Paul asked about profiles ... Did a bit of test printing after I started out with the 8.5x11 portfolio print run yesterday and wasn't satisfied with the Hahnemühle results. So I decided to do some direct tests between the papers.
I set up a broad spectrum color photo and a similar B&W photo and printed them on Epson Enhanced Matte, Epson Velvet Fine Art and Hahnemühle Fine Art Photo Rag, switching only the profiles. I left them out overnight to dry-down all the way and examined them this morning. The EEM surface is ultra smooth and highly detailed. There is *slightly* less maximum black depth to it compared to the other two. Colors look very good, B&W is neutral. The EVFA surface has the most texture. It works best in the medium- detail areas of the photo, the super fine detail areas are slightly poorer in resolution. The blacks are very rich and the whites are clean. Colors look great (barely better than the EEM), B&W is neutral. The HFAPG surface is smoother and shows detail better, closer to EEM. Ink spread is greater, which has the effect of pushing down shadows/ blacks (a bit more than I like, to be honest). Colors in the midrange and high ranges are almost indistinguishable from the EVFA, but B&W highlights seem to move to a cooler, slightly blue tint. I'd decided to switch back to EVFA as this indicates a custom profile will be needed to get what I want out of the HFAPG paper for B&W, at least without customizing the rendering to match the paper characteristics better. Not a big deal, they cost about the same ... But then I discovered that I can only get 8.5x11 and 13x19 cut sheet in the VFA and HFAPG papers. No 11x17 or A3 sizing ... Sigh. Oh well, I have to get this done. I prefer an A3 size for portfolio prints and EEM is available in that size, looks good, just doesn't quite have that EVFA texture when you handle them. I know they'll go a bit warm as they age, but that's ok for this set. Good thing is that EEM costs 1/3 what either of the others cost. G On Feb 1, 2007, at 4:36 PM, Godfrey DiGiorgi wrote: > Thanks Paul. > > Hahnemühle paper profiles for the Epson R2400 are available from > their website: > > http://www.hahnemuehle.com/site/us/1012/epson.html > > or start at the top and work your way down to the right section for > your printer: > > http://www.hahnemuehle.com/ > > I'm working with "Photo Rag 308gsm". > > Godfrey > > On Feb 1, 2007, at 4:02 PM, Paul Stenquist wrote: > >> Excellent. I think number six could use less brightness in the >> midtones. But that's a minor quibble. A very well executed series. >> BTW, were you able to get an ICC profile for the Hahnemuele paper? -- PDML Pentax-Discuss Mail List [email protected] http://pdml.net/mailman/listinfo/pdml_pdml.net
