Well, I have been reading the Epson 2200 printer threads on the
Archive as I haven't gotten any digests since the 18th, and will just
throw some stuff out there for consideration. The pecularities of the
Ultrachome means that many glossy papers show bronzing. and are not
recommended for the 2200.
Overall, I would echo Winsor's recommendations and stick with the
Epson papers or with the Dry Creek Photo recommendations.
So, here goes with comments addressing specific listmembers suggestions:
The Ultrachrome printers do not like all papers. The Ilford papers
are good, but only the Smooth Pearl works well with the 2200 and
Ultrachrome inks.
Premium Photo Glossy is not recommended for the 2200 or for the 7600;
The Smooth High Gloss Media is not really recommended for the 2200;
even Ilford says so. As Winsor has pointed out, you can't really make
assumptions from other printers and assume they will work well on a
2200.
The best papers I've found are for Matte:
Epson Enhanced Matte
Epson Velvet Fine Art
For non-matte, I like the following papers:
Epson Premium Lustre
Ink Jet Art Micro Ceramic Luster
Ilford Smooth Pearl
Here is the recommendations from Dry Creek Photo:
Glossy papers:
The UltraChrome inks are prone to bronzing on glossy paper. This
causes certain shades of dark greens and near-blacks to appear flat
rather than glossy. A noticeable tint appears on the worst papers
when viewed at an angle to the surface. Also be aware that the black
produced by the Ultrachrome PK inks is not as dark as what Epson's
dye based printers create. Pay close attention to your soft proof in
Photoshop to make sure the shadow detail you see on screen will come
through in print.
* Pictorico Hi-Gloss White Film. This is marketed as the ink
jet equivalent of Cibachromes. It is not quite that glossy, but is
impressively shiny. The polyester film holds details very well,
offers a wide color and contrast range, and resists bronzing. The
drawback is that Pictorico is proud of this stuff: it costs like sin.
* Epson Professional Glossy Paper: This is not the same as
Epson's Premium Glossy Photo Paper (PGPP); the Pro Glossy paper works
far better with the UltraChrome inks. It is less glossy than the
Pictorico (closer to a semi-gloss), but offers excellent color
saturation and minimal bronzing. It is only available in Super B
sheets. Epson markets it with their pro proofing papers.
* Ilford Smooth Gloss: Good performer with limited bronzing.
Cheaper than the above two papers, but not the same quality.
Semi-Gloss:
So far, we are still searching for a semi-gloss paper that really
stands out with the UltraChrome inks. None we have yet seen match
the performance of the lustre (E finish) papers. As mentioned above,
the Epson Pro Glossy paper is close to a semi-gloss finish.
* Epson's Premium Semi-Gloss is serviceable, but not stellar.
There is significant bronzing in dark red and magenta colors,
although the surface finish masks it to a large extent.
* Red River Polar Satin offers one compromise: Bronzing is
minimal for darker colors, but the paper itself looks flat in
highlight areas where little ink is deposited. Color range for 3/4
and darker tones is excellent. One knock is that the roll and sheet
versions of this paper hold ink quite differently - a profile that
works for one format will be marginal with the other.
Lustre:
* Inkjetart Micro Ceramic Luster: Retains better details, has a
wider color range, and costs less than Epson's Premium Lustre. Not a
bad combination. If you use it, however, get your prints behind glass
or sealed in archival bags quickly to prevent gas fading and color
shifts from humidity variations. Do not use Inkjetart glossy paper -
it bronzes unacceptably.
* Epson Premium Luster: Equivalent performance to the IJA
paper, costs more.
* Ilford Smooth Pearl: Another good performer that requires
prompt framing for protection from the elements.
Matte:
These papers are where the Epson UltraChrome printers really come
into their own. The Matte black inks are necessary to produce deep
blacks. Use them and a 2200 and its wide format brothers make
stunning prints.
* Epson Fine Art Velvet: A favorite of ours. The textured
surface works well with images that do not require tack-sharp
details. The color range is fantastic for a matte paper. The drawback
is that the surface is fragile. Rubbing or bumping it easily leads to
a burnished look in darker areas. These prints really need to live
behind glass, not from a fading perspective, but to protect the
delicate surface. Don't be seduced by the advertising claims of
Somerset Velvet. It is a poor substitute for the Epson paper, having
both less color and contrast range.
* Hahnemuhle Photo Rag in the 308 gsm weight. This paper is
much like the FA Velvet with a smoother surface. Landscape shots
printed on it take on a quality that is part photo, part painting. If
you have admired inkjet, oops - giclee - prints in a art gallery, you
know the look. Photo Rag is available in a lighter weight as well,
but it feels flimsy in comparison. If the prints flex too much the
surface flakes.
* Hahnemuhle William Turner: A highly textured version of Photo
Rag. The surface is too rough for my personal taste, but the image
quality is very good. This is not a paper to use for prints where
fine details are important - the surface masks them. This quality
makes it excellent for big enlargements, however. The surface texture
masks pixellation and jaggies
* Epson's Watercolor paper is a good choice albeit not in the
same league as the above papers. The main benefit of the Watercolor
paper is that it costs less.
* Mediastreet Royal Renaissance is a cheaper version of the
Photo Rag papers. Its quality is not up to the Hahnemuhle, but it is
significantly less costly.
* Epson Enhanced/Archival Matte works reasonably well. If you
try one of the fancier papers, however, you will be forever spoiled.
* Epson's Matte Heavyweight paper has a relatively small color
range and only gives middling detail. It works for rough proofs, but
is not a good choice for final prints.
-Stephen.
--
2001 CBR600F4i - Fantastic!
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