that matches that chosen in the monitor sheet
and a color-space profile that matches that selected in the CMYK sheet.
When Nikon Scan is used as an acquire plug-in to the Macintosh ver-
sion of Adobe Photoshop 5 or later (full version), the CMYK profile will
automatically be passed to Photoshop when the image is scanned.