PDF export to PDF/X-3 results in much darker colors

[Daniel Beck]

Our print shop asks for PDFs in the PDF/X3 format. Exporting my Affinity Designer project as a PDF/X3 file in CMYK with the color profile "Coated Fogra39" creates a PDF file which is much too dark.

Exporting the same Project with PDF 1.7 creates a PDF file which is much lighter and much closer to the original project.

The option "Convert image color spaces" is checked in during export. The Affinity Designer Source file also uses the CMYK profile Coated Fogra39.

Why is the export so dark, and how do I configure the export so that the result is a PDF/X3 file which looks like the affinity project?

I included the affinity file in this post.

 

Urkunde_mit_band_rot_foraffinityforum.afdesign

Edited September 26, 2023 by Daniel Beck

[Hangman]

Hi @Daniel Beck and welcome to the forums,

I've exported your file using the PDF 1.7, PDF/X-3 and PDF/X-4 presets and I see no colour differences between the PDF formats.

Could you upload a screenshot showing your PDF settings including the Advanced Section and also confirm whether you're working on Mac or Windows?

[Daniel Beck]

Hi @Hangman and thanks for the fast answer.

I use Affinity Designer 2.2.0 on Mac (Ventura 13.0.1 / M1 processor).

I uploaded two screenshots of the PDF settings including the Advanced Section.

 

[loukash]

1 hour ago, Daniel Beck said:

Exporting my Affinity Designer project as a PDF/X3 file in CMYK with the color profile "Coated Fogra39" creates a PDF file which is much too dark.

How exactly do you preview it?

1 hour ago, Daniel Beck said:

I included the affinity file in this post.

I exported it and previewed with Packzview and PDF Studio using the matching profile: can't see any difference, CMYK background = 17/27/54/4 as set up in Affinity.
(No access to Acrobat 10 at the moment which is still my ultimate preflight tool on the old Mac.)

In Preview.app or in QuickLook, however, the background does appear darker, indeed.
But Preview.app is ultimately not a professional prepress tool. Otherwise we wouldn't need all those Acrobats or Packzviews, would we…?

[Hangman]

Hi @Daniel Beck,

Thanks for the screengrabs and for confirming your set-up. I'm still not seeing an issue however, something else does spring to mind that relates to another issue.

Would you be kind enough to upload another screengrab that shows the Profile dropdown list in the PDF export settings dialog... As per this. Could you also upload the two pdf files you generated so we can take a look at the embedded profiles and colour values for each...

I can concur with @loukash that the two do appear visually differently in Preview but the colour values in PackZView are identical so it may simply be the difference in Preview that is the issue if that's what you're using to view the exported files ...

[Daniel Beck]

Here the profile dropdown list from affinity:

 

The two PDF files are also attached.

I checked the PDF files in Acrobat Reader and both files look similar there. So, I guess its a bug with PDF Preview.app from Apple, Thanks @loukash for the hint. The document that was printed in the print shop looked too dark, so I assumed the PDF export was the reason.

 

 

Urkunde_mit_band_rot_foraffinityforum_pdfx3.pdf Urkunde_mit_band_rot_foraffinityforum_pdf17.pdf