Digital BW, The Print

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@y..., "Martin Wesley" 
<mwesley250@e...> wrote:
> I have not seen any of the Epson Fine Art Smooth. I believe it is 
> available only in rolls. So I can't comment on that one.

The Epson Smooth Fine Art is available two ways: in 24"x30" 
sheets, at a whopping 425gsm; and in 24"x50' rolls, at a more 
standard 225gsm.

This has been my main printing paper for months now. 
According to Robert Rex of Crane yesterday, it has no OBA's, 
which was a relief. (Crane makes the paper, but Epson markets 
it with their name). Subjectively, I would rate the paper base color 
as "white"; it's not creamy in any way. So this is good to get a 
paper that's white, and yet not having any brighteners.

Several people have expressed concern over using the sheet 
weight in smaller printers like the 1280 or 1160 or 3000. I don't 
know whether or not it's too heavy to move through those paper 
transports. I use the 7000 Epson, and it works great with that.

But I LOVE the weight of the sheets. Even at 8x10 size, it feels 
like a substantial piece in your hand. The 225gsm roll weight, 
especially when printed large, at about 20x24, just feels kinda 
mamby-pamby, like you're afraid to touch it because it would 
crimp too easily. But the sheet weight is killer. Cut down in 
quarters, you'd get a 12"x15" sheet out of a master; the cost 
would be about $1.90 per 12x15.

I do believe it's designed primarily for pigmented inks, ie 
7500/9500, and honestly I don't know the risk of running a 
"pigment paper" with dyes or hexes or Piezo, in terms of 
fading/shifting,etc.

Here's a PDF with more info:
http://prographics.epson.com/pdf/SmoothFineArt.pdf

-Mark Tucker