Paper
The fine print Buyers’ guide
There’s such an enormous choice when it comes to inkjet paper, it’s almost bewildering. But fear not, PN is here to guide you to the paper that will make your photographs sing THE PAPER YOU print on defines your photography, so choosing the products that suit you, your printer and your pictures is a fundamental decision. If you want images looking their best, make it a priority to shop around and sample a variety of papers before committing. You might find that one brand satisfies all your needs. On the other hand, a gloss from one manufacturer could be more preferential, with a lustre from another, and a textured finish from a completely different company. There’s no normal when it comes to paper choice, and a huge number of variables come into play – from the user’s personal taste and vision, to printer choice and inks, to how and where final prints are displayed. That’s why every photographer should shop around. There is no right or wrong. For this feature, prints were made on an Epson Surecolor P800 A2 printer, loaded with Epson inks, with photo black or matte black ink used, according to the paper’s instructions. Custom profiles were created using an X-Rite i1 Studio device and prints examined under 5500K LED lighting and daylight. A selection of images was used, from portraits to street scenes and landscapes, in monochrome and colour.
EPSON
epson.co.uk
Fine Art Cotton Textured Bright › Prices A4 25 sheets £41.99, A3+ 25 sheets £106.02, A2 25 sheets £170.28 › Availability A4, A3+, A2. Rolls 17in, 24in, 44in, 64in › OBAs Yes › Acid free Yes › Weight 300gsm › Thickness 490 microns
Fine Art Cotton Smooth Natural › Prices A4 25 sheets £41.99, A3+ 25 sheets £106.02, A2 25 sheets £170.28 › Availability A4, A3+, A2. Rolls 17in, 24in, 44in, 64in › OBAs No › Acid free Yes › Weight 300gsm › Thickness 490 microns
A lovely, smooth matte paper that proved amenable with a broad subject range, making this Epson product a very skilled all-rounder and of really capable material. Colour reproduction was spot on and lifelike on my images. Vibrant primaries and secondaries came out well and accurately, without being too aggressive. More delicate hues were handled just as skillfully – and my test prints looked very impressive across a wide subject range. I especially liked the paper’s approach with portraits and natural history subjects, where accuracy and delicacy are key. Full-toned monochrome images looked luxurious and the shadows had bags of depth for a matte paper. A close inspection of the mid-tones and highlights showed them to be silky smooth and they looked superb. If you want rich monochrome prints without sacrificing delicacy, this could be your perfect paper. But if you prefer a whiter base option, an OBA version is available at the same sizes and prices.
When you want prints to have a less obvious photographic feel, there are plenty of papers on the market with a more textured, watercolour look. This Epson paper has a gentle texture, which is revealed with side lighting, but there’s not too much ‘tooth’. It’s potentially a great choice for when you want a more arty finish. Not surprisingly, its performance is very similar to Epson’s Smooth Natural – and colour reproduction is impressively Being matte, saturated colours do not have the depth you would expect from glossy or lustre finishes, but this paper still does a very creditable job. Delicate hues and flesh tones look great, as do well-toned black & white images. The paper does have OBAs (optical brightening agents), so its base is a fraction more white than the Natural option, but this is contained in the paper fibres, not the coating, so long-term stability is still rated highly. good, suiting richly, more delicately coloured images.
Issue 89 | Photography News 25
photographynews.co.uk
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