ViewSonic Library > Creative Work > Photography > What is Fogra and Why Does It Matter?

What is Fogra and Why Does It Matter?

Fogra is an internationally recognized graphic arts institute that works within the design and print industry as a certifying body, especially for display color accuracy. Its Fogra Softproof is a top-tier certification for design monitors. 

Learn more about Fogra and its importance in the design industry. Or see ViewSonic’s Fogra-certified monitor here.

When in the creative process it is vital to ensure that what you see on your monitor is what you will see in your final product. There is nothing worse than having an unexpected error show up on a finished print. Mistakes like this can slow down collaboration and cast you back to the drawing board.

Discover why a Fogra certification can make all the difference for creatives who rely on accurate hardware to do their jobs effectively.

What Is Fogra?

Fogra is a well-known and well-established graphic arts institute from Germany. The mission statement of the company is to work for the good of the industry and not against specific companies. For over 75 years, they have specialized in certifications across the printing industry, and in terms of monitors are known especially for soft proofing certifications. If a monitor has Fogra’s seal of approval you can rest easy knowing that its color accuracy is top tier. 

Fogra SoftProof Certification

What is Fogra Softproof?

A soft proof is an image displayed on your monitor that replicates the color of your final print as precisely as possible. There are numerous benefits to having an accurate soft proofing system in place. It can save time, resources, and money while drastically speeding up communication between designers and printers. The requirements to get an accurate soft proof are very stringent and that is where Fogra soft proofing certifications come into play. For a product to attain Fogra certification it must excel in three main areas…

  • Viewing cone characteristics
  • Uniformity
  • Warm-up behavior

These three testing criteria ensure accuracy and test for uniformity in terms of hue, chroma, lightness, and gradation properties from various viewing angles and conditions. Read more in dept on Forgra testing requirements here.

Why is Fogra Certification Important?

Fogra certification is important because it is the gold standard for top-performing color monitors.  Therefore having a soft proofing system or monitor that has been verified by the most credible certification in the printing industry, gives you the utmost confidence in color accuracy.

Fogra has been able to build its credibility because it has grown as a company in the midst of the world’s most thriving printing industry. Germany, home to famous companies such as Koeing & Bauer, Heidelberg, and Manroland is the epicenter of the printing and press industry. Developing in Germany has allowed the institute to garner a solid reputation both at home and internationally.

ViewSonic Fogra Certification

The ViewSonic Connection

ViewSonic is proud to have a recent Fogra certified monitor in our ColorPro Series. A series of monitors that have been specifically designed for those requiring high color accuracy and performance. The VP2785-2K, a monitor excellent for creators, photographers, and videographers is precalibrated and equipped with multiple colorspaces. These multiple color spaces allow you to work and collaborate with other artists in different digital workflows and design applications.

Final Thoughts 

For creatives, working with precise and accurate color is essential to their job. This is why having Fogra certification can really mean a lot, it guarantees quality color. At the same time, the flexibility to work in different color spaces gives creators the agility that is required to thrive in today’s environment.

Click here if you are interested in learning more about ViewSonic’s ColorPro series or in finding out more about how these monitors can save you time, money, and resources.