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ben egbert wrote:
I wonder if I could resize the paper?
Sizing, the addition of components to reduce the absorbency of the paper, has to be done while the paper is being made, and would be especially impossible after an inkjet receptive coating has been laid on top.
ben egbert wrote:
I also started looking for other paper. I wonder why the industry insists on using the obsolete 4x5 aspect ratio? So far Red River is the only place I can find 17x25 sheets which are ideal for 16x24 prints.
They are not really into 4:5 ratio, but are more less into US office paper sizes: 17 x 22 inches, and halving thereof. The only odd one out is 13 x 19 inches, which makes for a good 12 x 18 with half inch borders but since it isn’t an exact division of an office paper size, it is the most expensive cut. The standard international A sized papers are a much better fit for a 3:2 image.
ben egbert wrote:
I have a roll of 17 wide which I use for 16x30 prints and believe me cutting and flattening a cut sheet is no picnic. The 3800 is a great printer but it would be nice if it could handle roll stock.
You will not find many cotton papers available in 17 x 25 inch sheets, even fewer in the Aurora price range and probably none with as high an OBA content.
Inkpress has a few available: A double sided 215 gsm Duo Matte 80, but it isn’t cotton. They also have a Picture Rag Cool Tone Paper which is cotton in 300 and 200 gsm. (I have never understood why many lighter weight papers are sometimes more expensive than their full weight equivalents – Canson Rag Photographique 310 and 210 are an example of this.) Legion have Moab Entrada Rag Bright in 300 gsm. Breathing Color has their Optica One, a bright white smooth 300 gsm cotton rag in 17 x 25 inches. BC’s shipping cost to the east coast are crazy high, but could be ok to Utah.
There are also papers available in A2, which will only work if you are cutting your own mats or having mats custom cut. Moab have several A2 papers, as does Museo, and maybe others. A2 is approximately 16.5 × 23.4 inches.
Another alternative is 24 x 36 inch sheets which can be as much as 40% less per unit area than smaller sheets (and are sometimes even less expensive than roll prices). I find 24 x 36 inch sheet easier to cut down than rolls, and the paper tends to start flat and stay flat after printing. You can get two 18 x 24 inch sheets from one 24 x 36 inch sheet with no waste; or two 17 x 24 inch sheets with a small 2 inch waste strip. You can also get two 12 x 36 in sheets from one sheet, if you are into panos.
Hahnemühle Photo Rag 308 (probably the most used smooth rag worldwide) is available in Architect D size (24 x 36 inches) at about $200 for 25 sheets with free shipping. So $100 for 25 sheets compared to about $75 (when you include shipping) for the Aurora. But it isn’t bright white and that is a lot of paper to use. But it is a better paper. Personally, I use 24 x 36 inch sheets (along with rolls) of Canson Rag Photographique 310, which is a little more expensive than the Hahnemühle.
And there is always the possibility of Red River replacing the paper you have.
Brian A
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