What photo paper do you use?

[trakers]

I purchased a roll of this paper with our printer.
Was expensive so I thought I was getting good stuff then I see this:
http://www.magicinkjet.com/uploadedfiles/gfphoto_ag.pdfhttp://www.magicinkjet.com/product_31.html

Indoor life of 1 YEAR???
WTF does that mean?
Is it made by the Mission Impossible guys and self-destructs in a year?

This paper is 6mil which feels flimsy compared to regular photo paper like you would use in a normal sized Inkjet.


So what brand of photo paper have you used with good results?
.

 

[Letterbox Mike]

Photopaper for a solvent printer always makes me chuckle, technically if you're printing photos you've got the wrong printer. But if you just want a nice quality paper that prints great, look into either the Sihl trisolv 3686 (3689 is junk) or the iVivid photo paper. We use the sihl for our everyday photo paper and it's really good, nice and heavy and prints great. For stuff that really needs to look top notch, the iVivid is where it's at. actually, it's the best printing media I've found. Depending on the printer you use, iVivid should be able to supply you with profile, and in my experience, their profiles are beyond good. Sihl is harder to get profiles, they have some canned ones but not for every printer and in my experience they're not great. Interestingly, we get excellent prints on the 3686 using an Orajet 3651 profile... This is on a Mimaki JV3 and jv33 FYI.

 

[GB2]

I have also been using Sihl Trisolv 3686, which is a 9 mil 200 gloss paper, at an average cost of .17 per sq. ft., but I've been very dissatisfied with the product lately and have had customers refuse delivery on some orders. The problem seems to be in the irregular coating of the paper. It seems to be sort of blotchy in the surface finish which has lead to little fish eye spots in the printing. This has not been profile related as you can see the spots in the unprinted paper. This has occurred on more than one roll and batch so I am also looking for another option in poster paper. There have been a couple of threads on this before but things change and I hope we can have a current assessment of poster paper here again. The Intellicoat Magic GFPhoto 6 mil gloss paper, at an average cost of .28 per sq. ft., has typically been a highly recommended paper.

 

[trakers]

I called the manufacturer. Turns out their rated "life" is a physical life if it were used indoors as a banner. They told me under glass it would last a very long time.

At .28 a sq. it does seem expensive. I got that first roll at dealer cost so I'll have to decide if it is worth it from now on.

The biggest issue I see with it is it is *very* easy to put a small crease or pock mark on the paper when unloading a large finished piece. I also wish it were heavier, more like traditional photo paper.

 

[Letterbox Mike]

GB2, we had similar issues with the 3686 splotchy finish a couple years ago, and returned a few rolls for replacement. We got through 3-4 rolls a month and haven't seen the issue resurface yet, I hope it's not going to. I agree, when you get that issue the print quality suffers, but if you get a good roll it does print nice and the weight of the paper is excellent.

 

[Adam Bennett]

Ivivid here too.

Their profiles are spot on from my experience and they have a couple really cool media options.

ivivid.net

 

[GB2]

I just received a catalog from LexJet, whose materials I'm not too familiar with and aren't carried by my regular suppliers, but they seem to have a nice paper called Prime Gloss SUV, which is 10 mil at the average cost of .26 per sq. ft. I know I've heard someone mention this paper previously and would be curious if anyone has any experience with it. They also carry 3P textile products for printing which I've been anxious to find a supplier for as those seem to be excellent products.

 

[GB2]

OK...how about GMI paper, has anybody used that before? It was recommended by a local supplier but I believe it's only a 7 mil paper. Opinions....anybody

 

[Letterbox Mike]

I had bad luck with the GMI paper but it all depends on your printer and profile.

FYI the Lexjet paper is actually the iVivid paper (I believe). Lexjet is a wierd company, I coudl never figure them out and don't like dealing with them. But the few times I ordered from them it was for the ivivid stuff, which they called Prime, but came as iVivid...

 

[GB2]

Where do you get the iVivid paper?

 

[GB2]

OK, I contacted Ivivid, since I didn't know where to purchase their paper, and they told me you can get it at LexJet. Well, I called LexJet and they carry some of the Ivivid products but not the gloss paper because they have their own line, which is that Prime Gloss SUV. They went on to explain that they also used to carry the Intellicoat Magic paper but they got too many complaints about kinking and wrinkling so they developed the Prime Gloss SUV as a heavier improved paper. There is a free shipping deal for the next couple of weeks if anyone is interested so I've ordered some of the Prime Gloss SUV and I'll let you know what I think when I try it.

 

[CropMarks]

I have also been using Sihl Trisolv 3686, which is a 9 mil 200 gloss paper, at an average cost of .17 per sq. ft., but I've been very dissatisfied with the product lately and have had customers refuse delivery on some orders. The problem seems to be in the irregular coating of the paper. It seems to be sort of blotchy in the surface finish which has lead to little fish eye spots in the printing. This has not been profile related as you can see the spots in the unprinted paper. This has occurred on more than one roll and batch so I am also looking for another option in poster paper. There have been a couple of threads on this before but things change and I hope we can have a current assessment of poster paper here again. The Intellicoat Magic GFPhoto 6 mil gloss paper, at an average cost of .28 per sq. ft., has typically been a highly recommended paper.

Just today I contacted Advantage Sign Supply about some Sihl TriSolv paper that I got from them.... same "fish eye" problems. You can see the spots on the paper where it will happen... and after it is printed on, they show up as lovely white spots on the print. I hope they are cool enough to give me some kind of replacement roll.... of a different brand.

 

[Malkin]

Sihl DuraSOL 3508 is a 17 mil semi-rigid pvc (not paper) and makes beautiful prints. Better for shorter runs due to high cost, roughly $1 a square.

 

[GB2]

Wow, glad you revived this thread, I guess I forgot to come back with my report on the Lexjet Prime Gloss SUV. Well, I found it to be an excellent paper, it prints with almost photographic quality. It is a high gloss paper and should be handled a little carefully to avoid kinks. To my amazement, I printed a window poster for a restaurant about 3 months ago and I drove by the other day to see they have the paper poster on a fence outside, looking like brand new! I even walked up to it and handled it to be sure it was mine. Not a wrinkle or anything.

 

[CropMarks]

I did just get off the phone with SIHL and the rep guy was pretty cool. He said that basically the did have a problem awhile ago with air bubbles in the coating of the paper "popping" and creating the "Fish Eye" fun. He took down my lot# of the roll that I had and said they would send a new roll out to me. I said I would be more than happy to give it another go.

I was kind of interested in seeing how I was treated on this issue by Advantage Sign Supply because we're a pretty small shop.... So far, so good... no silly excuses or them telling me it's my fault (and yes, I do make mistakes... but I was pretty sure this time it was the paper's fault). Can't wait to break into the new roll.