Print paper vs potographic paper

[t024484]

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I took the opportunity to compare an A4 printout taken with my M8 on Premium Glossy Photo Paper from Epson, printed on a Epson R1800 in highest quality, to an A4 produced optically by my local photoshop.

 

Two things stroke me immediately, being 1) that my printer showed much more detail where the other lost resolution because of the optical process and 2) that the photographic printout had a much better and deeper gloss that the Epson printing paper.

 

So printing is good for resolution, but the Epson paper is far inferior in gloss to photographic paper.

 

My question is: does someone know of printing paper that has a much better gloss than Epson Premium Glossy Photo Paper ?

[ken_tanaka]

Define "better".

[hdg]

I have the Epson 2100 and the 800 (with especial glossy optimizer ink). It seems to me that the 800 prints are remarkable better using Epson Premium Glossy paper.

 

Regards Hans

[cmb_]

Take a look at Pictorico Photo Gallery Hi-Gloss White Film.

[POKO]

Hi,

 

Been looking at these differences as well. You may want to check if someone in your area makes Lamda or Chromira prints. I think you will find that they both show all the detail as well as having a traditional photopaper feel - you can even get Ilfochromes!. There are some labs that make traditional BW fiberbased prints using these printers as well - they tray process the paper in a traditional darkroom. There are some other options.

 

If there are no labs in your area that produce these, you can always FTP the files to a remote lab. I have found the profiles used by the labs to be very accurate.

 

Hope this helps,

 

Per

[gdewitt]

One print led you to believe that the optical process is inherently worse? One print? You don't think there might be, oh, maybe a thousand different things that could account for the difference?

 

I'm not saying you are wrong, just that a sample size of one is a little small.

[tashley]

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Why use glossy? I think that the best results are on matte paper behind glass...

 

Tim

[t024484]

Define "better".

On a scale from Matte to Glossy from 0 to 100, Epson Prem Glossy is at 60 and photographic paper is at 100.

I have the Epson 2100 and the 800 (with especial glossy optimizer ink). It seems to me that the 800 prints are remarkable better using Epson Premium Glossy paper.

Regards Hans

The R1800 that I have is the A3 brother of your R800. Same gloss optimizer.

Take a look at Pictorico Photo Gallery Hi-Gloss White Film.

I will surely do, thanks.

Hi,

Been looking at these differences as well. You may want to check if someone in your area makes Lamda or Chromira prints. I think you will find that they both show all the detail as well as having a traditional photopaper feel - you can even get Ilfochromes!. There are some labs that make traditional BW fiberbased prints using these printers as well - they tray process the paper in a traditional darkroom. There are some other options.

 

If there are no labs in your area that produce these, you can always FTP the files to a remote lab. I have found the profiles used by the labs to be very accurate.

Hope this helps,

Per

Thank you

One print led you to believe that the optical process is inherently worse? One print? You don't think there might be, oh, maybe a thousand different things that could account for the difference?

I'm not saying you are wrong, just that a sample size of one is a little small.

It was a first class print lab, using Fujitsu paper. One option is that their system is out of focus, which is quite unlikely, also because this causes some blurr which was not the case.

It is a fact of life that every further optical step in the printing process leads to some losses, here you have two such steps, the lens and the paper.

Why use glossy? I think that the best results are on matte paper behind glass...

Tim

You are probably right, but it is not practical in a photoalbum

[Jager]

As Charles said, Pictorico Photo Gallery Hi-Gloss White Film is probably as glossy a paper as you're going to find. It's good stuff, although I personally like Epson's Premium Glossy just fine.

 

Although not a glossy, another paper you might want to look like is Museo's Silver Rag. It's especially good for B&W, but does a fine job on color as well.

 

Paper choices aside, I wouldn't read too much into your single experience with that one print. Since you started with a digital file, I'm not sure how you print "optically". There are a number of technological processes for printing a digital image, but none of them of them are "analog" or "optical" as most of us understand those terms.

 

I, for one, like digital printing. Even when I shoot film my back-end process is digital.

 

Best,

 

Jeff

[dfarkas]

There are different exposure engines for digital printers. For example, a ZBE Chromira or Durst Epsilon use LEDs, while a Durst Lambda or Theta 51 use lasers. Interestingly, the difference in sharpness between them is alomst like comparing a C or N SLR with strong AA filter vs. the DMR or M8 with no AA filter. The LED printers require much more sharpening to appear crisp. The laser-based systems are much sharper out-of-the-box. There have been other exposure methods over the last few years as well, including DLP and CRT, which are even softer than LED printing. Find out what kind of equipment was used and you will most likely find an exposure system other than laser.

 

David

[firoze]

Try the Ilford Galerire Smooth High Gloss Media - this has ultra high gloss and very fine detail and a smoother surface than photographic paper.

 

INKJET PHOTO PAPER

 

Regards

[t024484]

Try the Ilford Galerire Smooth High Gloss Media - this has ultra high gloss and very fine detail and a smoother surface than photographic paper.

 

INKJET PHOTO PAPER

 

Regards

Thank you, I will order it at once.

Getting lford paper should not be too much of a problem .

 

Unfortunately, it was not possible to get Pictorico High-Gloss in Europe.

I could order it from Adorama, but they charge 38$ just for the shipping.