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p.1 #5 · p.1 #5 · Best archival 13 x 19 photo paper for Epson printer | |
Art Nouveau wrote:
I've used an Epson Stylus Photo 2200 for a long time, and it's held up well. I've only printed on 8.5 x 11 Epson Premium Luster photo paper so far, but now I'd like to go big. Any recommendations on best-bang-for-the-buck 13 x 19 paper?
I had a package of 13 x 19 Epson paper I bought a few years ago, and when I finally popped it open this morning, imagine my surprise when I discovered it was thin inkjet paper. Epson calls it "photo quality" but it looks about as archival as a Kleenex.
Epson Premium Lustre (now known as "ultra premium lustre") is an archival paper. The term refers to the color-fastness of the print, and not to the thickness or other qualities of the paper.
I think what you are really asking about is not the "archival" nature of the paper, but more its tactile quality — thickness, surface texture, paper color, and so forth.
In this regard, Premium Lustre paper has a sort of a "plastic" quality by comparison to some other high end papers. The lustre finish is a common and popular choice. This epson paper also has a "cold" tonality that some might see as a bit blue when compared side by side with other paper options. It is also an OBA ("optical brightening agent") paper whose apparent whiteness/brightness has been increased by adding some ingredients to the paper.
There are no "right" or "best" choices when it comes to paper. Quite a few manufacturers make excellent papers, and with all kinds of finishes ranging from matte through lustre to glossy. Generally, I recommend avoiding the OBA papers for archival printing, since the OBA coatings supposedly will change over time and the paper may end up a bit less white.
You'll get lots of suggestions regarding specific choices. Some of the better Epson papers with the surface you prefer could easily be right for you, and I know people who use them for fine art prints. I happen to use something else, but the specifics are probably not that important.
You'll hear certain folks tell you that Paper A is "the best," that it is better than everything else, that it "blows the others out of the water." Be very cautious about trusting the words of such people. If you know a lot of photographers who do a lot of printing, you'll discover that there are many excellent papers and that different photographers have very different ideas about the right papers, and that their/our choices involve a lot of subjectivity. I know people who love to print on metal media and others who would never do so. Some love matte papers while others prefer lustre finishes. Some love brand A while others are equally in love with brand B or C.
A good approach is to perhaps try a few papers from companies with good names and to then settle on one or two for most of your printing — that way you can learn the subtleties of that paper and learn to get the best results from it. It is fine to try other things from time to time, but more as an ongoing experiment. It is generally not a good idea to switch around too much.
Dan
Edited on Nov 10, 2014 at 07:09 PM · View previous versions
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