One Percent is a LOT, More on LexJet Papers

Since my last posting I've made a number of prints, spread out over those nine days. In some cases I made several prints on the same day, with some hours between those jobs. In all cases I printed a nozzle check as usual prior to the first job of the day. If I printed later that day I didn't bother with the nozzle check print. Through yesterday, when I made several 13 x 19 inch (Super A3/B) prints, the nozzle check prints have shown no clogs. Given the lambasting the 7900 seems to be getting in various forums and other venues because of clogging issues, I continue to be happily surprised.

Also surprising is that the LK ink is still showing 1%. I have not kept track of the quantity and sizes of prints I've made since LK first dropped to 1%, but I'd guess it's 25-30, not including the nozzle checks. Perhaps half of the prints have been Super A3/B or B size (13 x 19 and 11x17 inches, respectively). At least two have been long panoramas on 17 inch roll paper. The rest have been letter size. This strikes me as a lot of printing from the remaining 1% of a color I suspect is used, to a greater or lesser degree, in nearly every print I make.

I bought LK, VM, and C inks, those showing the lowest levels, back in December. These inks have expiration dates fairly far out—mid-2013. Still, it's clear if one prints at the low volume I do, one should not order ink too soon.

In my last posting I mentioned the LexJet Sunset Portfolio paper sample pack I have, that I wasn't impressed with the papers' overall tone, and that most of the sheets were in poor condition. Since that posting I've made a print on one sheet of Sunset Fibre Gloss 295, and on one sheet of Sunset Fibre Satin 300. Although the tone of the unprinted sheets seems a bit gray, using profiles downloaded from LexJet the resulting prints are very nice. When soft proofing in Photoshop I preferred the look with the relative colorimetric intent, so I used that when printing.

I'm still having fun photographing the snowy owls that arrived here in late December, and I've been fortunate to get some flight shots in very nice, soft light. I made the pictures on a morning when heavy fog was moving through in bands. For a time it would be so foggy I couldn't see the owls (try photographing white birds in fog!). Fifteen minutes later the fog would move out, and in another five the sky would be pure blue. A few minutes later I'd be immersed in fog again. During the transitions, when the thinning (or thickening) fog filtered the morning sun, the light was fantastic. I printed these flight photos on the LexJet papers, and was very pleased with the results. Perhaps the somewhat flat tone of the papers lends itself to the sort of light I had when photographing. I have not yet printed my usual profile test images on these papers.

Unfortunately, when I checked the prices on these papers, I found they are not bargains. I can get my favorite paper, Ilford's GGFS, for very similar prices. Even Epson's Exhibition Fiber isn't much more expensive. Clearly I've no reason to do any testing or otherwise spend time with the LexJet papers.

  --Jay