Epson 9900 Media Type - More differences than driver shows?

[darlingm]

Are there differences between media types that aren't shown in the Epson 9900 driver when clicking "Custom Settings" next to the media type selection?

If I click "Custom Settings", I see: Color Density, Drying Time per Print Head Pass, Paper Feed Adjustment, Paper Suction, Paper Thickness, Platen Gap, Roll Paper Back Tension, Color, Print Quality Level, Print Quality, High Speed, Finest Detail, Edge Smoothing, Color Adjustment.

If I compare the displayed settings of "Premium Canvas Matte" to "Watercolor Paper-Radiant White", they are completely identical.  Yet, Breathing Color suggests using WPRW for Lyve canvas, where my first instinct would have been to use PCM.  Are there differences in the media types that aren't shown here?  If so, how can you view (for curiosity's sake) all the differences?

[datro]

When I first started printing years ago I asked the same question.  One of the things that you do not see in the driver settings is the INK LOADING for a given media type, i.e. how much ink is the printer going to put on the paper.  You have the option to adjust densities for a specific media type you have chosen, but you cannot see the relative ink loading differences from one media type to another.

If you print on non-Epson media and you are doing your own profiling, choosing the right media type is largely a process of determining which media type has the best ink loading for the media (in addition to the other parameters such as paper thickness, platen gap, etc.).

From a list I compiled a while back (using data from Epson documents if I remember correctly) here are some Epson media types in order of GREATEST to LEAST ink loading:

Velvet Fine Art Paper
Enhanced Matte Paper
UltraSmooth Fine Art Paper
Singleweight Matte Paper
Premium Luster Photo Paper (260)
Premium Glossy Photo Paper (250)
Premium Semigloss Photo Paper (250)
Premium Semimatte Photo Paper (260)
Premium Photo Paper Glossy
Premium Photo paper Semi-Gloss
Ultra Premium Photo Paper Luster
Watercolor Paper - Radiant White
Textured Fine Art Paper
Canvas
Plain paper
Enhanced Adhesive Synthetic Paper
Tracing Paper

I'm not aware of any easy way to determine the magnitude of the ink loading difference between two media types in this list, but at least we have a general idea of "high" vs "low" as a starting point.

[jack777]

In my opinion Canvas is far to low on the list and singleweight is to high...

Recommended setting for Canson Canvas is Enhanced Matte. I tried printing on Canvas setting but my feeling was that printer was putting to much ink so I switched back to Enhanced. However this observation does not fit the list at all...

[agentsmurf]

Why doesn't Epson just give us a proper list, seriously, we are professionals trying to use their equipment to the best of its ability. Why make that process so painful. I too have noticed differences in the ink dithering pattern between say Enhanced matt and Velvet fine art, I forget now but a definite smoothness difference. Oh and then the RIPS dont help, some of them seem to override the paper setting and some don't. you never know what is in control the rip of the printer.
Anyone have an email for an EPSON tech guy that has some real idea of the values behind these settings?

[Wayne Fox]

Why doesn't Epson just give us a proper list, seriously, we are professionals trying to use their equipment to the best of its ability.

sounds good, but almost every 3rd party paper has a recommended Epson media setting from the manufacturer. - even if you make your own profile using that media setting is the place to start. Tweaking the density slider to dial in the ink load using that media setting should work fine, the great majority of those using Epson printers really don't have a need or the knowledge to tweak the ink load.

I know some try to maximize D-Max with increased ink load, but I"m not sure a point or two in Dmax will be visible in the print, considering the risk of blocking or bleed in darker tones it really is a road very few should venture down.