gvarner Loc: Central Oregon Coast

Been giving this some thought lately. Been doing a little home printing off and on with my Epson four in one printer. Not a top line photo printer by any means but most of my efforts seem to come out OK. Don't do anything over letter size. My question is, is there REALLY any difference in quality between the papers I can find at Staples, i.e. HP, Epson, and Staples brands? They have everything from "everyday" to "premium" versions with their associated advertising claims. I like printing my own photos and want to get into some simple mounting and display activities for some of my favorites. Would a "premium" paper really be all that better at rendering a photo than an "everyday" paper? Any advise would be appreciated. I suspect that the print quality would all be pretty much the same but the durability of the print might be the difference. The prints are for me and I'm 70 so they don't really have to last, like, forever.

joer Loc: Colorado/Illinois

The best and simplest approach is to use the paper from the printer manufacturer.

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

Color photo printing papers usually differentiate by the amount of ink they will accept without running. Higher quality papers accept more ink, rendering colors deeper, especially black. Arbitrary names, such as "Premium" are used to describe such higher quality papers, and usually demand higher cost.

This is an interesting subject. I believe that this thread should be moved to the new UHH Section entitled Printers and Color Printing Forum at http://www.uglyhedgehog.com/s-120-1.html where we want to compile all information on printers and related subjects.

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

I use a few different papers by different manufacturers through my Canon PIXMA Pro-100 printer. I try to enter the exact name of each paper (or as close as possible) into the computer printing program, to render the best printed image possible. I choose my paper surface (gloss, semi-gloss, or matte), depending on the photo subject, and whether or not it will be mounted behind glass.

charles brown Loc: Tennesse

If you are like me (I'm 74) you try to keep life as simple as possible. I use the paper sold by the manufacturer of my printer (HP). Can often find on sale at your local Walmart, Staples, CVS, etc.

gig Loc: Florida

First,calibrate your monitor.Next download paper profile from company that made the paper. Lastly, use a decent printer. I use a Canon pro. The paper of my choice is Epson pearl. I usually buy from Amazon.

wgower

Your basic papers for copiers and printers are made by only a few companies for their own brands as well as for Staples, Xerox, and HP. Not a whole lot of difference except cost.

If you are looking for paper to print your photos then there is a lot of difference in papers as to what is available. Some will cause your pictures to have have a slight mottle back ground. I have tried many but I have found Epson's premium gloss to be the best and most consistent. You might want to check with the manufacturer of your printer to make sure your inks are compatible with high gloss papers.

Psdunner

Even if archival quality and longevity aren't big considerations, and economics are a consideration (and when is it not), I would consider looking at Red River papers (redriver.com). They make a huge range of papers at competitive prices. The only caveat is having to buy the quantity of 50 per box (some of the more expensive papers are sold in quantities of 20). I have personally found the Epson papers quite good and they too make upscale lines of papers. The key is using ICC profiles to get optimum prints.

dpullum Loc: Tampa Florida

I use elCheapO Kodak 16 cent paper for getting things right... and at times it is fine... bit thin but once backed is OK as a finished product. Why waste $ when your tuning the photo. As with misspelled words they only show up when printed and viewed... same with mistakes in photos. I put my perfect photo on the kitchen cabinet door bathed in light... and every time I walk by, it has one more error to circle and correct.... exaggeration of course.

Now if I have something with wistful transparent colors I use my loved... RedRiver Metallic Pearl. Expensive but on sale at times. It gives as the name implies a Metallic look.

Suggestion: Go to their site and get their sample pack that has many differing papers. Make a print made of portions of many differing types of photos and print it on each type and this will give you an index as a reference.

Remember the light you view your photo in changes the appearance.

Of course do the reading suggested in above posts.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

YES. There are very real, visible differences in papers.

Epson's PRINTER DRIVER SOFTWARE contains ICC profiles for their specific papers. That means the printer, inks, and papers have been calibrated to one another, and can produce extremely accurate reproductions from files that are in a standard color space such as sRGB.

When you print on a third party brand and type of paper, its characteristics are unlikely to match the Epson paper profiles. You can try to use settings for Epson papers that are most similar to the third party papers you're using, and MAY get acceptable results. But you will not get the same results you would get with the Epson branded papers recommended for your printer.

SOME paper manufacturers — the higher end ones specializing in inkjet papers for photography — have downloadable ICC profiles on their web sites. Using these can greatly improve results with such third party papers. The profiles are made to use with specific printer models, the original manufacturers' inks, and specific paper stocks.

If you're really into it, you can buy a printer calibration kit from X-RITE or ColorVision and make custom profiles for your specific blend of printer, inks, and papers... If you're a pro and want the finest results, that is what you do.

Whatever you choose to do, know that each printer manufacturer (Epson, Canon, HP) has chosen the particular combination of print head technology, ink technology, and paper surface technology that works best for them. I don't mis-match papers with printers, or use third party inks, unless I'm printing text.

Unless — sometimes even if — you download correct profiles or make your own profiles, you are unlikely to approach the quality the original manufacturer's printer, ink, and paper combination will provide.

Epson's best premium papers tend to produce the sharpest possible results, with the most accurate color, when used in Epson printers with Epson inks. The same is true for Canon and HP combinations, respectively.

Glossy surfaces hold the ink dots up on the coated surface. The ink doesn't spread out through the paper fibers as it would on a lesser paper. The ink and the paper are designed to work together to produce a high quality photographic image.

Hahnemuhle, Moab, and Red River are just three of the other companies that make high end papers for inkjet photo printing. All have downloadable ICC profiles that work with the better photo printers out there. I would not use them unless I had a supported printer, or made my own profiles. However, they all make great papers for art prints, archival prints, and museum quality display.

JCam Loc: MD Eastern Shore

With your 4 in 1 Epson Printer so long as you are using Epson Papers, you are probably getting the best possible print from that combination of printer and paper since the Epson printer has the ICC color profiles for Epson papers already entered into it. That quality of print may not hold for HP, Canon, Staples, etc papers, because you can not get the correct profile for those papers--the manufacturers don't publish them.

If you were to switch to another brand, Red River for example, they publish the profile for each of their papers per printer--make & model-- so you probably do get truer colors, but if what you are getting is "good enough" to satisfy you, it has satisfied the most important person.

I use mostly Red River products, a couple of different glossy type papers and haven't found them to be much more expensive than the OEM brands unless the latter are on sale. To me the heavier paper and better showing quality is more important than the longevity, and I'm a few years older than you.

That said, I have used cheap 4 x 6 paper for testing rather than cut up the better stuff, but as soon as the inventory runs low, I'm going to switch that too to RR 4 x 6.

billybob40

http://www.ebay.com/itm/221517155298?_trksid=p2060778.m1438.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

I use this for ever day photo paper and to give family prints.
For my photo booth business RED RIVER PAPER. I've every thing out there its the best. Love Cannon too.

When I buy a printer I look on ebay for ink cost before I buy.

Madman Loc: Gulf Coast, Florida USA

I would suggest that you go online to Epson and sign up for there email promotions. Periodically, they offer their paper for 40% off which makes the price very reasonable.

You will also find a list by model number showing what sizes, finishes and qualities are compatible.

I also recommend refillable ink cartridges/ink from Cobra Ink. It gives great results and will save you a fortune.

MarkD Loc: NYC

I use an HP printer and I use their medium grade Advanced Paper for most prints. I use their best paper only for 8x10 prints that are to be hung up because it is the most fade resistant.

Don Fischer Loc: Antelope, Ore

Do your self a favor and go to Staples and get a few different brands of paper to try. Don't get the everyday stuff, get the higher grade. Take them home and try them out and then see if you can tell the difference. In the past I have used Canon, HP, Illford, Inkpress, Staple's, Cosco, Kodack and now use Red River. There were a few different off brands I've tried and truth be known, to me, I don't see much difference in better grade paper's other than Kodak. Kodak I tried with my old HP paper and it was pretty bad. gave a whole photo a fish scale look. Inkpress make's a mat paper I tried but the back is not marked. You have to take it out of the box and if I remember, the finish side was up. I printed a number of pictures on. I seldom use mat paper anymore but when I do it's Staples double side mat. I also don't use gloss paper anymore. No reason other than I just don't like gloss finish. The only paper I use is satin, luster paper's. I don't ever try the super premium paper's for no other reason that the cost. I doubt I'll ever take a photo that will justify the cost of those paper's. I have a nephew that use's some and to be honest I can't see the difference.

Bottom line, go and try a number of different paper's and see how they look to you! Even if there is something better about the expensive paper's, if you can't see it, What's the point?