Red River Papers vs. Epson versus. Moab
A couple weeks ago the people at Red River Document delivered me a couple of sample packs of these papers to try out.
I’ve already been holding back with this evaluation because I wasn’t very sure the simplest way to approach items.
To begin with, I’m no specialist at printing. Publishing is of among those topics that seems simple initially and you break the top and discover it’s a lot more complicated (various printers, different paper varieties, different surface area coatings, optical brightening brokers, forms of ink, colour profiles, RIPS, it actually continues on an on).
THEREFORE I think it’s vital that you start this review / assessment giving a short background with my knowledge printing.
My History With Publishing
For the longest period we used a specialist lab to take care of small client printing orders. Then we made a decision to buy an Epson 3880 to take care of these small orders (generally 4x6s, 5x7s, and 8x10s – the type of print sizes customers would order to set up frames on their tables or around their residence, not necessarily wall mounted things). The Epson 3880 are designed for printing around 17×22, also it prints with archival pigment ink. (Notice: The Epson 3880 is currently discontinued, if you’re searching for the existing equivalent printer then browse the Epson P800)
After buying the printer our very first client print purchase covered the expense of the printer! Due to that I certainly recommend a specialist printer to any professional photographer processing terms and conditions orders for customers. It doesn’t take lengthy to accomplish prints, the high quality is preferable to from the laboratory, you have significantly more paper options – & most significantly you have instant suggestions (having the ability to see the printed pictures right away) enabling you to quickly right any mistakes or difficulties.
Initially we experimented with a number of paper from the variety of producers (Epson, Moab, Hahnemühle, Ilford). It had been overpowering.
Our Two Main Papers
After much learning from your errors in addition to helpful insight from the local printer we ultimately settled on making use of two various papers:
Epson Luster: This is actually the type of papers you almost certainly think of once you think about lab prints. The top isn't glossy, but it’s furthermore not matte. I'd describe it as getting pretty minimal shine, showing excellent contrast, and superb blacks. The paper exhibits color well and pictures look sharp. This is actually the main paper we'd use for customer prints.
Moab Entrada Vivid 300: It is a heavier share document with a matte surface area. It’s more everything you might think about as an excellent art papers. What I like about this document is that it’s dual sided – that makes it really flexible. We’ve used this papers for everything from artwork prints, to company cards, take note cards, postcards, and simply prints for the fridge. The matte surface area and heavy pounds of the document feel wonderful to carry. The important factor to know concerning this papers is that due to the matte surface area you don’t get just as much comparison as you would in comparison the the Epson Luster document. That is why it’s wonderful having a way to obtain both papers based on what you’re publishing.
About Crimson River Paper
Red River Paper can be an inkjet paper provider who sell right to clients through their site. They don’t market through distributors and so are thus in a position to pass cost benefits onto the client. They’re located in Dallas, Texas but can ship around the globe.
They provide 30 various inkjet papers, and offer paper colour profiles for Epson, Canon, and HP printers.
You need to definitely have a look at their website, that i found really helpful with regards to understanding advantages and purposes of every different kind of paper.
A Mini Overview of Red River Papers
Shipping
The very first thing that I wish to mention may be the shipping product packaging.
I’ve bought paper on-line through B&H Photograph before, and multiple periods the boxes of papers in the purchase got damaged in shipping and delivery. B&H was fast to send replacements, nonetheless it was a hassle. I eventually simply switched to purchasing document from our local pictures store.
Nevertheless, the packaging from Crimson River Paper was excellent. The paper was very secure safeguarded snuggly with plastic material air wrap bubble things. I would feel quite confident ordering papers from them. That’s not saying mishaps can’t happen in shipping and delivery, but their container and packaging appeared as if it could have a beating.
The Paper
I used two document samplers:
Both sample packs included a variety of papers with two bed sheets for every kind of document. I did so not test all of the papers. What I wanted were papers like the papers I take advantage of.
I also examined out the Polar Pearl Metallic – which doesn’t really match either of these categories but is really a neat paper nonetheless.
I come up with a print check sheet with some monochrome pictures, a portrait with epidermis tones, photos with lively color, and also fine details. For all your papers above I published the same check sheet – utilizing the specific document profiles supplied by Red River Document for my Epson 3880.
I furthermore printed out test linens on my regular papers (Moab Entrada Bright 300, and Epson Luster).
Here a glance at the test printing I come up with:
Right now my criteria for analyzing these prints isn't super scientific. Fundamentally I was seeking to see how the Crimson River Paper stacked against my default Moab and Epson papers.
An assessment of the matte document
The closest similar paper Crimson River Paper presents to Moab Entrada Shiny 300 will be their Aurora Art White (that is also dual sided).
The Moab papers looks to be somewhat brighter. The Moab document can be a little heavier (250gsm versus. 300gsm).
The Aurora Art White colored paper feels fine, and I actually choose the surface consistency of the paper in comparison to Moab. The surface consistency shows up finer than Moab.
Nevertheless, when it found print quality – the Moab papers was superior atlanta divorce attorneys way. Your skin tones looked even more accurate, the shades were more radiant, the pictures appeared sharper, and there is better comparison.
I found some of a monochrome photo that helped provide a little bit of insight into what may be heading on:
The photos above are direct out of digital camera – no changes made. And make sure you forgive the quality, the only real macro lens I now have will be for my iPhone 6S Plus that is what the above pictures were taken with. Nevertheless they give advisable of what things appear to be close up.
Essentially it looks like the Aurora Artwork White document isn’t keeping the ink and also the Moab paper, or possibly it’s being absorbed in to the paper more. The effect is definitely that the blacks (and likely all of the colors) don’t appear to be displaying up aswell on the Aurora Artwork White. So this is probable what’s effecting comparison, sharpness and colour vibrancy.
Unfortunately I acquired the same outcomes with two various other papers: Aurora Art Organic, and Polar Matte Magna
I has been careful to use the right printer user profile for these papers, therefore I’m wanting to know if it’s possibly a surface area coating issue.
And cause I’m asking yourself if it’s a surface covering issue on those some other papers is basically because my outcomes for the Polar Matte Double Sided had been a lot better. The transitions nevertheless didn’t seem very as clean and the blacks weren’t as rich when compared to Moab paper, but general color, comparison and sharpness were great.
The Polar Matte Double sided papers is a lot brighter and cooler compared to the Moab Entrada Bright 300. This actually led to skin tones that appeared a little cool when compared to Moab paper. THEREFORE I prefer the somewhat warmer tones in the Moab. One more thing concerning the Polar Matte document is that it provides hardly any surface texture when compared to Moab. And the Polar Matte is really a little bit lighter.
Which means this test was instead inconclusive. I wish that the Crimson River Papers held the ink exactly the same method the Moab papers does (then this evaluation will be more about document brightness, texture, fat, etc) but it appears like I was just in a position to get a great printing with the Polar Matte Double Sided (that is nice, but a significant different papers from the Moab Entrada Brilliant).
Take note: I will also point out I’ve seen similar problems such as this before with Epson’s very own Hot Press Bright document (what I called “warm mess” paper). I needed to pull my curly hair out dealing with that papers. It didn't hold ink properly, and items of the document (specks) seemed to in fact come off the papers or the paper’s covering. I’ll never utilize it once again. I don’t possess a direct comparison, however the Red River Papers does seem a lot better than Epson’s Warm Press Vivid in this respect (no flaking).
An assessment of the luster document
First I’ll talk about that I really was impressed with all the current Crimson River papers in this class.
The UltraPro Satin 4.0 is what they say may be the most much like the Epson Luster we use.
The difference on the net quality (color, comparison) between your two are quite minimal. The Epson Luster will appear to offer a little more contrast, however the surface covering on the Epson Luster appears a bit shiner compared to the UltraPro Satin 4.0. The excess shinyness with the Epson Luster implies that you notice the top texture a little more (something Crimson River Document describes as “depth”).
The UltraPro Satin 4.0 can be a bit warmer when compared to Epson Luster (pores and skin tones and the dark and whites looked better).
Sidenote: An edge of the Crimson River Papers is that we now have no marking on the trunk of the papers. Epson Luster document has their logo design and “Epson Professional Document” marks on the trunk. If you’re performing prints for customers it’s nice to possess unmarked paper.
Now another papers!
There is the Arctic Polar Satin, that i felt was too great when compared to Epson Lustre.
After that there is the Palo Duro Satin. This papers was awesome. It’s slightly warmer compared to the UltraPro Satin 4.0, and therefore also warmer compared to the Epson Luster. The Palo Duro Satin also offers a straight finer surface when compared to UltraPro Satin 4.0. Prints. I like this document.
Today the trouble here's pricing.
Predicated on purchasing 250 bedding of 8.5×11 inch of every paper here’s the purchase price per sheet breakdown.
Epson Lustre: 39.6 cents / sheet
Red River UltraPro Satin 4.0: 35.0 cents / sheet
Red River Palo Duro Satin: 50.0 cents / sheet
Perhaps you see the issue? The Palo Duro Satin will be my choice. It produced better high quality photos when compared to Epson Luster – but it’s also more costly compared to the Epson Lustre.
The UltraPro Satin 4.0 is cheaper compared to the Epson Lustre and is arguably even now a better paper when compared to Epson Luster, but I’m uncertain the price savings are significant good enough. And I guess the main point is moot, since I would prefer to be utilizing the Palo Duro!
Other Crimson River Papers
The Polar Pearl Metallic papers was cool. We discovered that our clients actually liked metallic prints (probably because they were not the same as regular prints plus they couldn’t easily purchase them themselves?). We utilized to have to purchase metallic prints from the lab, but having the ability to perform them with inkjet would save period/cash.
My total favourite document had been the San Gabriel Baryta SemiGloss 2.0. That is an absolutely spectacular, breath taking papers. It’s brighter and warmer compared to the Epson Lustre. The top is finer and much less shiny when compared to Epson Luster. Monochrome photos and epidermis tones are amazing. And the excess weight of the San Gabriel Bartya can be substantial (315gsm)! It’s significantly heavier compared to the Epson luster (240gsm), and also heavier compared to the Moab (300gsm). For 250 sheets of the paper it will come in at 90.3 cents / sheet. Therefore it’s expensive!
Nevertheless, I could see incorporating the San Gabriel Baryta document as a third choice. In all honesty if you’re carrying out prints for clients that are paying you, after that that is probably the most suitable choice to use. They’re likely to see and have the difference with this particular paper. You can then move to utilizing the Epson Luster, or the UltraPro Satin 4.0 for less costly prints (like for revealing photos with family / buddies).
SUMMARY
Are you currently still here reading through about paper? Thanks a lot for sticking around! I’ve been attempting to think of some papers jokes but they’re all tearable.
For the moment I believe I’ll be keeping my current set up of both Moab and Epson Luster.
I'd should do additional testing and obtain touching Red River Papers to discover what might be heading on with the top coatings. I understand that their matte document can produce great outcomes (since I noticed it in the Polar Matte Twice Sided). Individually though, I favor the pounds of the Moab (that is a little bit heavier compared to the Aurora Light).
If you’re doing customer prints i quickly would definitely recommend looking into the San Gabriel Baryta papers, you won’t be dissatisfied. And the UltraPro Satin 4.0 is great and a good alternative to the Epson Luster – the Palo Duro is nicer but pricer.
It’s important to bear in mind that I approached this evaluation /comparison from the perspective that has been most highly relevant to me. For those who have various printing needs (gallery artwork, artwork print product sales, B&W printing, etc) you then will dsicover different papers more helpful than me.
My suggestion would be to browse the Red River Document website, and purchase a few their sample packs. You’ll get yourself a much better notion of what these various papers are like – that is so hard showing in pictures and describe with phrases.
Are you experiencing an impression about paper? After all who doesn’t? Talk about your ideas in the comments (specifically I’m thinking if anyone has attempted any Baryta document from other producers and will share their insights!) Thanks a lot!