Ilford Galerie Smooth Pearl Paper

[minatophase3]

I have done some research on this board and others and have concluded that for the Canon i9900, Ilford Galerie Smooth Pearl Paper works very well. I have yet to test this but have seen several posts where people say they are happy with it.

If anyone has experience with this paper please speak up, I am very interested to see what you think. I saw that Sam's club is selling it on-line for $23.22 for 100 sheets of 8.5x11! Problem is I would need to join Sam's Club to get that price.

I know I should buy a small amount and test before making a bulk purchase, but at that price it is hard to beat if it performs reasonably well. Maybe I'll start checking with friends to see if they are members so I can enter their member ID onto the Website.

Thanks for the comments.

Tim

[John_T]

Well yes, the Smooth Pearl prints very well with the i9900, but it is a matter of taste whether you like the light beady texture the paper has or not. It is actually a glossy paper with a light texture that makes it less reflective of ambient light. This is probably something you need to see for yourself to make up your mind. Many stores have an Ilford sampler pack with their range of papers in it. See if you can find one of those to try out.

I prefer the Ilford Smooth Gloss Paper because it prints beautifully, but isn't as glassy glossy as PPP.

Make sure that what you are buying is the genuine Ilford Galerie Professional Inkjet Range and not the ordinary papers which are ok, but not great.

[toglenn]

I've used the Galleri Smooth Pearl 13 x 19 with pigment ink (2200) and I think the colors lack the punch that Epson Premium Luster paper gives.

I tried it because it was available in smaller packs but I'm going back to Epson rolls.

toglenn

[ejwebb]

I have ssen the cheaper versions of the Ilford Pearl at Sam's and Comp USA locally but luckily had read here and elsewhere to avoid the cheaper "quick-dry" versions. I had to order from B&H to get the Gallerie Professional version and it was $46 for 125 sheets - $.37 per sheet still beats $.80 per sheet for PPP.

I hope I like it since i could find no cheap way to try it and test it. I wanted to get away from the ultra gloss of the PPP . Based on John T's comment I may try the smooth gloss as well as I prefer the detail in glossy prints for certain subjects. I'll let you know how the Pearl is in a few days...

[minatophase3]

I have ssen the cheaper versions of the Ilford Pearl at Sam's and Comp USA locally but luckily had read here and elsewhere to avoid the cheaper "quick-dry" versions. I had to order from B&H to get the Gallerie Professional version and it was $46 for 125 sheets - $.37 per sheet still beats $.80 per sheet for PPP.

I hope I like it since i could find no cheap way to try it and test it. I wanted to get away from the ultra gloss of the PPP . Based on John T's comment I may try the smooth gloss as well as I prefer the detail in glossy prints for certain subjects. I'll let you know how the Pearl is in a few days...

Please do share your thoughts once you try it. I bought the cheaper quick dry version at CompUSA just to give it a try and am happy with it for portrait use. So, I'll bet that the Galerie style paper is even better.

Thanks,
Tim

[John_T]

Quick dry papers are generally more subject to fading, particularly gas fading. Here is Ilfords guide:

http://www.ilford.com/html/us_english/prod_html/galerie/pdf/IG_set%20Canon.pdf

Here is Ilfords Canon, including the i9900, printer settings guide:

http://www.ilford.com/html/us_english/prod_html/galerie/pdf/IG_set%20Canon.pdf

The i9900/i9950 profiles are here:

http://www.ilford.com/html/us_english/prod_html/galerie/IJPROFILES/default.asp?RIP=PC

Generally speaking, I believe Epson printers favor non-gloss papers and Canon favor gloss. Though nothing will beat the i9900 on PPP for color accuracy and detail, You've gotta like super glossy gloss.

I've heard that Ilford is the largest photo paper maker in the world. Their plants run 24/7. They have a large plant about three-quarters of an hour from where I live. They also make papers that are marketed under other names, including OEMs, so you never know when you are actually printing on Ilford papers.

Since Ilford have such a wide range of papers from run-of-the-mill to professional, you need to look closely at what you are buying.

[minatophase3]

I have ssen the cheaper versions of the Ilford Pearl at Sam's and Comp USA locally but luckily had read here and elsewhere to avoid the cheaper "quick-dry" versions.

Ok, I am a little confused. I went to the Sam's Club website and saw that they do carry Ilford Gallerie Smooth Gloss paper, but the box they show looks different than the boxes I have seen elsewhere. Here is the link: http://www.samsclub.com/eclub/main_shopping.jsp?n=0&oidPath=0%3a-23541%3a-29062%3a-29089%3a-29174%3a782236&coe=0&BV_SessionID=_SC_0435177972.1 091470661_CS_&BV_EngineID=cccfadcmefiiklgcfkfcfkjd goodfkh.0

Also, Ejwebb mentions that you should avoid the cheaper "quick-dry" version. But on the Ilford site they state that the Galerie Smooth Gloss is a Quick Dry.

Am I missing something or is the stuff at Sam's Club the "Top Quality" paper that everyone is referring to?

Thanks again.

Tim

[ejwebb]

Thanks, John_T!

[John_T]

Tim, that's what I mean. Study the Ilford website until you know it by heart, then go back and look at what you are being offered. If the offering is re-packaged bulk, you don't really know what you are getting. If you can't determine from the seller's site definitively what you are buying, ask them. If the deliver you something else, scream all over the place like a stuck pig and threaten to ruin them for ever and ever.

The packaging photo at Sam's may be old or the US version since it is for Letter size. The packaging on the Ilford site is what we see everywhere in Europe.

There are so many scams around, for some things, particular expendables, I go to the store.

[ejwebb]

From the Ilford website the "Smooth" versions appear to be the quick dry papers whcih are more subject to gas fading as referred to by John_T while the "Classic" versions are the more stable. If you read the fact sheet on each paper on the Ilford site it makes reference to this and tyo their expected lives.

My guess is that the difference in packaging is for US distribution (pictures on Ilford's website show A4 size whcih we don't use in the US) and that it is, in fact, the same "Smooth Gloss" paper on the website. This is still called a "professional paper" but looks like it is intended for uses where drying speed is more important than longetivity.

Hope this helps - maybe I can shed more light once I actually get my shipment and try some!!

[ejwebb]

By the way, I got confused going through all the versions as well and questioned whether I had purchased the correct version. I have, in fact, purchased the Classic Pearl as intended...whew!!

[minatophase3]

I finally made it to a local photography store that had the sample pack in stock. So, I tried a print out on the following papers:

Galerie Classic Gloss
Galerie Classic Pearl
Galerie Smooth Gloss
Galerie Smooth Pearl

My favorite for portratis is the Galerie Classic Pearl. I am not a huge fan of gloss paper, but I actually like the Galerie Classic Gloss better than Canon's high end gloss.

So, I will be purchasing both the Galerie Classic Pearl and Gloss. Both excellent papers at reasonable prices.

Just thought I would share my findings.

Tim

[ejwebb]

Finally got around to printing on my Classic Pearl paper and LOVE it. I have never liked the texture of the matte papers or the shine of the gloss papers. AS I had hoped, the Classic Pearl reminds me of the Epson ColorLife paper that I used on my old 870 before it started splattering ink all over my prints, although I am not sure it has the same qualities.

[Merc]

Iford smooth papers are compatible with both dye and pigment based printers and as such they are suitable for use with Epson 2100/2200 printers.

Merc

[fbx]

Information I think I got from DPReview suggests that these are the same paper. I have used both and can say they are VERY similar, if not identical. It's not a favorite paper of mine, however. I have some Classic Glossy on order, and I am still looking for a good matte paper for use with the i9900. Ilford has a matte paper that I want to try. Epson Heavyweight Matte works fine but does not look (to me) like a very impressive paper when printed.

[John_T]

You might want to remember when using these papers that all print beautifully, but some are subject to fading much quicker than others and require protection if displayed.

I put up some i9950 prints on Ilford Galerie Smooth Gloss in a very sunny stairwell, but not in direct sunrays. They might also have gotten a whiff of ozone and minor doses of other pollutants from traffic in the air. They faded to light brown in ten days. They were not under glass, so if they had been properly framed they might have lasted longer, though probably not very long in that location.

I replaced them with prints on Canon PPP and they haven't shown the slightest hint of fading in two months, but I'm going to keep an eye on them to see how they hold up.

I believe Ilford is the biggest manufacturer of photographic inkjet papers and also manufacture for quite a number of brand names, so you might well find very similar papers under another brand.

[ejwebb]

Ilford says on their website that the "Smooth" versions are subject to fading. Have you tried the "Classic" papers in the same conditions?

[John_T]

Nope. I've assumed they are cheaper and probably more prone to fading, but I might be wrong.

[fbx]

Ilford says on their website that the "Smooth" versions are subject to fading. Have you tried the "Classic" papers in the same conditions?

Ilford's "Classic" series papers are of significantly different composition, are not fast drying, and are very fade resistant.

[John_T]

Good to know.

[ejwebb]

Anyone know the best online place to buy Ilford papers? Only the cheaper versions are sold locally and I have been buying from B&H which has pretty good prices. I just wondered if there is a better deal out there...

thanks.

[redbutt]

Iford smooth papers are compatible with both dye and pigment based printers and as such they are suitable for use with Epson 2100/2200 printers.

Merc

Do you know of any other papaers that work with the 2200? I bought some Lumijet Tapestry X paper, and it's terrible (well the paper itself is nice, but it performs like crap in the printer). The ink can't dry fast enough no matter how I set the printer, and the rollers eld up litterally peeling the ink off the page. IT's a bummer too, because the texture of the paper lends itself to a nice effect for some images.

[DeeplyDigital]

Get it!
And send me some - I pay $21 for 25 sheets...

The Ilford Classic range is fantastic.

I use it with a Canon i995 printer and Canon inks,
the B&W pics also look very convincing.

So far I have no fading or yellowing, pics directly
stuck to wall, for weeks... and I blow smoke at them...