Paper for Printing

Andysnap

Andysnap

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Andy Grant
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Any recommendations for paper for digital printing? I have a Canon Pixma MP510 printer which I have had for a good while and which seems to work very nicely but I want to print off more photos, mainly to see how they look before having them professionally printed, and I'm thinking maybe some decent paper would help. Thoughts?

Cheers

Andy
 
I also have a Canon Pixma.

Over the years I've tried all sorts of exotic papers, but I consistently get best results, particularly B+W, with Canon Matt paper.
 
Got access to Costco ?

Their Kirkland glossy paper is very good. Boxes of A4, 150 sheets around £18 from memory.
 
I've had surprisingly good results from Kodak Ultra Premium 280 gsm bought from WHS a few years ago (they did absurd reductions for a while and I bought several packs at around a fiver each). I've also got nice results from the couple of sheets of Harman Crystaljet Elite Lustre 260 gsm I tried. And last time I was in Premier Ink & Photo they had some Ilford Photo Satin going cheap (200 gsm) that I haven't tried yet.
 
simon ess said:
I also have a Canon Pixma.

Over the years I've tried all sorts of exotic papers, but I consistently get best results, particularly B+W, with Canon Matt paper.
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Noted, ta very much.

trevorbray said:
Got access to Costco ?

Their Kirkland glossy paper is very good. Boxes of A4, 150 sheets around £18 from memory.
Click to expand...

I haven't but I know a man who has, Thanks Trev.

ChrisR said:
I've had surprisingly good results from Kodak Ultra Premium 280 gsm bought from WHS a few years ago (they did absurd reductions for a while and I bought several packs at around a fiver each). I've also got nice results from the couple of sheets of Harman Crystaljet Elite Lustre 260 gsm I tried. And last time I was in Premier Ink & Photo they had some Ilford Photo Satin going cheap (200 gsm) that I haven't tried yet.
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Thanks Chris I shall give these a try as well.

Andy
 
I can tell you what I like which is as far as I can go. You're using a different printer, which might give significantly different results to mine. When I was using a Canon printer, I used Canon paper which was supplied with it. My normal Epson printer uses Hahnemuelhe Photo Rag, Somerset Enhanced Velvet (similar papers, but a striking difference in mid tone contrast with my B&W prints) and Canon Infinity gloss.

There's a wide variety in base colour which can make a significant difference to the mood of a print, not to mention the many different surface textures. I've tried many different papers (via sample packs) and the three above are the ones I mainly use.

Different printers (meaning people who print rather than machines that squirt ink) have different tastes, and, dare I say it, different kinds of photographs to print, both of which should influence paper choice.
 
Thank you Stephen, more paper to try then. I'm thinking more for black and white as I don't print a lot of colour.
 
With these home consumer printers the biggest issue is colour cast in B+W prints.

I found the Canon paper gives the least colour cast.
 
Assuming you're using canon inks with your canon printer then i would recommend printing out onto canon papers.

I've tried using third part inks and papers and never been impressed with the results.

As for which canon paper, dépends on the subject matter and the finish that you wish for.....i've quite à liking for their Matt papers although the others types ...gloss etc.... have never dissapointed.
 
If it's black and white, then a glossy paper might be better, as it will give a deeper maximum black - unless you mount under glass.
 
simon ess said:
With these home consumer printers the biggest issue is colour cast in B+W prints.

I found the Canon paper gives the least colour cast.
Click to expand...

Oddly, when I was pursuing the question of colour casts in black and white printing (I started a thread on it in the Printing sub-forum... main advice seemed to be, get yourself a proper printer, kind of missing the point!), on advice I tried a sample pack of Canon glossy 6*4 that came with the printer (MG5250). The Kodak paper had given me a mild magenta cast that faded quite a lot if allowed to out-gas quietly for a day or so. The Canon sample gave me a rather tart yellowish cast that I actually though was quite unpleasant!

One of the things I was pointed to in that thread was Keith Cooper's Northlight photography blog. He has lots of articles about getting good images from your high end printers, particularly the Epsons. Just recently he has reviewed a consumer HP printer, and in the comments I encouraged him to review more consumer printers, particularly the 5 or 6-ink Canons, and particularly in relation to black and white printing. He replied that he was keen to do so but was having trouble getting review samples. He also has some articles about removing colour casts in black and white printing; I had a go at this but failed to understand all of the steps. Others may have better luck though.
 
If you try Permajet papers then they will do you a custom ICC profile for your OWN printer and THEIR paper, free of charge. You just need to download the sample file to print, at A4 size, and the free Adobe program (Windows and Mac) to print it from. Send it off to them and your profile(s) is emailed back the same day they receive it.

Their Titanium Lustre 280 is very nice for Black & White.
 
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