Which is the best Hahnnemule for color gamut? What does "gsm" mean?
Which is the best Hahnnemule for color gamut? What does "gsm" mean?
Kirk,
I've got side by side comparison prints for people to use as an example....both uncoated and coated. With the Hahnnemule spray, I've yet to find someone notice the difference in dmax. I had to mark my sample print on the back because they were virtually indistinguishable. Lyson spray does reduce dmax somewhat....but the protection is more important to me for my output needs. But I should elaborate a bit. When I sell a print that is destined for professional framing, I don't normally coat it. All other prints I coat as I don't know what type of rough handling they will receive before they end up in the album or in the frame.
"On Enhanced Matte my 2200 seems to top out at 1.69 with MatteBlack ink."
You can increase dMax a little by substituting MIS Eboni black for the Epson matte black (you'll also get a slightly cooler look, which many find pleasing). But personally I think dMax numbers are often given more importance than they deserve. I like Dick Arentz's statement to the effect that you don't need to make a print with the blackest black possible (and in fact often don't want to do that even if you could), all you need is a "convincing black."
"I find the figures a bit misleading as unlike silver printing, I don't need to worry about compression on the upper and lower and of the tonal scale."
I think this is an important point that I seldom see mentioned. On the three ink jet printers I've owned, using several different brands of ink and paper (and lately using QTR ), I've been able to print a 21 step wedge that showed all 21 distinctive steps. The only way I was able to do that in a darkroom was with Van Dyke brown prints, nothing even close to that with normal silver paper.
Brian Ellis
Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you do criticize them you'll be
a mile away and you'll have their shoes.
"I've been told that there is NO glossy or semi-glossy paper that is archival to the standards of a professional photo gallery."
I've been told many things in my life that I ignore...especially absolute statements, which are highly unlikely to be true. I've seen glossy and semi-glossy inkjet paper being exhibited in galleries. As far as I could tell, the money they were taking in was real and they sure looked to be professional. Fancy that.
"I find the figures a bit misleading as unlike silver printing, I don't need to worry about compression on the upper and lower and of the tonal scale."
"I think this is an important point that I seldom see mentioned. On the three ink jet printers I've owned, using several different brands of ink and paper (and lately using QTR ), I've been able to print a 21 step wedge that showed all 21 distinctive steps. The only way I was able to do that in a darkroom was with Van Dyke brown prints, nothing even close to that with normal silver paper."
Careful Brian,
You'll get some of the digiphobes screaming blasphemy if you say that to loudly ;-)
I agree with the convincing black argument, but I frequently find the Epson Enhanced Matte to be lacking a convincing black. This is most obvious in images with dark water that I want to fade to black, or really dark blue black. On the Matte paper my eyes just aren't convinced I am looking at a pool of inky black water. On lightjet, or glossy inkjet printing, they are. So for dMax is important for some images. If it wasn't visually a problem I never would have even pulled out the densitometer. As far as the scale not getting compressed that is helpful, but really doesn't absolve the Epson of have poor dMax on matte paper.
I will try some of the other paper suggestions. If I could get it to the 1.9 range I suspect it would work. Maybe a paper change will get me there.
I've not done any scientific testing myself but I did do the 'yellow' test which is to say that I bought a bunch of glossy and semi-glossy papers and just one year later, without actually having printed on any of them, all of them have slightly yellowed edges. Too bad since I love the look of inkjet prints and glossy/semi-gloss surfaces for certain applications. I have heard from a couple of company reps that they are working on solutions to this though so there's a bit of hope.
"I've been able to print a 21 step wedge that showed all 21 distinctive steps. The only way I was able to do that in a darkroom was with Van Dyke brown prints, nothing even close to that with normal silver paper"
Doesn't it depend on the step wedge ? In a darkroom, one could make a test strip and expose each of 20 successive piece for, say, 1 second. Given an appropriate level of light from the enlarger or light source, wouldn't that result in distinct 21 steps ?
For black and white, I like Epson Ultrasmooth. Kirk, is it among the papers you've tested?
For black and white I like Fotospeed Legacy paper...oh wait that is for silver gelatin
leec
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