Photography News | Issue 55 | photographynews.co.uk
43
First tests
Fotospeed PlatinumCotton 305 From£31.99
Specs
Fotospeed has been busy recently and it was only a couple of issues ago that we tested its Cotton Etching 305 paper, and now we have Cotton 305. Both materials are matt, textured 305gsm papers but Etching 305 has a more pronounced surface finish compared with Cotton 305 and uses optical brightening agents (OBAs) which Cotton 305 doesn’t. For most photographers the finish is the first consideration, so if your preference is for a smoother textured finish then Cotton 305 is the one to go for. But for fine art photographers marketing their work and perhaps for those with an eye on the future, being an OBA-free paper gives Cotton 305 an extra appeal. OBAs or UV brighteners are compoundsused inmany inkjet papers to make them appear whiter than they actually are. The materials used to make papers are very slightly yellow or orange so without OBAs, they look warmer and creamier. That in itself is no problem but of course many photographers and their clients want a pure white look and that is why OBAs are used. OBAs work by absorbing ultraviolet light fromambient light and then re-emitting it as a slighter bluer light by fluorescence which cancels the paper’s natural yellowness to give bright white. That is all well and good and using OBAs to give whiter papers is not an issue, but because they degrade over time (a long time) and stopworking the paper reverts to its yellowish look. So if serious long-term colour stability is an issue, non-OBApapers is theway to go. The long and the short of it is that this Fotospeed product does not use OBAs so print longevity is claimed to be excellent. Of course, any number of variables can impact on print life, from ink type to display and storage conditions, but all things being equal this material will last very well. Fromall this, youwill haveprobably worked out for yourself that this paper’s base is creamy, and it is, very slightly. A side-by-side comparison with Cotton Etching 305 shows this clearly but looking at it in isolation it is not that obvious; but the base has a gentle, warm, creamy tinge. As for the finish itself, it ismatt sono sheen and if you run your finger gently over the surface it is smooth but you can feel a very fine tooth. To the eye,
Prices and availability 25 sheets A4 £31.99, 25 sheets A3 £59.99, 25 sheets A3+ £73, 25 sheets A2 £113, 17inx15m roll £100, 24inx15m £148.99, 36inx15m £220, 44inx15m £269.99, 60inx15m £370 Features Acid-free and optical brightening agent (OBA) free Weight 305gsm Base 100% cotton Compatibility Dye and pigment inks Contact Fotospeed.com
The base has a gentle, warm, creamy tinge
Below Cotton 305 is amatt paper with a smooth, fine texture that does a very good job is showing off intricate detail.
Top Cotton 305’s colour reproduction is on themuted side comparedwith a lustre or glossy paper but as you can see there is no issue with accuracy. Above If your black &white shots are of amore tonally delicate nature then they will very likely look fabulous on this new Fotospeedmaterial.
though, there is nothing discernible in normal viewing conditions. For this test, I started as usual by making a custom profile using the X-Rite i1 Studio colour management device. This means making a test print on the paper in question, once dry scanning the result with the i1 Studio unit which results in a second file to print, and then scanning that print to provide the profile. Fotospeed offers free generic profiles from its website for immediate use but if you have the time it is worth downloading the custom profile kit and getting a custom profile made for your system. This is free so certainly worth the postage and some paper. Prints were made using an Epson SureColor SC-P800 with Epson inks, and I used a mix of regular test images with a few new scenics thrown in. Colour accuracy proved to be impressive. Looking at the test print featuring an X-Rite ColorChecker card
and comparing it with the original showed lovely accuracy across the colour range. The difference, as you would expect from a matt paper, was that vibrancy was relatively toned down which will certainly suit those wanting a more delicate yet totally accurate colour approach. Contrast was also impressive with good differentiation across the tonal range, while shadows looked deep and full of detail. D-max is also good and you do get decent blacks although they are not the deepest you can get, but that is typical of a matt paper. All round, I thought Cotton 305 performed and handled really well giving excellent results across a range of subject matter. WC
Verdict
Fotospeed’s latest cotton paper is a very welcome addition to its already extensive collection of inkjet media and being OBA-free will certainly give it an extra appeal among fine art photographers selling their work. Pros Smooth matt finish, print quality, OBA-free is a long-term benefit Cons Lacks punch especially if you like powerful black & whites
Powered by FlippingBook