Paper type for Z3100 & Lexjet Sunset Select Matte?

[samsterid]

Just got my first full roll of Lexjet Sunset Select Matte canvas and I'm wondering what others recommend as the paper type for the initial preset/calibration step.

I've used HP Professional Matte Canvas as a paper type for Breathing Color Lyve with decent results.
Or I could just choose "Canvas", or even "Thick Fine Art Paper (>250g/m2)" which is what the HP Hahnemuhle Daguerre uses.

Hoping to hear from some of you who have used the Sunset Matte on a Z series printer.

Thanks - Sam

[Ian99]

See “wsolum” post of April 17,2009 on this forum. He was directed to the following link http://z3100users.wikispaces.com/HP+Tech+Newsletters

The 7th link is the one you want in which HP actually describes what the preset parameters actually do.

With the exception of Satin, all of the Fine Art Paper Canvases have the same attributes.
I use the HP Professional Matte Canvas preset just for convenience but copied to a new name of “Lexjet Canvas”.  I think the only important factors are to make sure the type is >250gm/m2 to avoid head strikes, Gloss Enhancer is off, and that the cutter is off as the Z3100 cutter isn’t man enough for the job.

[bill t.]

Daguerre may not be typical.  On the Epson side, the canned profiles specify "Epson Velvet Fine Art" as the basis, as opposed to every other canvas I have used that specify watercolor paper.  So perhaps it's not a good departure point.

In any case, strip up sections of your favorite images on a single sheet and run tests with various media types.  I have always found such experiments to be worthwhile and sometimes contradictory to accepted assumptions.

BTW SSMC is a very nice canvas.  I involuntarily tried a lot of different canvases this fall, and in comparing side-by-side the SSMC renditions are almost always my preference.  It's definitely the most photographic looking.  I just got some 44" rolls that seem to be free of the defects that plagued it in recent months.

[Justan]

>Hoping to hear from some of you who have used the Sunset Matte on a Z series printer.

I just went through the process of getting this paper to work with my Z3100. With the Z3100 series, if you plan to calibrate and profile per the HP “Create new paper Preset” process, the initial paper type is used mostly for selecting characteristics such as the use of gloss enhancer, the paper thickness, the use of the cutter and other specified elements.

I've read debates about the amount of drying time that should be used for the calibration and profile process. More drying time can’t hurt this process so I set the initial paper type to use “extended” drying time.

But the most important thing to do before doing ANY of the above is to make sure that your monitor has recently been calibrated. If the monitor’s colors have drifted, the new paper will not produce the results you’re after.

[Beginer 1]

I am fairly new at this but isn't setting up any new paper/canvas just a matter of going into the HP Color utility and creating a new custom profile and letting the machine measure and set up the profile by itself?  That is what I did for a 3rd party canvas.....found it remarkably easy.

[samsterid]

@Ian99 - Thanks for that link!
There appears to be no difference between choosing Canvas and HP Professional Matte Canvas.
But choosing Thick Fine Art Paper (>250g/m2) sets a higher ink limit (60 instead of 42) and also uses the Quad ink setting for black & white printing. (and I have to remember to turn off the cutter!)

I've already profiled once using the HP Professional Matte Canvas paper type.  I'll try the Thick Fine Art Paper (>250g/m2) next and see If I can tell any difference.
I'm not doing any B&W yet, but if the ink limit is Ok for the Lexjet canvas, it seems I'd get better B&W results with the Thick Fine Art Paper (>250g/m2) as paper type.

Is there any obvious sign that a particular ink limit is too high for a surface I'm testing?

Thanks to all for the input so far.

[Ian99]

Sam  -- It would seem obvious to use as little ink as possible so long as you achieve the effect you want. 42 gives me good output on Lexjet SSMC, of course 42 is also the answer to life, the Universe, and everything !!

You will know when the ink gets too much. It will get dull and soft with much greater chances of smearing and lost prints. Definitely something to avoid. When I use Ilford GFS at the Fine Art Pearl less ink setting of 32, I sometimes get way too much black and substantial smudges.

Beginer 1 – I wish things were that simple. It is important to set the Paper Type correctly as one step, then creating the profile is the second important step. Choosing the wrong paper type can give you problems of head strikes.