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Don Hutton
13-Sep-2006, 11:19
I am going to have West Coast Imaging do some color exhibition prints for me. They offer a variety of different substrates - any recommendations?

Eric Leppanen
13-Sep-2006, 12:23
If you are going to use the Chromira, my preference would be the Fuji Super Gloss. It has excellent dmax and color saturation, and looks quite dramatic for color landscape shots. Some folks apparently feel it looks a bit plasticky (sic), but I don't get that sensation, particularly when mounted behind glass.

The wild card in my mind, though, is the new K3 inkjet papers (Museo Photo Rag, Hahnemuhle Pearl, and Innova F-Type Gloss). If the inkjet papers can achieve comparable highlight brilliance and dmax as the Fuji Super Gloss, then I would go that way in a heartbeat as inkjet prints appear sharper to the eye. I personally don't mind the use of optical brighteners, and am particularly interested in the Hahnemuhle Pearl, which seems to be a nice combination of texture, brightness and dmax. However, when I last spoke to WCI a couple weeks ago, they said that Hahnemuhle Pearl was on backorder and they had not yet been able to get some for testing.

Maybe WCI can get you some small print samples (as they occasionally have done in the past when new papers came out) for comparison?

Brian Vuillemenot
13-Sep-2006, 14:07
I've always gotten Chromira prints on Fuji crystal archive glossy paper and been very pleased with them. WCI will send you some samples of the different paper/printer combinations for free if you request them. That should help in making your decision.

Don Hutton
13-Sep-2006, 20:21
Thanks - I hadn't actually contacted them yet, so I will ask about samples before sending this lot off. Thanks for the suggestions.

Doug Dolde
13-Sep-2006, 20:24
IF you are going to dry mount Fuji Super Gloss is VERY difficult to mount and shows any imperfections glaringly.

Don Hutton
13-Sep-2006, 20:29
IF you are going to dry mount Fuji Super Gloss is VERY difficult to mount and shows any imperfections glaringly.

Drymounting is what I had in mind - how do people get around this ?

roteague
13-Sep-2006, 21:57
I am going to have West Coast Imaging do some color exhibition prints for me. They offer a variety of different substrates - any recommendations?

I've used WCI for several years now, and always found them a pleasure to work with. If you have any specific questions about them, feel free to ask. As for paper, I've only printed on the standard Fuji Crystal Archive glossy paper, not the super gloss. I tried an inkjet once, as a trial, and found they didn't measure up to the Crystal Archive IMO.

Brian Vuillemenot
13-Sep-2006, 22:10
For what it's worth, I've had their Chromira prints on Fuji Crystal archive dry mounted and had no problems.

Eric James
13-Sep-2006, 22:23
Samples are available for the asking:

http://www.westcoastimaging.com/wci/page/services/samples.html

I've only used the Chromira/Fuji Crystal Archive service but I'm anxious to see some of my photos on the Super Gloss. I have inkjet phobia - maybe the current technology will stand the test of time, but maybe not.

WCI is a first-rate company.

chris_4622
14-Sep-2006, 03:47
Don,

Hance Partners offers scanning and lightjet printing on Ilfochrome paper if your so inclined.

chris

Ben Chase
15-Sep-2006, 09:21
All of my printing is done through WCI and they always come highly recommended.

Typically, all of my color work is printed on the Fuji Supergloss - but like others have said, don't dry-mount it. I'd always recommend t-hinging using archival tape - but each person has their own preference.

One thing I'd recommend: If your image has a lot of orange tones in it, try printing on the Kodak Metallic paper, it's very similar to the Fuji Supergloss, but I think it brings out the orange tones very well in comparison with other papers.

For black and white printing - I've always used the Hamemuhle (spelling?) Photo Rag paper using the Piezography printer (carbon, not sepia).

These are just typically my preferences, I'm sure others have other guidance to give.

Greg Miller
15-Sep-2006, 09:48
I don't like framing glossy papers because the viewer gets 2 reflections - 1 form the paper and 1 from the glazing. This makes it too hard to find an angle to view the image at.

I currently use Hahnemuhle Fine Art Pearl or a a matte paper. The FAP has a little bit aof a reflection not so much to be a problem. The Dmax on this paper is very good. I'm surprised WCI says the paper is on backorder. I have ordered several rolls lately with no problem.

roteague
15-Sep-2006, 10:06
All of my printing is done through WCI and they always come highly recommended.

Typically, all of my color work is printed on the Fuji Supergloss - but like others have said, don't dry-mount it. I'd always recommend t-hinging using archival tape - but each person has their own preference.

One thing I'd recommend: If your image has a lot of orange tones in it, try printing on the Kodak Metallic paper, it's very similar to the Fuji Supergloss, but I think it brings out the orange tones very well in comparison with other papers.

For black and white printing - I've always used the Hamemuhle (spelling?) Photo Rag paper using the Piezography printer (carbon, not sepia).

These are just typically my preferences, I'm sure others have other guidance to give.

I use WCI for all my color printing as well. I use a company called Praus Productions in Rochester, NY for all my B&W work (which is very little). The reason I don't use WCI for this, is that I prefer my B&W work to be printed on traditional photographic papers; I don't like ink jet prints at all.