What paper is that? (glossies etc.)
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- PlutoniumLounger
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What paper is that? (glossies etc.)
(Correct forum?)
I received an attractive card, printed on photo-size (4"x6") glossy paper, says "Kodak" or similar on the back.
I decided to try a few cards of my own.
As an experiment I purchased yesterday some 8.5"x11" "color laser photo supreme" "gloss paper", glossy on one side, 53 lb 9 mil.
This morning I ran off an image - an 11 MB BMP file, print previewed and Fit-To-One-Page, and it came out not-really glossy.
It is an aerial photo of Perth WA skyline, and the sides of the white tower buildings shine with gloss, but all colors are more of a matt finish, not even satin-sheen. The white isn't white, it comes out off-white or beige, but the small areas reflect light from my desk lamp and window as the other areas do not.
What's the trick?
I noticed in the store that there were linear-MILES of gloss paper for inkjets, but only one type of item for laser.
I am an HP2600N color laser guy.
Should I have to purchase an inkjet printer to get proper truly-glossy photo-looking finishes?
(signed) "Novice" of Toronto.
I received an attractive card, printed on photo-size (4"x6") glossy paper, says "Kodak" or similar on the back.
I decided to try a few cards of my own.
As an experiment I purchased yesterday some 8.5"x11" "color laser photo supreme" "gloss paper", glossy on one side, 53 lb 9 mil.
This morning I ran off an image - an 11 MB BMP file, print previewed and Fit-To-One-Page, and it came out not-really glossy.
It is an aerial photo of Perth WA skyline, and the sides of the white tower buildings shine with gloss, but all colors are more of a matt finish, not even satin-sheen. The white isn't white, it comes out off-white or beige, but the small areas reflect light from my desk lamp and window as the other areas do not.
What's the trick?
I noticed in the store that there were linear-MILES of gloss paper for inkjets, but only one type of item for laser.
I am an HP2600N color laser guy.
Should I have to purchase an inkjet printer to get proper truly-glossy photo-looking finishes?
(signed) "Novice" of Toronto.
He who plants a seed, plants life.
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Re: What paper is that? (glossies etc.)
Color inkjet printers usually special settings for ordinary paper, photo paper, glossy photo paper etc., and using the right setting for each type of paper really makes a difference.
Does your laser printer have similar settings?
Does your laser printer have similar settings?
Best wishes,
Hans
Hans
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Re: What paper is that? (glossies etc.)
Speaking from very limited experience, my understanding is:
Inkjet glossy paper absorbs the ink, thereby retaining the gloss over the whole sheet. Laser printers fuse toner of various colours on top of the media, so if you use glossy paper, only the white (unprinted) areas will retain the original gloss with the coloured parts being only as glossy as the toner.
None of the colour lasers I have used are a patch on our ageing HP Colour Deskjet printing onto proper glossy paper, either in terms of colour or resolution.
Inkjet glossy paper absorbs the ink, thereby retaining the gloss over the whole sheet. Laser printers fuse toner of various colours on top of the media, so if you use glossy paper, only the white (unprinted) areas will retain the original gloss with the coloured parts being only as glossy as the toner.
None of the colour lasers I have used are a patch on our ageing HP Colour Deskjet printing onto proper glossy paper, either in terms of colour or resolution.
Leif
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- PlutoniumLounger
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Re: What paper is that? (glossies etc.)
Thanks Hans; there are settings I've never explored (see image). I changed the RGBColor from sRGBDefault to Photo-Image; that was the only item I could see that mentioned "photo", but the output (on glossy stock) appears to my eyes no different from the first attempt.HansV wrote:Does your laser printer have similar settings?
The box with "Photographs Neutral Grays" merely gave a choice between 4-color and black.
But I see that Leif has chimed in ....
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He who plants a seed, plants life.
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- PlutoniumLounger
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Re: What paper is that? (glossies etc.)
Hmmm.Leif wrote:... so if you use glossy paper, only the white (unprinted) areas will retain the original gloss ...
Thanks Leif.
This starts to sound like anyone selling, or buying, glossy paper for laser printers is a fool or a charlatan.
More soberly, it sounds like "inkjet printer if you want true full-gloss prints".
He who plants a seed, plants life.
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Re: What paper is that? (glossies etc.)
For an even gloss finish, you could always paint them with some kind of varnish. Isn't that what Leonardo da Whatsit did with his pictures? - and if it's good enough for him...
Leif
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Re: What paper is that? (glossies etc.)
We are in luck. Although she ran off with my two jars of cotton buds, my ex-lodger left behind a jar of varnishing cream.Leif wrote:... paint them with some kind of varnish. ...
(later)Hmmm. All my photos are stuck together. What do you know about color-separation?
(back on topic)
Am I correct, then, in supposing that the best/easiest way to get true glossy printouts is with photo paper on an inkjet printer?
He who plants a seed, plants life.
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Re: What paper is that? (glossies etc.)
Yes, that's right.ChrisGreaves wrote:Am I correct, then, in supposing that the best/easiest way to get true glossy printouts is with photo paper on an inkjet printer?
Best wishes,
Hans
Hans
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- 3StarLounger
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Re: What paper is that? (glossies etc.)
I think it is the case that despite their many other advantages, colour laser printers are not the best for printing really high quality colour photos. See for example post 7 of 38 here or the first answer here.ChrisGreaves wrote:(Correct forum?)
I received an attractive card, printed on photo-size (4"x6") glossy paper, says "Kodak" or similar on the back.
I decided to try a few cards of my own.
As an experiment I purchased yesterday some 8.5"x11" "color laser photo supreme" "gloss paper", glossy on one side, 53 lb 9 mil.
This morning I ran off an image - an 11 MB BMP file, print previewed and Fit-To-One-Page, and it came out not-really glossy.
It is an aerial photo of Perth WA skyline, and the sides of the white tower buildings shine with gloss, but all colors are more of a matt finish, not even satin-sheen. The white isn't white, it comes out off-white or beige, but the small areas reflect light from my desk lamp and window as the other areas do not.
What's the trick?
I noticed in the store that there were linear-MILES of gloss paper for inkjets, but only one type of item for laser.
I am an HP2600N color laser guy.
Should I have to purchase an inkjet printer to get proper truly-glossy photo-looking finishes?
(signed) "Novice" of Toronto.
Ian
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Re: What paper is that? (glossies etc.)
Chris, save yourself the horrendous cost and aggravation of printing your own photos. Do your best with Photoshop or whatever your favorite photo editor is, then bring them to your local Costco, Black's or even Shoppers Drugmart. Let them print the photos with a true photo printer that neither you nor I could afford. This way, your cost per print is about 10-20% of doing it yourself. It only costs 17 cents per 4x6 at Costco and they are done by the time you finish shopping.
Regards,
Paul
The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The realist adjusts his sails.
Paul
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- 3StarLounger
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Re: What paper is that? (glossies etc.)
In my case, I'd also have to factor in the cost of crossing the Atlantic. Fortunately similar services are available here in the UK!PaulB wrote:Chris, save yourself the horrendous cost and aggravation of printing your own photos. Do your best with Photoshop or whatever your favorite photo editor is, then bring them to your local Costco, Black's or even Shoppers Drugmart. Let them print the photos with a true photo printer that neither you nor I could afford. This way, your cost per print is about 10-20% of doing it yourself. It only costs 17 cents per 4x6 at Costco and they are done by the time you finish shopping.
Ian
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Re: What paper is that? (glossies etc.)
Not really. You could order prints online and pick them up at the Costco in Bristol for 7p per 6x4 inch print.IanWilson wrote:In my case, I'd also have to factor in the cost of crossing the Atlantic.
Ian
Regards,
Paul
The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The realist adjusts his sails.
Paul
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Re: What paper is that? (glossies etc.)
I'm impressed!PaulB wrote:Not really. You could order prints online and pick them up at the Costco in Bristol for 7p per 6x4 inch print.IanWilson wrote:In my case, I'd also have to factor in the cost of crossing the Atlantic.
Ian
Ian
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- 5StarLounger
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Re: What paper is that? (glossies etc.)
A small (but important) tip is NOT to try to print on inkjet photopaper with a laser. I tried it once - spent the rest of the day scraping melted paper-coating off the drum and rollers.ChrisGreaves wrote:...
As an experiment I purchased yesterday some 8.5"x11" "color laser photo supreme" "gloss paper", glossy on one side, 53 lb 9 mil.
...
I noticed in the store that there were linear-MILES of gloss paper for inkjets, but only one type of item for laser.
I am an HP2600N color laser guy.
...
(signed) "Novice" of Toronto.
DISCLAIMER:
1. I was young and naive
2. it was a long time ago [see 1. above] and things (and paper-coatings) may have changed...
John
“Always trust a microbiologist because they have the best chance of predicting when the world will end”
― Teddie O. Rahube
“Always trust a microbiologist because they have the best chance of predicting when the world will end”
― Teddie O. Rahube
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Re: What paper is that? (glossies etc.)
....absolutely ANYTHING that is not specified for use on a laser printer!jonwallace wrote: A small (but important) tip is NOT to try to print on....
This includes transparency film, self-seal and window envelopes, iron-on transfers, labels, ncr paper, flock wallpaper....
Leif
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Re: What paper is that? (glossies etc.)
Thanks Jon. I too have recollections of trying the same thing, just once, soon after i took delivery of the HP2600N. That i didn't repeat the experiment speaks volumes.jonwallace wrote:A small (but important) tip is NOT to try to print on inkjet photopaper with a laser.
I have since borrowed a friend's HP310 photo printer (came with an HP R837 camera courtesy of The Shopping Channel) and am now spitting out pretty cool photo-postcards as promotional stock.
He who plants a seed, plants life.