Digital BW, The Print

> ... the paper that nobody else seems to like - Ultrasmooth ...

I use it and think it's great paper -- perhaps the best there is in some
respects.


Flaking and other such problems play a major role in my paper selection.  I
have had very good luck with Epson UltraSmooth and PermaJet Alpha in 24"
rolls.  I have found no significant flaking or dust problems with them.  

While Permajet Alpha has an Innova-type coating, the paper base is cotton
and not like the similar Innova non-OBA paper I've tried.  I'm not sure at
all that PermaJet uses the same rendering (cutting) company as the Innova
that is sold in the U.S.  I hope Permajet finds a good U.S. partner to
distribute there "Alpha" paper (at a competitive price, please).  Jobo,
which is no longer in business in the U.S., and Adorama were the only
sources of PermaJet Alpha that I know of in the U.S.

I use 24" rolls, and I wonder if there is any processing or cutting
differences with these than the 13" or other size rolls.  Is it possible
some rolls are small volume products that are cut down differently?

One reason I like the 7xxx series is that I can use standard 24" paper
rolls.  (Frankly, I also prefer a paper-size to image ratio that is larger
-- i.e., more of a paper margin -- than we usually use for cut sheets and
standard image sizes.)
 
I'm tempted to try next the PremierArt 205 24" roll.  I think it might have
a good price-performance point.  (I'm mostly interested in non-brightened
papers to avoid yellowing that customers might see as a sign of non-archival
paper.)   With the Epson K3 technology and drivers the
PremierArt-UltraSmooth paper coating may have the dmax advantage now.

Paul
www.PaulRoark.com 


Kirk Thompson wrote:

> 
> My personal & similar woes occurred with Entrada Natural - both flaking &
> ink
> crystallization where the blacks were dense.  Many of us have found a
> favorite paper from
> the standpoint of D max & tone, only to find that the smaller
> manufacturers or packagers
> have trouble with cutting residue, flaking, ink crystallization, etc.
> 
> For such reasons I've recently settled for BW on the paper that nobody
> else seems to like -
> Ultrasmooth.  The paper base is almost the same tone as a 'classic'
> gelatin-silver paper
> like Portriga, the blacks are as good as one can get with any paper &
> 4000/QTR, and you
> encounter no production errors/flaking problems.
> 
> And if you buy the newly-available 13x19 & 17x22 sheets, you get 325g
> paper stock with
> coating on both sides, and no curling.  The high cost of the paper is
> offset by the fact that
> you can recycle imperfect prints as work-print paper.  It's handy that the
> 17x22 comes in
> bulletproof packaging - no more corners dented in shipping - & that it
> makes 2 11x17
> sheets.
> 
> The sheets are covered with an odd white dust that isn't present on the
> one-sided roll
> paper, but it's easy to wipe off & doesn't seem to affect the print.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
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