Luster Papers on Z3100 query

[Gary Gray]

I've tested and used Premier Photo Luster on my Z3100, but haven't tried any other brands.  I like the overall quality the Premier gives me, but I've been seeing a manufacturing problem with the Premier Photo Luster where the paper has a rippling pattern visible at certain reflection angles, so I'm thinking about switching to another brand of luster.  None of my clients have noticed this, but it really drives me nuts.

I don't use luster a great deal so I'm not anxious to waste a lot of money testing the different brands out without a little better knowledge on what others have been using and seeing.

If you've tried other brands of Luster paper on this printer, I'd like to hear your opinion.

[Geoff Wittig]

I've tested and used Premier Photo Luster on my Z3100, but haven't tried any other brands.  I like the overall quality the Premier gives me, but I've been seeing a manufacturing problem with the Premier Photo Luster where the paper has a rippling pattern visible at certain reflection angles, so I'm thinking about switching to another brand of luster.  None of my clients have noticed this, but it really drives me nuts.

I don't use luster a great deal so I'm not anxious to waste a lot of money testing the different brands out without a little better knowledge on what others have been using and seeing.

If you've tried other brands of Luster paper on this printer, I'd like to hear your opinion.

You can't beat Epson's premium luster photo paper (or whatever they call it now) for price. A 100'x24" roll is something like $115 U.S., compared with rather more for a 50' or even 39' roll of fancier papers from Hahnemüle or Harman. I printed a lot with this paper from my Z3100, and for production work it's great. The gamut is very close to that of HP's pro satin; the surface texture is an acquired taste, but if a print is lit from above it's not a problem. It profiles perfectly well with the built-in spectro.

[walter.sk]

You can't beat Epson's premium luster photo paper (or whatever they call it now) for price. A 100'x24" roll is something like $115 U.S., compared with rather more for a 50' or even 39' roll of fancier papers from Hahnemüle or Harman. I printed a lot with this paper from my Z3100, and for production work it's great. The gamut is very close to that of HP's pro satin; the surface texture is an acquired taste, but if a print is lit from above it's not a problem. It profiles perfectly well with the built-in spectro.

I'll second that.  While I am not crazy about the light dispersion from the surface, I must say that the Epson Premium Luster profiled very nicely on my HP Z3100ps, and the color and range of blacks are excellent.  The people I have made prints for like them very much, and you can't beat the cost of the paper.

[namartinnz]

I'd like to add I use Epson Premium Luster on my Z3100. I had a new potential client around discussing canvas when I showed him a fresh A0 size luster print of a wedding photo. He was blown away by what he saw. It's been my staple paper for years now, no complaints for what it does.

[williamrohr]

I've been using the Epson Premium Luster (originally 250, now 260) with the Z3100 since it was released and second all the comments above.  One problem however I don't see anyone mentioning is the outgassing issue.  Even though I have dried prints under sheets of phototex for a month or more .... it still happens.  I have seen it recently in a
print that was over a year-old when framed ... when it was placed in mild sun light.  I now have resorted to spraying with one of the protective coatings I use for canvas and it seems to be much less of a problem.  Some informal analysis seems to indicate that it is ethylene glycol or similar compound with a high boiling point (and therefore low vapor pressure) so it evaporates very slowly at room temperature.  The new semimatte 260 seems to have less of the problem.      Bill

[Bruce Watson]

I've been using the Epson Premium Luster (originally 250, now 260) with the Z3100 since it was released and second all the comments above.  One problem however I don't see anyone mentioning is the outgassing issue.  Even though I have dried prints under sheets of phototex for a month or more .... it still happens.  I have seen it recently in a print that was over a year-old when framed ... when it was placed in mild sun light.

Try drying the print with a hand held hair dryer. High fan, low heat. Put one hand behind the print and move the hair dryer slowly over the surface. You can feel the change when the glycols and glycerins are hot enough to evaporate out. When that happens, move along to another section of the print. The only thing that will get the glycols and glycerins out is heat and air movement.

I've taken prints off the printer, dryed them with the hair dryer, framed and up on a sunlit wall in 45 minutes without outgassing problems. And I've got one print (on HPR no less, not an RC paper) that's about five years old that was big enough that I didn't want to spend an hour drying it, that's still outgassing on me.

I'm not saying it's the "cure" but it works for me.

[Gary Gray]

Thanks everyone, sounds like the Epson Luster paper is the overall paper of choice in this regard.  I've seen the outgassing or evaporation effect here, but mostly it occurs within a few days of making the print.  Perhaps the dry climate in Colorado keeps this down somewhat.  I can't wrap a photo luster print too quickly and I find a couple of days lying flat to dry seem to prevent it.

I appreciate all the feedback.