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Author Topic: Why is Epson Luster not available in 17" rolls?  (Read 7602 times)

Mike Guilbault

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Why is Epson Luster not available in 17" rolls?
« on: May 25, 2011, 01:01:40 pm »

They've got 16" rolls and then jump to 20" rolls.  Why would they not have 17" instead of the 16"?  Doesn't make sense.  Aren't all the small 'pro' printers 17" or is it just the 4900? 
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Mike Guilbault

Jeff Kott

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Re: Why is Epson Luster not available in 17" rolls?
« Reply #1 on: May 25, 2011, 02:23:58 pm »

They've got 16" rolls and then jump to 20" rolls.  Why would they not have 17" instead of the 16"?  Doesn't make sense.  Aren't all the small 'pro' printers 17" or is it just the 4900? 

Yes, it is strange. I noticed that when I originally got an Epson 4000 several years ago.

I did a little experimenting and found that the Inkjetart Micro Ceramic Luster is just as good a product as the Epson luster papers and comes in a 17 inch roll.

http://www.inkjetart.com/cart/micro-ceramic-luster-c-2159_2160_2166.html

I have no connection to Inkjetart whatsoever, but I use their Micro Ceramic Luster and Gloss as a substitute for the Epson luster and gloss papers and can't tell a difference with the prints between the Epson papers and their Inkjetart counterpart.

I hope this helps you.

Best regards,

Jeff
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Sven W

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Re: Why is Epson Luster not available in 17" rolls?
« Reply #2 on: May 25, 2011, 02:34:03 pm »

Maybe it's for the classic 16x20"? ;)
Why? You better ask Epson.

As Jeff suggest. There are numerous Luster-like papers out there.
Canson, HP, Canon, Moab, Premier, Inkpress.
And again, InkjetArt and ShadesofPaper got them all.

/Sven
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bill t.

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Re: Why is Epson Luster not available in 17" rolls?
« Reply #3 on: May 25, 2011, 03:20:09 pm »

To quote from the Epson site...

Wedding, portrait and school photographers have traditionally used luster paper for their photos. Now Epson offers this popular surface paper, Premium Luster Photo Paper, to digital printmakers.

They forgot to include digital photofinishing.

And that's the land of 4x6, 8x10, 16x20 and other standard sizes conveniently cut from a 16" wide dimension.

We artsy photographers are just tiny blips on the map in the much larger world of what 98.6% of inkjet media is actually used for!  An extra inch of width would look like money-sucking waste to most of those high volume users.
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Sven W

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Re: Why is Epson Luster not available in 17" rolls?
« Reply #4 on: May 25, 2011, 03:41:06 pm »

We artsy photographers are just tiny blips on the map in the much larger world of what 98.6% of inkjet media is actually used for!  An extra inch of width would look like money-sucking waste to most of those high volume users.

 ;D ;D

/Sven
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Jeff Kott

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Re: Why is Epson Luster not available in 17" rolls?
« Reply #5 on: May 25, 2011, 04:02:51 pm »


And that's the land of 4x6, 8x10, 16x20 and other standard sizes conveniently cut from a 16" wide dimension.


Personally, I find borderless printing to be a pain and that it is more convenient to get 16x20 or 16x24 prints from a 17" roll, but that's just my preference.

jk
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mikev1

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Re: Why is Epson Luster not available in 17" rolls?
« Reply #6 on: May 25, 2011, 06:50:02 pm »

Oh I agree, I prefer not to print borderless unless it is a high volume job.  I hate trimming prints with a passion.
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louoates

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Re: Why is Epson Luster not available in 17" rolls?
« Reply #7 on: May 25, 2011, 07:15:03 pm »

Just wondering about luster--
   I almost always use Epson's premium presentation matte. My gallery mats and frames all my prints behind glass. In the comparison prints I've run with luster vs matte the only difference I could tell from a few feet away through glass was the higher cost.
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KenBabcock

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Re: Why is Epson Luster not available in 17" rolls?
« Reply #8 on: May 25, 2011, 07:30:58 pm »

This would cost me more than original Epson to get it to my door.

I like the Epson; in fact, I'm printing on it right now as I type :)
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Luca Ragogna

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Re: Why is Epson Luster not available in 17" rolls?
« Reply #9 on: May 25, 2011, 08:57:30 pm »

Just wondering about luster--
   I almost always use Epson's premium presentation matte. My gallery mats and frames all my prints behind glass. In the comparison prints I've run with luster vs matte the only difference I could tell from a few feet away through glass was the higher cost.

I've only used a little bit of the doubleweight matte paper that came with my printer but when I look at ink usage versus a lustre paper the combined ink/paper cost is MUCH higher with the matte paper than the luster just because it uses so much ink. Luster may be more expensive to buy but by my calculations it's around 30% less expensive to run.*

* on my printer with the luster/matte suppliers that I buy from, yadda, yadda, etc.
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louoates

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Re: Why is Epson Luster not available in 17" rolls?
« Reply #10 on: May 25, 2011, 09:32:17 pm »

Good point on the amount of ink absorbed. However I believe that the Epson premium presentation matte uses less ink than the double weight due to the smoother, it seems to me, finish. Also I can buy the paper on sale at Fry's here in Phoenix for around .25 each (13x19).
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Mike Guilbault

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Re: Why is Epson Luster not available in 17" rolls?
« Reply #11 on: May 25, 2011, 10:45:49 pm »

And that's the land of 4x6, 8x10, 16x20 and other standard sizes conveniently cut from a 16" wide dimension.

We artsy photographers are just tiny blips on the map in the much larger world of what 98.6% of inkjet media is actually used for!  An extra inch of width would look like money-sucking waste to most of those high volume users.

Good point Bill. Guess I've gotten spoiled with the 17" paper.... I like the extra room available for a border around the image.  Just delivered some 11x14-ish sizes on 13x19 paper and the customer absolutely loved the extra border (which I included at no extra charge of course). 

I'll look in to some of those alternatives mentioned, but as I also do lots of portraits, maybe the 16" won't be so bad.
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Mike Guilbault

Sven W

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Re: Why is Epson Luster not available in 17" rolls?
« Reply #12 on: May 26, 2011, 04:35:22 am »

Just wondering about luster--
   I almost always use Epson's premium presentation matte. My gallery mats and frames all my prints behind glass. In the comparison prints I've run with luster vs matte the only difference I could tell from a few feet away through glass was the higher cost.

The difference show up when you examine fading tests at Aardenburg.

/Sven
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Mike Guilbault

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Re: Why is Epson Luster not available in 17" rolls?
« Reply #13 on: May 26, 2011, 07:32:41 am »

I'm not sure what you're referring to in that chart Sven ~ could you clarify?
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Mike Guilbault

Gene Coggins

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Re: Why is Epson Luster not available in 17" rolls?
« Reply #14 on: May 26, 2011, 09:53:20 am »

For the same reason that those of us who have the 4x00 series printers are denied 17" Epson Sumerset Velvet fine art paper. Go figure.
Gene
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Sven W

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Re: Why is Epson Luster not available in 17" rolls?
« Reply #15 on: May 26, 2011, 11:51:08 am »

I'm not sure what you're referring to in that chart Sven ~ could you clarify?

It's wellknown that Presentation/Enhanced/Archival Matte has a lot of OBA/FBA.
So does Luster too, but in a different construction.
In my own daylight tests, I got a quite big shift on the blue-yellow axis, towards Y, on the Matte.
That's washed out OBA and a completely different print. And that in 4 weeks.
The Luster didn't shift at all. (but a deltaE 1.5 after 6 months)

/Sven
« Last Edit: May 26, 2011, 05:56:19 pm by Sven W »
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Mike Guilbault

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Re: Why is Epson Luster not available in 17" rolls?
« Reply #16 on: May 26, 2011, 08:41:56 pm »

Thats what I suspected.. thanks Sven
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Mike Guilbault

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Re: Why is Epson Luster not available in 17" rolls?
« Reply #17 on: May 29, 2011, 02:41:19 am »

folks at breathing color have vibrance luster... available in 17" rolls and i cannot tell the difference between it and epson.

i haven't been able to get away from a luster paper in almost 7 years!
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bill t.

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Re: Why is Epson Luster not available in 17" rolls?
« Reply #18 on: May 29, 2011, 02:58:53 am »

Back in my Epson 2200 days there were at least a couple companies that specialized in cutting down all the hot papers into smaller rolls like 13".  Some guys in Oakland for instance, looks like all that's history now.  I still have a couple short ends of 13" Ultrasmooth Fine Art and Somerset Velvet.  Looks like Ultrasmooth is available in 17" from Epson.
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semillerimages

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Re: Why is Epson Luster not available in 17" rolls?
« Reply #19 on: May 31, 2011, 12:55:48 pm »

I'll add my agreement with Jeff. I've used many rolls of Inkjetart's micro ceramic luster and it's a perfectly fine paper - plus it's far cheaper than Epson's almost equivalent offering...

Cheers,

*steve


Yes, it is strange. I noticed that when I originally got an Epson 4000 several years ago.

I did a little experimenting and found that the Inkjetart Micro Ceramic Luster is just as good a product as the Epson luster papers and comes in a 17 inch roll.

http://www.inkjetart.com/cart/micro-ceramic-luster-c-2159_2160_2166.html

I have no connection to Inkjetart whatsoever, but I use their Micro Ceramic Luster and Gloss as a substitute for the Epson luster and gloss papers and can't tell a difference with the prints between the Epson papers and their Inkjetart counterpart.

I hope this helps you.

Best regards,

Jeff
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