Harman Gloss FB AL very grey

[Chris152]

For some reason, the paper won't print blacks and instead produces mid-gray, and colours are very muted. I'm printing on my new 3880.

I've followed the Harman guides for printing and am using the appropriate profile, and I'm printing the correct side of the paper. The really odd thing is the same used to happen with this box of paper on my HP 9180.

I must be doing something wrong - any suggestions would be much appreciated.

Thanks

Chris

ps I put a post about this in Luminous Landscape earlier.

pps Is it just me, or is it getting harder and harder to find sample packs of paper? I've just spent over an hour on-line and really can't find much - Hahnemuhle and Innova, and I think I've found a pack of Ilford Galerie. But they each mean registering to pay with different on-line companies, which I really don't like doing too often.

[bez]

Presumably a 3880 nozzle check looks ok. Does it only happen with Harman Gloss, or have you another paper you could try? If everything comes out grey it might help to see all your print settings.

For trial packs of paper sometimes you have to pay a token amount. Otherwise many manufacturers should supply samples if you contact them direct. Is there any particular type of paper you’re looking for? Harman gloss is good and should give excellent results with the 3880..

[dutyhog]

I wonder if there is ever a dud batch of this paper? I've used more than one box of it with an HP B8850, and it gives very good blacks.
Gordon

[gcrogers]

It's been a long while, but I had very good results using this paper with my 3800. Something sounds wrong, but cannot imagine what.

[Chris152]

Many thanks for all the replies. The most likely scenario, following a long conversation with the friend that I got the paper from a couple of years ago - is that the paper was put back in the wrong box! The paper certainly doesn't look glossy to me. So, if it's a matte paper, it is using the wrong profile, and the wrong black. This would account for the poor blacks, wouldn't it?

To test this, I guess I'll assume it is indeed Harman paper, but matte, and try one of those profiles? I'm loath to switch to matte black just to do the test (££), so will have a to wait til I'm ready to do a batch of prints on matte paper.

Does this sound a reasonable way to proceed, given the silly scenario I've set out???

Many thanks

Chris

[bez]

Harman Gloss is certainly quite shiny – it has the look of an RC plastic gloss paper despite being fibre-base.
Using gloss black ink on matt paper does make some difference but it isn’t huge – it only becomes really obvious if you put it beside a print using matt black (the other way round, using matt black ink on gloss paper does not work)
Before the x900 series came out, many high street print shops only use gloss black in the older wide format Epsons (which are very costly to switch) with a custom profile for matt papers.
As you may know swapping blacks in the 3880 uses about 1.5mls going one way and 3mls the other (can’t remember which way round) so about 4.5mls each time for the complete round trip, there and black again

[Chris152]

Well, in that case we can be pretty sure I don't have Harman gloss! Thanks for the description, Bez. I'll try it next time I need matte prints done, and I'll update here. Not that this has turned into a thread of general interest/ use - more a tale of one man's poor organisational skills.

4+mls just to switch paper/ black is such a waste - I guess that will be the first thing to change on this printer when it's updated to keep up with the R3000 (if I have my facts right)?

Thanks for you patience, everyone.

Chris

ps Innova have replied to my request, and are sending sample packs, free of cost. They're the only company I can find doing this now and, for sure, if they are as good as reports on photo-i, I'll be using them as my stock paper on the 3880.

[bez]

I use Innova FB Gloss 300, for matt Smooth Cotton High White 315. For day to day stuff the Olmec Satin 260 and Photo Matt 230 are similar backups. Other papers are available

[Chris152]

Bez

Any recommendations on where to buy Innova in the UK?

Thanks, Chris

ps Have you tried their FibaPrint papers? The look and feel pretty similar to the Photo and Fine Art papers, but I guess there's a significant difference as they come in a separate sample pack.

[gcrogers]

Harman Gloss is certainly quite shiny – it has the look of an RC plastic gloss paper despite being fibre-base.

Indeed. Bez beat me to the punch. Always reminded me of mylar, but plastic is a quite suitable description.

[bez]

Any recommendations on where to buy Innova in the UK?

If you were to ring Innova they would probably put you in touch with Fine Art Foto, which is where I get mine from http://www.fineartfoto.co.uk/. It’s also available from other places.
The FB Gloss 300 is a 'Fibaprint' paper, available in different weights and surface finishes.

[Chris152]

Thanks for that. Fine Art Photo are a bit more expensive than I found elsewhere, but does the paper come well packaged? Damaged corners could prove expensive and I'd rather pay the extra to know it won't need returning.

Does anyone have issues with fibre paper curling and the trailing edge coming into contact with the print heads as it exits the printer? I've had that with the A4 Hahnemuhle and Innova test sheets, yet with relatively cheap photo papers it doesn't curl at all and gets no ink along the back edge.

[bez]

Innova paper comes in sturdy boxes, although this is no guarantee against careless handling. If despatched direct from Innova it’s over-packaged in a big box full of polystyrene granules!
Curled paper (and head strikes) is a fairly common problem with fibre-base papers (Harman make a feature of their special coating on the back to prevent this)
However it’s fairly easily avoided by ensuring the paper is at least flat, or even convex is ok, before it goes in the printer - simply roll back the corners of the sheet carefully with clean dry hands.
Cheaper plastic RC papers don’t suffer so much from this problem

[Chris152]

I really appreciate your helpful replies, Bez.

Chris