Epson Exhibition Fiber......Not impressed...

ZerodogZerodog Registered Users Posts: 1,480 Major grins
edited December 8, 2012 in Digital Darkroom
Epson had a special offer on some of their "Signature Paper". Included in this were the Hot and Cold Press papers which I love, and Exhibition Fiber. I have always wanted to try Exhibition fiber and thought this would most likely be my go to luster/ semigloss paper for really nice prints. So I picked up a pack of 8.5x11 and a pack of 13x19. Their offer was a mail in rebate of 30% off. Not bad.

So I had a print order. Nothing thrilling at all. Bunches of 4x6s. Normally I wouldn't even do 4x6 but these were for a good friend. So I laid them out on 13x19 to cut up with my rotatrim. I was using my Epson 4900 and used the rear manual feed slot. I printed 2 sheets and on the 3rd sheet I noticed roller marks! Looking really close at the other sheets I had already started cutting and they had the same marks! On top of that scratches in the surface of the paper.

So I checked all settings. In the driver I had the Exhibition Fiber selected, I had the right profile in LR. So I tried setting a larger platten gap. Loaded another 13x19 and got the same marks. Next up was an 8x10. I tried the 8.5x11. I got the same result. This time I noticed scratches on the paper before I even started. This is completely unacceptable! This paper is wicked expensive!!

Next up was calling Epson. They said it should work great! Try using the widest platten gap! And try using the Front manual feed. On the 4900 the front manual feed is a weird joke. But I tried anyway. It will not even take the paper. In the manual the front manual feed is for paper .8 to 1.5 thick. This stuff is .33? It doesn't even try to grab it. Next up was loading up the 8.5 x 11 and printing a sample print that had lots of deep black. Black shows print problems like none other. I set the platten gap to widest on the printer and the driver. I got the same result. This time in the true black there was a warbled pattern. Not really banding but looked like banding from maybe some of the rollers. This print also had the tell tale vertical streaks and scratches of my previous test prints and the 13x19 prints.

Just for the hell of it I printed the same print on my standard paper I use for general prints. Ilford Smooth Pearl. This stuff is the new thicker style. Seems to be the same great paper just a heavier weight. I load this up by the box in the front cassette of the 4900. Using the smooth pearl it produced a perfect print with deep blacks, no scratches, no streaks. The Smooth Pearl kicks the crap out of Epson's own Luster 260 paper. It has a similar print quality and look. Just on much heavier paper that feels better in your hands.

So this crap has to go back to Epson. Seriously disappointed. The surface of the Exhibition fiber is amazing. The texture really is very nice on it. The color and detail is amazing as well. The weight of the paper makes it feel like a million bucks. The problem it prints like shit! You can't have roller marks and scratches in the print! All of this out of Epson's top of the range desktop printer. Not to say it won't work great in other models. But I doubt it. I think my 2880 would head strike the crap out of it because it has an even sharper bend to it as the paper feeds in. I would imagine printing from the roll would be better on the 4900. But, I really wanted to use cut sheets for this that I did not need to uncurl and having the convenience of printing single 8x10s.

Bummed. Guess I will have to stick with my standbys for now. Epson Hot press bright, and Ilford Smooth Pearl.
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