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ColorSync is a system extension that provides color-conversion capabilities
and improves color consistency. ColorSync “translates” the colors used on
one device so that they more closely match the colors displayed or printed
on another device.
ColorSync color conversion is a central part of Mac OS computing, ensuring
that applications, monitors, printers, scanners, and digital cameras can use the
same scheme for color conversion. This means you can scan an image, display
it on your monitor, and print it—with visually matching colors every step of
the way.
How ColorSync works
When you create a TIFF or PICT file using a program that supports
ColorSync, a “profile” describing the color capabilities of your equipment is
saved with the image. For example, when you scan a photograph, a profile
describing the scanner is saved inside the image file. If you later print the
image, even using a different computer, ColorSync looks at the profile to learn
about the capabilities of the scanner you used, and automatically picks closely
matching colors that your printer can reproduce.
The profile contains information ColorSync needs to perform color matching,
such as the lightest and darkest possible tones (white point and black point)
that the device can produce, and the maximum supported densities for red,
green, blue, cyan, magenta, and yellow. Together, these characteristics
describe the color gamut (or range) that a device is capable of capturing,
displaying, or reproducing. To take advantage of ColorSync, each of the
imaging devices you use needs to have its own ColorSync profile. When you
create images using these devices, information from the profile will
automatically become part of the image file—ensuring that colors are
consistent throughout the entire creative process.
Because ColorSync information becomes part of your output files, you don’t
have to worry about losing the profile or using the wrong profile with the
wrong image. Additionally, ColorSync profiles are in the standard
International Color Consortium (ICC) format recognized by Microsoft
Windows, Mac OS, and other systems.
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Appendix C