How to print digital file on thick matt paper, like FB Ilford?

[darkosaric]

I have seen once that digital file was printed on very thick paper, and it looked pretty good. Not sure how this process is called, that is why I am asking. My goal is to get something like FB Ilford matt, but in color.
Thanks!

 

[nmp]

I have seen once that digital file was printed on very thick paper, and it looked pretty good. Not sure how this process is called, that is why I am asking. My goal is to get something like FB Ilford matt, but in color.
Thanks!

Do you mean digital to chemical processing or digital to inkjet printing? If latter, then there are many papers available that are supposed to have similar feel as the FB baryta papers of the past - some made by Ilford even:

https://ilford.com/product-category/photo-inkjet/

My favorite is the Gold Fibre Silk which is a glossy paper with baryta surface on fiber based backing. In the 310 gsm form it handles about as well as the FB silver gelatin papers. There might be different opinions on whether it mimics the surface exactly or not - but that's a debate I try to avoid.

There are other manufacturers like Canson, Hahnemuhle, etc who have extensive paper lines with different surface and support combinations as well.

If you are not familiar with inkjet printing, I would suggest to work with a good printing service that can offer many of these paper choices and get a few samples to check out for yourself. Getting a really good Inkjet print is not as straight forward as the printer makers may make it out to requiring a steep learning curve - not to mention the initial costs involved.

 

[darkosaric]

Thanks Niranjan. Inkjet or chemical processing - it is the same for me. I need to search some good lab here in Hamburg, there are many printing kiosk here, but never looked for a professional lab (as I usually shoot B&W film and develop myself).

 

[nmp]

Thanks Niranjan. Inkjet or chemical processing - it is the same for me. I need to search some good lab here in Hamburg, there are many printing kiosk here, but never looked for a professional lab (as I usually shoot B&W film and develop myself).

Regarding the digital to chemical, I have no first hand experience (look up Bob Carnie here who provides such a service in Canada) but there are options available there too. This is achieved by use of laser-rasterizing machines like lightjet, durst lambda, etc to "expose" a silver halide based b&W paper (like Ilford Galerie FB Digital) or color (like Fuji Crystal Archive) which then can be processed chemically.

 

[removed account4]

hey darko!
how big a print do you need ?
if you can't find a local lab to make your print,
i've had great luck making ink jet negatives that are waxed ( xerox paper or overhead transparency and xerox machine works OK too ).
use that as your negative and make a contact print. you might need to use a hard filter like grade 3 1/2 or 4...

If you are not familiar with inkjet printing, I would suggest to work with a good printing service that can offer many of these paper choices and get a few samples to check out for yourself. Getting a really good Inkjet print is not as straight forward as the printer makers may make it out to requiring a steep learning curve - not to mention the initial costs involved.

+1

another thing to think about is that some ink jet / pigment printers don't allow thicker papers through them, and then there are some sweet watercolor or printing papers alt process printers use ( like hahnemhle platinum rag fine art paper )
that tend to give off dust particles that sometimes clog ink jet heads.

good luck!
john

 

[jtk]

I have seen once that digital file was printed on very thick paper, and it looked pretty good. Not sure how this process is called, that is why I am asking. My goal is to get something like FB Ilford matt, but in color.
Thanks!

There are many thick matt inkjet papers with various surfaces/textures.
Some printer models are adjustable for paper thickness. What specific thickness measurement do you have in mind?
Comparison to Ilford silver paper is probably useless to those of us who only print inkjet because we're not interested in characteristics of silver paper. Inkjet paper always specifies thickness.

Some inkjet photo printer models are adjustable for paper thickness. You can find that info in online instructions for the various printers. This is a basic technical issue so naturally you need to know what it's called.