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Emulsion and image exposure settings
Last updated on
Jun 2, 2026
Find film emulsion directions and image exposure options in Adobe InDesign for commercial printing output.
When preparing film output for commercial printing, verify emulsion direction and image exposure requirements with your print service provider before finalizing separation settings.
What is emulsion
Emulsion is the photosensitive layer on film or paper that captures the printed image. Print service providers typically require negative film in the United States and positive film in Europe and Japan, though requirements vary by press type and workflow.
Identifying emulsion side
You can identify the emulsion side by examining the film under good light—the dull side is emulsion, while the shiny side is the base. These settings are defined as Emulsion Up (EU) or Emulsion Down (ED).
Flip settings
Access flip options in the Output section of the Print dialog box when Color is set to Composite Gray or a separation option.
The flip options in the Output section determine whether the type reads correctly, Right Reading (RR), or appears mirrored or backwards, called Wrong Reading (WR), when viewing the emulsion side.
|
|
Effect |
Readability |
|
None (default) |
No orientation changes to imageable area. |
Right reading when photosensitive layer faces you. |
|
Horizontal |
Mirrors imageable area across vertical axis. |
Wrong reading. |
|
Vertical |
Mirrors imageable area across horizontal axis. |
Upside down. |
|
Horizontal & Vertical |
Mirrors across both horizontal and vertical axes. |
Right reading when photosensitive layer faces away from you.
Note
Images printed on film typically use Horizontal & Vertical orientation. |
Image exposure settings
Image exposure determines whether the output produces negative or positive film.
Access image exposure settings in the Output section of the Print dialog box when Color is set to Composite Gray or a separation option. You can select or deselect Negative based on service provider requirements.
Tip
Emulsion and image exposure settings in the Print dialog box override conflicting printer driver settings. Always specify these settings in the Print dialog box to ensure correct output.
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