Need advice on best gallery quality paper for HP Z3200 HELP!

[Marty919]

Hi all, and forgive me if this has been posted and answered someplace here previously, I'm new here.

I just got a new HP Z3200ps 44 inch printer and having trouble selecting the best papers to buy.

I do 75% black and white, 25% color.  All original photography, and the final prints need to be full gallery / museum quality.

I'd prefer a smooth matte paper for my b/w work, and don't mind reasonably glossy for the color work.  The b/w paper is my primary concern.

If anyone has any advice they'd share on a really super b/w paper that will work for my HPZ3200 I would greatly appreciate any help and info I can get.

Thanks in advance,

Marty

[sm906]

I just got a new HP Z3200ps 44 inch printer and having trouble selecting the best papers to buy.
I'd prefer a smooth matte paper for my b/w work, and don't mind reasonably glossy for the color work.  The b/w paper is my primary concern.

Marty,

I assume that no one can/will tell you which paper is the best either for b/w or for your Z3200. Why? It all depends on everyones personal taste how the print shall look and which motifs are being printed. Every photographer likes something different. And, it might be a matter of what you are willing to pay for the relevant paper.

Principally, when using the well known manufacturers such as Hahnemühle, Canson, Moab etc. you can't go wrong, though you still do not know which of the many papers to choose. In my opinion you will not get around your own testing. Fortunately you can make your ICC profiles with the Zs, so you do not have to rely on the manufacturers profiles which are often not the best choice.

For me it was a good starting point, when I started with fine art printing, to order sample packs most manufacturers are offering and print a distinct selection of my typical objects as well as test images (such as those of Bill Atkinson or Vincent Oliver (http://www.photo-i.co.uk/)). Comparing the results let me quickly reduce my choice to 4-5 papers which met my expections of how may prints should look on paper.

The papers that I am using today on my Z2100 most of the time:

• Tecco PPM210 as proofing paper (very cheap and of very good quality) for the matte prints
• Moab Entrada Natural Rag for the final matte prints
• Lumijet Photo Gloss as proofing paper for my glossy color prints (was a damn cheap sell out, because it is discontinued by Hahnemühle)
• Calumet Brilliant Luster as proofing paper for my glossy color prints (as soon as the 2 30m rolls of the Lumijet will be used up)
• Harman by Hahnemüle Photo Gloss Baryta for the final glossy color prints

I hope it helps a bit.

Thomas

[John Caldwell]

Thomas' advice regarding your developing your own opinion is hard to get around. Having said that, I like:

1) Glossy papers: Canson Baryta Photographique and Harman Baryta Gloss (Thomas' final gloss paper). HP Professional Satin looks very nice, but I don't care for the way it handles.
2) Matte: HFA Photo Rag 308 (hard to beat if you don't need surface texture; HFA Williamm Turner (heavy texture); Canon BFK Rives (moderate texture)

I've tried quite a few matte & gloss media, and come back to these.

John-