print image matching (photo) (PIM)

Print Image Matching(PIM) is a technology developed by Epson with other camera manufacturers to match the different color models ofdigital cameras and color prin ters.

Since the color models and color spaces ofdigital cameras, computers and color printers differ due to different color spaces and color mixtures, matching over the standard RGB color space( sRGB) ensures that colors are unified. By matching the camera color space over the sRGB color space, the colors of photos taken by the digital camera are printed as realistically as possible. Matching between color spaces is done using metadata written as an Exchangeable Image File( EXIF) that is evaluated by the computer and color printer. The EXIF data includes shooting data for highlights and shadows, color saturation and balance, brightness, and contrast.

The PIM technique can be used by other camera manufacturers as well, if they follow the prescribed conventions.