Paper choice

John Bragg

John Bragg

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I am new to inkjet printing but have entered into it with an open mind. All my experience of printing is darkroom based and with no room in my present residence for a full darkroom, my beloved Kaiser enlarger is mothballed. A few weeks of internet searching and I ended up with a very useful Canon Pixma 7250 printer and two types of Ilford paper. My conclusion after a first week of printing is that paper choice is THE most important variable... No great surprise here as the same applies in darkroom work. I used Ilford multigrade warmtone pearl in the darkroom and Galerie prestige smooth pearl has rapidly become my favorite in inkjet printing. I have to admit that the Inkjet prints look mighty similar to the ones I made with Multigrade and I am very happy with my output from scanned Tri-x negs..
 
Was I just mighty lucky with my choice of paper ? I didnt expect such satisfaction right away, but rather a protracted period of testing to find my ideal paper.
 
I have exactly the same question.
I am scanning some B&W work I made in the sixties.
And I just have seen "Robert Capa in Italy" here at Palazzo Braschi in Rome (BTW it is fantastic but hurry up it closes January 6) and I am dying of envy for the quality of prints.
I wish I could get a little closer to those stellar prints
Happy new year to everybody
Paul
 
John Bragg said:
I am new to inkjet printing ....
... A few weeks of internet searching and I ended up with a very useful Canon Pixma 7250 printer and two types of Ilford paper.
Click to expand...

I am to following the same path, but I am still behind you . May I ask how did you came to the choice of those two precise kinds of paper ? Have you handled prints on those papers before making your choice ? Or was ir a matter of chance ? I believe that there are several variables (Printer model, Ink quality, etc) that may give a sub-optimal print - and we risk blaming the paper for the result...
Thank you in advance.
Regards
joao
 
For those of you with access to big city photo stores, it's worth a trip to the local merchant. B and H, for instance has an extensive collection of sample books from the major paper manufacturers that can help you get a sense for the paper weight, surface finish, and color characteristics of many popular papers, as well as several lesser known ones.

I use Epson Luster, Epson Ultra Presentation Matte, and Costco (Kirkland) glossy for everyday prints and Museo Silver Rag or Ilford Gallerie for nicer stuff.

I'm curious about the Arista paper as a choice for everyday printing. It's quite cheap at Freestyle and available in rolls. Anyone tried it?
 
Harman do a sample pack which is worthwhile trying. You might also try out Somerset St Cuthberts Mill (I currently use their Satin Bright White).
 
Joao said:
I am to following the same path, but I am still behind you . May I ask how did you came to the choice of those two precise kinds of paper ? Have you handled prints on those papers before making your choice ? Or was ir a matter of chance ? I believe that there are several variables (Printer model, Ink quality, etc) that may give a sub-optimal print - and we risk blaming the paper for the result...
Thank you in advance.
Regards
joao
Click to expand...


Hi Joao. I chose those two papers after reading many reviews and opinions online. The first is Ilford Galerie prestige Mono. The second is Ilford Galerie prestige smooth pearl. I like both, but the pearl is nearest to my ideal. Also it handles a longer tonal range and has a more pleasing white. More natural and less stark. Hope this helps..

Regards, John.
 
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