Recommendations for budget papers?

[jeremyrh]

With an A4 sheet of Ilford Gold Silk or Hahnemuhle FineArt Pearl running at nearly £2 each, I am wondering if there is a good alternative for making prints that are less critical - maybe for tests, or more temporary display on my study wall. Anyone want to share their recommendations?

[Rhossydd]

Jessops gloss photo paper is my first choice for tests. Nice finish and weight with a decent gamut. Dirt cheap if you get a 3 for 2 offer on the boxes of 50, works out at 20p a sheet.

[stockjock]

With an A4 sheet of Ilford Gold Silk or Hahnemuhle FineArt Pearl running at nearly £2 each, I am wondering if there is a good alternative for making prints that are less critical - maybe for tests, or more temporary display on my study wall. Anyone want to share their recommendations?

What printer are you using and how important is it for you to have manufacturer profiles for the paper available?  Are you looking for roll or sheet paper and in what sizes?  Do you care about longevity or OBAs?  What is your preference in the surface of the paper.  Without more information any responses you get are likely to be of little value to you.  Even with that info paper preferences are very individual. 

[jeremyrh]

20p a sheet is hard to beat :-)

I'm using an Epson R3000 and as I indicated A4 sheets similar to the papers I mentioned are what I'm looking for. Longevity is less important if it is for tests or for my "personal gallery" of recent work.

[Rhossydd]

Jessops also make matte and satin papers, maybe the later is worth a punt ?

[elliot_n]

For cheap A4 prints I use Epson Premium Semigloss. I buy packs of 25 x A2 sheets for £40, and then cut them down to size with a Rotatrim. Works out at 40p an A4 sheet. Great paper - I often use it for final artwork. I also use it for work-prints when the final print will be Canson Platine, Harman Gloss FB, or Ilford Gold Silk.

[GrahamBy]

Lumière Prestige is 59€ for a box of 100 A4 sheets, and it's a very decent 310g paper. Comes in both gloss and pearl. So far as my feeble senses can determine, it's as good as anything if you interest is in looking at the prints rather than stroking them with your fingers.

It costs 80€ for 25 A2's, so there is no benefit in cutting up bigger sheets yourself.

They do a 270g at 22€ for 50, but it has noticeably more OBA's.

[pikeys]

I use Breathing Color-Luster,Comes with profile,has a nice wide gamut,and the profile is right on the money.

MikeS.

[jeremyrh]

Thanks for all the ideas! Not all are available in the UK, but there are some good possibilities for me to check out :-)

[drmike]

I assume you have checked PPD Photo Paper Direct? Their own brand seems to be very good. They imply it's Ilford but I suspect the same manufacturer makes their paper and also Ilford's paper. The same profiles mind you.

You will get good reductions if you attend the Photo show at the NEC, if you can face it. An excellent Cocentry based company was there last year giving very good discounts on Innova and another brand I found to be very good.

Won't match Jessops though.

[maximilian59]

In Germany there is Photolux which has a lot of own papers. It’s also the only shop with their own papers, where you can get a lot of papers with 17x25“ (A2+). I don’t know whether they send to UK. Just ask.
The cheapest A4 is 120g matte paper. Down to 0.10 € in the pack with 600 sheets. They also provide ICC profiles for a lot of epson printers.

[unesco]

With an A4 sheet of Ilford Gold Silk or Hahnemuhle FineArt Pearl running at nearly £2 each, I am wondering if there is a good alternative for making prints that are less critical - maybe for tests, or more temporary display on my study wall. Anyone want to share their recommendations?

Are you looking for a cheap baryta paper or any photo paper for ink-jet printing?

If the first option, there is Tetenal Baryta 310 being a clone of IGFS but noticeably cheaper.

You can also try Solution Fine Art Baryta 300 which is very similar to HM Baryta FB 350 (Falter, the distributor of Solution brand, claims it comes from HM...) - if you like gloss and pinkish tone.

There is also Fomei Baryta Mono 290 (equivalent to similar from Sihl), cheaper and great if you like natural white, not the deepest blacks and not so glossy surface.

[PeterAit]

With an A4 sheet of Ilford Gold Silk or Hahnemuhle FineArt Pearl running at nearly £2 each, I am wondering if there is a good alternative for making prints that are less critical - maybe for tests, or more temporary display on my study wall. Anyone want to share their recommendations?

Epson Premium Luster Photo Paper is pretty good, if you like the luster finish, and it's cheap.

[Stoic]

Have you looked at Marrutt? I've used some of their papers and they have good gamut and qualty. Their Fine Art papers are more pricey, but the regular satin and matte is more reasonable. John is the owner, and I've also spoken with his son, a family run business based in East Sussex. Their website is full of info and they offer 6 monthly ICC profiles.