Paper recommendations for an Epson 3800

I've just retired my Epson 1800 printer with its Ultrachrome inks in
exchange for an Epson 3800 with its K3 inks. I'm now trying to come to
grips with the range of papers available to me for this printer. The
price of paper is rather too much for me to experiment with and I am
rather at a loss of what to try. Epson is an obvious starter but I
also have access to Ilford and Hanemuhl.

My printer is not the only thing which has just retired, I have too.
My previous photography was technical (engineering) for which glossy
paper was ideal. I am now releasing the pent-up photographer within me
so its all an entirely new ball game. Portraits will be a minor part
of what I do. Most of it will be general scenery and things that
happen in the real world.

I would be very grateful for any comments from people with relevant
experience.



Eric Stevens

Eric Stevens wrote:
I've just retired my Epson 1800 printer with its Ultrachrome inks in
exchange for an Epson 3800 with its K3 inks. I'm now trying to come to
grips with the range of papers available to me for this printer. The
price of paper is rather too much for me to experiment with and I am
rather at a loss of what to try. Epson is an obvious starter but I
also have access to Ilford and Hanemuhl.

My printer is not the only thing which has just retired, I have too.
My previous photography was technical (engineering) for which glossy
paper was ideal. I am now releasing the pent-up photographer within me
so its all an entirely new ball game. Portraits will be a minor part
of what I do. Most of it will be general scenery and things that
happen in the real world.

I would be very grateful for any comments from people with relevant
experience.



Eric Stevens

Ilford is excellent with a 3800. You can either get a profile from
ilford or if you are fussy, have one made for you. Hanemuhl is made by
HP. It works OK but I prefer Moabe for rag paper.

You might care to check out a small manufacturer with excellent products
called breathing color. The havea full range of highly regarded paper
and will give you profiles free for their range. A sample pack is
available for most stuff too. I particularly like their canvas and matt,
fine art paper. It's all 100% compatible with Epson and Pantone inks.

Of course if you can afford Epson papers, be my guest! Nothing at all
wrong with them except the price.

On Thu, 18 Jun 2009 21:34:40 +1200, Eric Stevens
wrote:

I've just retired my Epson 1800 printer with its Ultrachrome inks in
exchange for an Epson 3800 with its K3 inks. I'm now trying to come to
grips with the range of papers available to me for this printer. The
[snip]

I've been using Ilford "Gold Fibre Silk" and Harman "Gloss FB AI".
Both are baryta-based papers. Of the two, I normally go for the Gold
Fibre Silk as it is less glossy than the Harman. The Ilford is a bit
warmer than the Harmon. It's really down to personal preference
between the two...oh, and you should check the prices as that may
determine which paper to go for!
--
Kulvinder Singh Matharu

Website : www.metalvortex.com
Contact : www.metalvortex.com/contact/

Brain! Brain! What is brain?!

On Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:09:00 -0700, John Navas
wrote:

On Thu, 18 Jun 2009 20:18:03 +1000, daveFaktor
wrote in :

Eric Stevens wrote:
I've just retired my Epson 1800 printer with its Ultrachrome inks in
exchange for an Epson 3800 with its K3 inks. I'm now trying to come to
grips with the range of papers available to me for this printer. The
price of paper is rather too much for me to experiment with and I am
rather at a loss of what to try. Epson is an obvious starter but I
also have access to Ilford and Hanemuhl.

My printer is not the only thing which has just retired, I have too.
My previous photography was technical (engineering) for which glossy
paper was ideal. I am now releasing the pent-up photographer within me
so its all an entirely new ball game. Portraits will be a minor part
of what I do. Most of it will be general scenery and things that
happen in the real world.

I would be very grateful for any comments from people with relevant
experience.

Ilford is excellent with a 3800. You can either get a profile from
ilford or if you are fussy, have one made for you. Hanemuhl is made by
HP. It works OK but I prefer Moabe for rag paper.

You might care to check out a small manufacturer with excellent products
called breathing color. The havea full range of highly regarded paper
and will give you profiles free for their range. A sample pack is
available for most stuff too. I particularly like their canvas and matt,
fine art paper. It's all 100% compatible with Epson and Pantone inks.

http://www.breathingcolor.com/

They make it sound great!

The only problem is that all their paper is in roll form and the 3800
will not handle rolls. They say its flat after printing but I'm not
sure how it would behave if it was cut into shorter sheet lengths
before printing.



Eric Stevens

Eric Stevens wrote:
On Thu, 18 Jun 2009 08:09:00 -0700, John Navas
wrote:

On Thu, 18 Jun 2009 20:18:03 +1000, daveFaktor
wrote in :

Eric Stevens wrote:
I've just retired my Epson 1800 printer with its Ultrachrome inks in
exchange for an Epson 3800 with its K3 inks. I'm now trying to come to
grips with the range of papers available to me for this printer. The
price of paper is rather too much for me to experiment with and I am
rather at a loss of what to try. Epson is an obvious starter but I
also have access to Ilford and Hanemuhl.

My printer is not the only thing which has just retired, I have too.
My previous photography was technical (engineering) for which glossy
paper was ideal. I am now releasing the pent-up photographer within me
so its all an entirely new ball game. Portraits will be a minor part
of what I do. Most of it will be general scenery and things that
happen in the real world.

I would be very grateful for any comments from people with relevant
experience.
Ilford is excellent with a 3800. You can either get a profile from
ilford or if you are fussy, have one made for you. Hanemuhl is made by
HP. It works OK but I prefer Moabe for rag paper.

You might care to check out a small manufacturer with excellent products
called breathing color. The havea full range of highly regarded paper
and will give you profiles free for their range. A sample pack is
available for most stuff too. I particularly like their canvas and matt,
fine art paper. It's all 100% compatible with Epson and Pantone inks.
http://www.breathingcolor.com/

They make it sound great!

The only problem is that all their paper is in roll form and the 3800
will not handle rolls. They say its flat after printing but I'm not
sure how it would behave if it was cut into shorter sheet lengths
before printing.



Eric Stevens

That's not entirely correct. I use a home made roll holder for my
printer and it works just fine. There is a rear paper feed opening. When
you push paper into it, the machine picks it up and transports it ready
to print. I use a piece of plastic plumbing pipe for a spindle and two v
blocks I cut from timber.

breathing color sell everything except canvas and vinyl in boxes up to
13"x19". Some more expensive stuff comes in packets.

Right now, I'm using up some 48" rolls in mine by cutting pieces 17"
wide x 48" long from rolls where I stop using paper due to its step that
shows up in the last two or three wraps on the cardboard tube. My wide
printer doesn't like the lumps it causes. Nice panoramas 17 x 48! I'll
consign to galleries.

If you get paper with a curl in it, use a hair dryer to flatten it. Just
don't get it hot enough to melt the coating. It will flatten just with
the warm air alone.