Canon vs Epson Paper

[StoneColdCoffee]

Hi all,

just interested to see what paper you recommend for printing. Ive picked up Canon paper on the sales but its really hard finding a profile for my Epson 3880. Im thinking of just buying some Epson Ultra Premium Glossy . then ill have the profile . ..im kind of back in the process of trying to print a few but its a high learning curve again with photoshop. ive been trying to print with the no color profile. let printer manage color ..its a cluster i know you know!. but maybe i just need profiles from epson.Id really like to get this down and actually sell something for once. ideas welcome on your professional advice

thanks

 

[Mt Spokane Photography]

Hi all,

just interested to see what paper you recommend for printing. Ive picked up Canon paper on the sales but its really hard finding a profile for my Epson 3880. Im thinking of just buying some Epson Ultra Premium Glossy . then ill have the profile . ..im kind of back in the process of trying to print a few but its a high learning curve again with photoshop. ive been trying to print with the no color profile. let printer manage color ..its a cluster i know you know!. but maybe i just need profiles from epson.Id really like to get this down and actually sell something for once. ideas welcome on your professional advice

thanks

If you are talking just ordinary Glossy photo paper, the Epson glossy paper profile should work. It really depends on which of the many papers you bought.

Let the printer manage the profile and try a Epson paper type that is similar. As long as the paper is the same color and texture, it should be close. Of course, if you have some unusual paper or polyester stuff, it may make a mess.

 

[LetTheRightLensIn]

Hi all,

just interested to see what paper you recommend for printing. Ive picked up Canon paper on the sales but its really hard finding a profile for my Epson 3880. Im thinking of just buying some Epson Ultra Premium Glossy . then ill have the profile . ..im kind of back in the process of trying to print a few but its a high learning curve again with photoshop. ive been trying to print with the no color profile. let printer manage color ..its a cluster i know you know!. but maybe i just need profiles from epson.Id really like to get this down and actually sell something for once. ideas welcome on your professional advice

thanks

Forget any of those and get Hanemuhle Photo Rag Pearl. Fantastic paper. Doesn't use tons of brighteners like the ones above so it won't get so much weird brightner fade over time. Incredible sharp, gives insane micro-contrast to prints for a '3D' feel. Has a wide gamut.

Do not let the printer manage the colors (other than maybe for special B&W mode at times). Let PS manage it and use the proper printer profile. And do NOT let both printer and PS manage it, that leads to disaster.

(although if you want a more watercolor look or are reproducing paintings, prints, etc. you might not want any of the above and want something more matte)

I have the Epson R3000.

Also if you had to, for some reason, stick with Epson paper, they have better stuff than their premium glossy. off-hand I forget the name. Maybe Something or other Exhibition? But it's not a match for the Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Pearl though.

 

[LetTheRightLensIn]

Your printer disc probably has the epson paper profiles already. If not, the Epson site does. If you get the Photo Rag Peral, go to that paper company's website and download their profiles, get the ones for your model Epson.

 

[Hillsilly]

If you're new to printing prints for sale, I'd pick up a few sample packs with Hahnemuhle and Canson at the top of the list. With some practice, that will help you to practice matching the right image to the right paper.

FWIW, most people know what glossy and pearl paper is. But few people come across the thicker textured papers (eg German Etching). With the right image, it just exudes quality and has more of a "wow" factor. People will want to hold your print simply because they like the feel of the paper. Subconsciously your clients will appreciate and understand why you're charging so much.

 

[LDS]

just interested to see what paper you recommend for printing. Ive picked up Canon paper on the sales but its really hard finding a profile for my Epson 3880.

Of course nor Canon nor Epson offer profiles for the other's printers. You may find someone who published his or her own made profies, or make your own (of course it requires a color calibration tool).

But IMHO makes very little sense to use printers makers branded papers on another printer brand (unless you have very good reasons, just taking advantage of a sale may be not). Using the printer brand paper may be a solution to obtain quick and easy result, but third party papers offer more choices and usually starting profiles for most photo printers.

Hahnemuhle, Innova, Canson, Moab are among the top supplier (there are some less expensive ones also, depending on your needs), and offer a wide range of products to suit most needs. What paper to use actually depends on what suits best your images and display needs.

Usually you can buy a "sample pack" (sometimes you can get it also for free by some resellers) containing samples of different papers, so you can try them on your images and see what you like best.

Anyway, just remember that paper mills able to produce this kind of papers are not many worldwide, thereby even printer makers branded cards have a good chance of being actually produced by one of these mills, for example Canon itself officially acknowledges some of its high end papers are made by Hahnemuhle. They may be not fully identical to the "OEM" papers, though, thereby profiles can still be an issue.

 

[StoneColdCoffee]

Thanks for all the replies.
I even put some Epson paper back in..same result.
Somehow im leaning towards the monitor is calibrated wrong. im using spectraviewII with an Idisplayone.
I think the monitor is too bright or somehow the profile isn't on.
more research, more research

 

[YuengLinger]

Are you softproofing?
Epson makes great papers too, btw. Their Signature Worthy line is museum grade and can be occasionally picked up cheap from BH Photo or the Epson store.


Every great photo has a perfect paper, and sometimes glossy is it. One you should experiment with is Canson baryta, a semi-gloss on Epson 3880's, I believe.

 

[Famateur]

Some thoughts (you might already know all this, but someone else reading might not):

1) I'm surprised Red River Paper hasn't been mentioned. I've been very pleased (especially their Arctic Polar Luster). They provide ICC profiles for many printers, too. You can order a sample pack with all kinds of paper and finishes.

2) Agreed on having Photoshop OR the Printer Driver manage colors, but NEVER both. I personally have Lightroom manage colors and have them turned OFF in the printer driver.

3) Even with a calibrated display and printer profiles and soft-proofing, you'll probably need to do a little tweaking. I find that I have to bump brightness up in the LR print module to about +6.

4) Remember the print will appear differently with different light sources (incandescent, fluorescent, LED, daylight) as color temperature and intensity will vary.

5) The print will probably not look like what's on the monitor because one is producing light, and the other is reflecting light. I don't hold them up side-by-side to compare. Instead, I look at one, then turn and look at the other.

6) As long as you like the results of the print, and they're close enough in contrast and color to your screen, then you've succeeded.

7) I. love. prints.

 

[YuengLinger]

Softproofing in LR eliminates 90% of guessing, tweaking. It's so darn close it is spooky.

If you have any more questions about printing on an inkjet, just get Jeff Schewe's The Digital Print.