optimal image spec's for book printing???

I'm assuming a sharpened 300dpi tiff in adobeRGB 1998 color space is best and that one simply has to guess at the actual image dimensions for the various crops. Is this correct?

I contacted Apple and asked for information that I could pass on. Here's the reply I received from Apple:


"Thank you for contacting the Apple Print Products Customer Service.

I understand that you would like to know the printing process that is used and the color mode the files should be in, so you can better advise users in the iPhoto forum.

iPhoto version 4 or later, allows you to import and print files through the Apple Print Product service as RGB, grayscale, or CMYK color space. JPEG files with RGB color space are recommended for best results.

While iPhoto 2 can import files of various formats, including RGB color, grayscale, and CMYK, this version requires JPEG files with RGB color space when printing photos and books.

For more information regarding iPhoto 2, please visit the following article:

iPhoto: Color, Black and White Prints Appear Garbled or Distorted

For more information regarding iPhoto 5, please visit the following article:

http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?artnum=165501

Here are some of the technical specifications for the books, cards, and calendars. I hope this gives you an idea about their quality and form.

BOOKS

All iPhoto books are printed using acid-free paper for long-lasting image quality. The photos are printed at a high resolution (300DPI if you use iPhoto 6). There is no external modification--such as sharpening or contrast adjustment--of the photos; what you see in the application is what is printed in the book.


Hardcovers Books

The cover is hard-bound and covered in linen. You select the linen color during the book-ordering process. The hardcover books have a solid, stiff binding that is glued and crimped. The internal pages, measuring 8.5 x 11 inches, are printed on McCoy 100# Text Gloss paper stock.

Softcover Books

The softcover books come in three sizes:

- Large 8.5 x 11 inches
- Medium 6 x 8 inches
- Small 2.6 x 3.5 inches

All of the softcover books have internal pages that are printed on McCoy 100# Text Gloss paper stock. The large softcover book has a white cover (Kromekoteplus Folding Cover, 16 point) with a cutout on the front that reveals the cover-page photo in the book. The covers for the medium and small softcover books have the cover image and title printed directly on the cover. All of the softcover books have a glued binding and feature a thick cover of McCoy 100# Cover Gloss paper stock.

CARDS

All cards are printed on McCoy 120# Silk Cover paper stock. The postcards measure 4 x 6 inches, and the greeting cards measure 5 x 7inches.


CALENDARS

All calendars measure 8 x 10 inches and are printed on McCoy 100# Silk Cover paper stock.

To ensure the best print quality, we have chosen to use Kodak NexPress technology. The press uses a dry toner, which is fused to the surface of the paper. Please see NexPress' site for more information:

KODAK NEXPRESS 2500 Digital Production Color Press

I hope you find this information helpful in answering questions on the iPhoto forum."

OT

TIP: For insurance against the iPhoto database corruption that many users have experienced I recommend making a backup copy of the Library6.iPhoto (iPhoto.Library for iPhoto 5 and earlier) database file and keep it current. If problems crop up where iPhoto suddenly can't see any photos or thinks there are no photos in the library, replacing the working Library6.iPhoto file with the backup will often get the library back. By keeping it current I mean backup after each import and/or any serious editing or work on books, slideshows, calendars, cards, etc. That insures that if a problem pops up and you do need to replace the database file, you'll retain all those efforts. It doesn't take long to make the backup and it's good insurance.
I've created an Automator workflow application (requires Tiger or later), iPhoto dB File Backup, that will copy the selected Library6.iPhoto file from your iPhoto Library folder to the Pictures folder, replacing any previous version of it. It's compatible with iPhoto 6 and 7 libraries and Tiger and Leopard. Just put the application in the Dock and click on it whenever you want to backup the dB file. iPhoto does not have to be closed to run the application, just idle. You can download it at Toad's Cellar. Be sure to read the Read Me pdf file.

Note: There's now an Automator backup application for iPhoto 5 that will work with Tiger or Leopard.