Printer Paper
This page will contain bits and pieces of information about printer paper that I think other people could benefit from. I will try to add new material when I figure out new stuff. If it grows too big, I will probably reorganize it.
Paper base tone
When I first started to read about the Harman Gloss FBAL, everyone was saying that it was one of the whiteest papers they've seen. I didn't agree, and finally Ithought, why not just take a bunch of different papers and photograph them. It should be easy to see the difference.
I lay out all the papers I had available in direct mid day sunlight (around 50 degree angle), and photographed them. I set the white balance on what appeared to be the whitest paper, and increased contrast to make the differences i bit more visible. The image below looks very much like how I see it in real life, only a bit more extreme. You can also download the psd file to view it in you color managed software.
Download PSD file here.
From left to right we have
- Moab Entrada 300g bright white
- Hahnemuhle Photorag 308
- Epson Enhanced Matte
- Ilford Gallery Smooth Pearl
- Epson Premium Luster
- Harman Gloss FBAL
- Hahnemuhle Fine Art Pearl
It may be diificult to judge all of the papers against each other on a warm-cold scale since some of them have more mangenta, and some are more yellow. but one thing I am sure of is that, to my eyes, the Harman paper is warmer in tone than the Moab, EEM, and Ilford paper. Fine Art Pearl appears to be cooler in tone as well when seen in real life since the mangenta cast is slightly less visible (I've increased to contrast, remember).