Luminous Landscape Forum
Raw & Post Processing, Printing => Printing: Printers, Papers and Inks => Topic started by: xdamr on June 17, 2007, 10:48:59 am
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Hello all,
I've recently bought an Epson R2400 - my first serious foray into the world of pigment inkjet printing. I've been using it with Enhanced Matte paper, and, combined with a spot of custom profiling, I have been delighted with the results.
Now, as many have discovered before me, Enhanced Matte has its flaws, chief amongst which is its flimsiness (relatively speaking). I've been looking out for an alternative and Hahnemühle Photo Rag 308 seems to fit the bill. I see from this forum that a lot of people (including our host, Michael) seem to have come to the same conclusion and have adopted this paper.
What I am interested to know is how archival the Photo Rag + K3 combination is. I get the impression that it should be pretty stable, but how does it compare with the ~75 years (under glass) that I have seen quoted for Enhanced Matte? I've trawled around but I haven't seen any figures quoted or tests done, can anyone direct me to some?
Thanks,
Donald.
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Hi Donald, you're not going to be happy with this response, but to my knowledge there have been no published test results from this ink-paper combination. Consequently, nobody knows. People can make educated guesses, but frankly they're just guesses and speculation until somebody does the tests.
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Hi Donald, you're not going to be happy with this response, but to my knowledge there have been no published test results from this ink-paper combination. Consequently, nobody knows. People can make educated guesses, but frankly they're just guesses and speculation until somebody does the tests.
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I'll agree with Madman. However, I'll go ahead and make one of those "educated guesses" and say that as Hahnemuhle Photo Rag is a 100% cotton rag paper with no added optical brighteners, it should offer the most archival printing possible with the K3 inks. Perhaps if we all send Wilhelm requests to expand their tests of this inkset to include the Hahnemuhle papers . .. I don't think you will be dissapointed with the Photo Rag paper - it is beautiful even without an image printed on it .
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guesses" and say that as Hahnemuhle Photo Rag is a 100% cotton rag paper with no added optical brighteners,
Actually it does have OBs.
Not a lot, but they are there. Not sure if in the paper base only, or the paper base and coating.
There were some 9800 results with HPR on Wilhelm IIRC. And Epson have just certified the papers as part of their 'Digigraphie' thingy....the onyl aftermarket papers so far, I believe.
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HPR does have some optical brightners, but they're apparently in the paper base not the inkjet coating from what I've heard. I know when I use an Eye One Spectro to create profiles, the GMB software doesn't detect/compensate for optical brightners.
But Epson Enhanced Matte has lots of OB's in it, and in fact has a reputation for yellowing in a relatively short time compared to other papers. My guess would be that HPR is subtantially better than Enhanced Matte in this regard, and at least as archival.
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OBAs affecting print longevity are not established as much as some might think. I've never seen evidence that they actually cause any yellowing of paper. At worst the paper returns to its natural state. How they affect inks over time might be another story.
In any case, read this Outback Insight for the statements from Hahnemuhle. Click here. (http://www.outbackprint.com/printinginsights/pi042/essay.html)