Choosing an Epson Matte Paper to mirror that of Exhibition Fiber

[capital]

I'd like to know the people's thoughts/experiences in choosing a good matte paper that has similar properties to Epson's Exhibition Fiber.

I've used Exhibition Fiber for about a year now on a Epson 4880 Printer, and am considering switching to a matte black ink if there is a promising matte paper out there. My subjects are mostly nature and landscapes.

I really like the colors coming from the Exhibition Fiber but was wondering if there is an Epson matte paper out there that might have a better print permanence while retaining the extraordinary color characteristic of the Exhibition Fiber.

I've checked out these links, but I am still on the fence between Epson Ultrasmooth Fine Art versus Epson Hot Press Natural versus Epson Hot Press Bright, (I've discounted velvet and water color variants because I prefer a smoother surface)

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/printers/ultra-smooth.shtml
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/printers/epson-papers-09.shtml
http://www.luminous-landscape.com/forum/index.php?PHPSESSID=85773217f674c3a2d4f619ca79ca68ec&topic=45002.0

I can't really "test" them with say the epson sample pack because I'm still using photo black and would prefer not incur the expense of swapping out to matte black if there is really not a good matte alternative to Exhibition Fiber.


Thanks you!
 

[Ernst Dinkla]

Check the paper whiteness shifts at Aardenburg Imaging if there are enough samples of the Epson range. If you can not find them you might find a third party paper with an equivalent spectral plot in my SpectrumViz and check Aardenburg again for that paper. My bet is on Premier or Museo qualities as the source of the described Epson papers (edit). The Bright matt art papers remain a risk, especially at the levels of FBA shown in Hot Press Bright.


met vriendelijke groeten, Ernst Dinkla

New: Spectral plots of +190 inkjet papers:
http://www.pigment-print.com/spectralplots/spectrumviz_1.htm

[Sven W]

You wish for a dream to come through 
The differences in Color Gamut and D-max, are to big to just switch from a PK-paper to a MK and still "....retaining the extraordinary color characteristic of the Exhibition Fiber." See attached figures.

But the closest match between a matte paper without FBA and EEF, is probably HotPressNat, Canson Rag Photographique, Hahn PR Ultrasmooth or the new Moab Somerset Museum Rag.
IMHO.

/Sven

[Alan Goldhammer]

I echo what others have already noted.  I do print a considerable amount on matte papers and from my perspective on of the better papers is Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Ultra Smooth.  I also like Museo Portfolio Rag a lot but my concern with this paper is a couple of the patches in the Aardenburg tests show more fading than the Hahnemuhle paper.  I would avoid any papers with OBAs as the fluorescing agents decay with time resulting in poor paper performance (edit added:  I should have specified in the coating layer for the OBA since some small amount in the paper layer seems not to have as much an impact).

[dgberg]

The matte paper I have used any amount of lately is a roll of Epson Hot Press Bright.
Most of this roll was printed for a local photo club's show. Everyone just loved this paper. The only negative I have is the ease at which you can scuff the surface.
Breath on it in the wrong direction and you are throwing the print away. After the first couple of throw aways I got my cotton gloves out and that did the trick. (Should have known better)
Short story on Exhibition Fiber.
I am an EEF fan and have just about every size Epson offers here in stock. Before Thanksgiving I ran a whole batch of smaller prints for a photographer friend of mine. He asked my opinion on the best paper for this project.
I suggested the EEF and touted it as one of Epsons premier offerings. He was back several weeks later looking for additional prints but his comment was "print it on anything but that cardboard" meaning the EEF.
His buyer at the local hospital gift shop where he sells thought it was the cheapest paper she had ever seen as no one prints on cardboard. (Say what!)
10 customers,10 different likes and dislikes.

[neile]

Try the Moab Somerset Museum Rag. It's great! My review is over at http://www.danecreekfolios.com/blog/2010/7/7/moab-somerset-museum-rag-paper-review.html.

Neil

[JeffKohn]

You've gotten some good recommendations for matte papers already, but I'm not sure I understand why you're looking to matte papers as an alternative to EEF in the first place. When you say...

I really like the colors coming from the Exhibition Fiber but was wondering if there is an Epson matte paper out there that might have a better print permanence while retaining the extraordinary color characteristic of the Exhibition Fiber.

it seems that your concern with EEF is permanence; but that's not a matte-black versus photo-black issue. There's nothing inherently more permanent about matte papers compared to fiber-gloss/baryta. So if this is just about permanence and OBA's, I'm not sure why you're looking at matte papers since you're so happy with the color gamut of EEF. The truth is, no matte paper is going to make you happy if you're looking to match the extraordinary colors of EEF. The top fiber-gloss/baryta papers such as EEF and others have color gamuts close to double the volume of even the best matte papers, not to mention the night and day different in DMax.

That's not to say matte papers can't be nice. They have a unique look that many people like (thought a good bit of that gets lost once you put them behind glass, IMO). For certain images matte papers can work really well. But if you like the look of your EEF prints, you may not be happy with any matte paper.

There are plenty of other, more permanent fiber-gloss alternatives to EEF. A few OBA-free options that come immediately to mind are Hahn Photo Rag Baryta, Canson Inifinity Platine Fiber-Rag, and Crane Museo Silver Rag among others.

[capital]

Thank you all for your perspectives on papers.

I suppose that one of "third party" type papers might be a better alternative than what Epson provides. From what I am hearing I am mostly dreaming if I want a higher color gamut in a matte paper close to that of Exhibition Fiber.

I like the surface quality of Epson Ultrasmooth fine art more than that of exhibition fiber, that is why I was/am thinking of going to a matte style paper.  Thanks Jeff for setting me straight on the concept of gloss alternatives more permanent than exhibition fiber.

[narikin]

you MUST read the Aardenberg results on EEF. Read and weep. 
I think Aa made that test result public because it was so, umm, 'informative'.
please try to find an alternative to this paper, its OBA's burn out very quickly and very badly - your prints will go south pronto.

Of course if that doesn't matter, and you want short term impact above all, then carry on. It does make great prints at first.