(non-Ultra) "Premium Presentation Paper / Matte" on an Epson 3880

[Dano Steinhardt]

I was careful to point out the definition came an American dictionary because my British wife would say an acronym does not have to be pronounced as a word.  But acronyms can also backfire as in my Kodak Professional days when I was promoted to Professional Imaging System Specialist.

Do let me know if there is a need for a published definition of profile abbreviations and also if there is interest in knowing why the Epson Pro Papers carry names like Exhibition and Hot Press etc.

Dan (Dano) Steinhardt
Marketing Manager, Professional Imaging
Epson America, Inc.

[Mike Guilbault]

Hey Dano.. I think a list of the profile names would be great.  You explained it to me a while back for my 4900.. but I'm sure other newbys to printing would really appreciate it too.

[Farmer]

I think your American dictionary might be feeding a pretty recent evolution of the term, Dano.

The word originated in the US with the definition ascribed by your better half, coming into the lexicon around 1943.  I suspect the current, US, alterantive has been taken into popular usage simply from the the common predilection for forming acronyms into such pronounceables* :-)

(* "verbing nouns and nouning verbs" being one of the lovely traits of English, even though stretching that to nouning adjectives might be reaching too far!)

[JohnHeerema]

Hey Dano.. I think a list of the profile names would be great.

At the risk of sounding greedy ... even better would be if you could get your techno-guys to update the profiles for new media with English names.

Even better than a decoder ring, would be not needing a decoder ring!

Until then, my process continues to be:
- Pick the media to print on
- Look through the list of profiles, and see if there's exactly one where the first letters of the media name match a profile
- If there aren't any matches, try to remember whether the paper's gone through a renaming

On another note, I've got some old stock of some S041062 (Epson Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper). There is no profile for it, but the Enhanced Matte profile isn't completely awful for it. It's not particularly photo-worthy, but it's synthetic, and doesn't mind getting a bit wet - I use it to label the mead that I make (mead, or melomel, is similar to wine, but uses honey to fuel the fermentation). Is there anything at all similar that anyone knows of? Epson makes a synthetic film for signage that looks potentially suitable for the purpose, but it's not in my sample book - and I think it only comes in rolls, and one roll would be a lifetime supply of labels for me!

[Dano Steinhardt]

As soon as I get back from a long business trip I'll post the info about profiles.

Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper was designed for dye based inks some time ago, it works with pigment inks but as you mentioned, it is what it is.

A profile for Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper does exist with several printers and is called either PhotoQualityInkJetPaper or Photo Qlty IJP

For labels:

-There's Epson's New Sure Press L-4033A.  An amazing label printer but the cost is in the 6 figures so kinda overkill for your Mead : )
-There's an Epson consumer product called Photo Quality Self Adhesive Sheets which is Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper with an adhesive backing. 
-The other Epson branded products referenced are for solvent based inks.

Dan (Dano) Steinhardt
Marketing Manager, Professional Imaging
Epson America, Inc.

[JohnHeerema]

Thanks Dano,

That's really helpful - although none of my regular suppliers carry S041106, I'm sure I can find it somewhere: it looks perfect for my labels. I can't find the ICC profile on the Epson site though.

The SurePress, on the other hand, makes my 9900 look like a toy!

While I was looking for ICC profiles, I did find this list of "Acronyms" as the Epson web page calls them:
MPHW    Matte Paper Heavyweight
PGPP    Epson Premium Photo Paper Glossy (formerly Epson Premium Glossy Photo Paper)
PGPS    Premium Photo Paper Semi-gloss
PLPP    Epson Ultra Premium Photo Paper Luster (formerly Epson Premium Luster Photo Paper)
PQIJ    Epson Presentation Paper Matte (formerly Epson Photo Quality Ink Jet Paper)
PSPP    Epson Premium Photo Paper Semi-gloss
UPGP    Ultra Premium Glossy Paper
UPPM    Ultra Premium Presentation paper Matte

[Farmer]

I use it to label the mead that I make (mead, or melomel, is similar to wine, but uses honey to fuel the fermentation). Is there anything at all similar that anyone knows of? Epson makes a synthetic film for signage that looks potentially suitable for the purpose, but it's not in my sample book - and I think it only comes in rolls, and one roll would be a lifetime supply of labels for me!

Possibly not what you're after as it would like be overkill, but there's also:

http://pos.epson.com/products/SecurColorTM-C3400?ProductPK=634 for labels.

[Dano Steinhardt]

While I was looking for ICC profiles, I did find this list of "Acronyms" as the Epson web page calls them:

There are indeed a few references on different Epson web pages to “Acronyms”, “Cotton Rag” and I think I once saw the dreaded, “Giclee”.   

The following is not comprehensive, but should explain most of the abbreviated profile names used by photographers and artists.

I’ve done my best to prevent any “anachronisms” 

In most cases, spelled out names are worldwide media products established by Seiko Epson.  Abbreviations are names of media developed regionally (many of these regional products were developed by Epson America).  We are looking into the spelling of names vs. abbreviations.  I do not have an ETA (abbreviation for estimated time of arrival) because it’s still a WIP (acronym for work in progress)

Dan (Dano) Steinhardt
Epson America, Inc.


SP
Stylus Pro Printer

SPR
Stylus Photo R-Type Printer

(240) (260) etc.
GSM following the profile abbreviation or name of many roll papers.

ARMP
Archival Matte Paper

CPBWFAP
Cold Press Bright White Fine Art Paper

CPNWFAP
Cold Press Natural White Fine Art Paper

DTBLM
DisplayTrans Backlight Media

ECG
Exhibition Canvas Gloss

ECM
Exhibition Canvas Matte

ECS
Exhibition Canvas Satin

EFP
Exhibition Fiber Paper

EMP
Enhanced Matte Paper

HPBWFAP
Hot Press Bright White Fine Art Paper

HPNWFAP
Hot Press Natural White Fine Art Paper

MPHW
Matte Paper – HW
Matte Paper Heavy Weight

PCM
Premium Canvas Matte

PCS
Premium Canvas Satin

PGPP
Premium Glossy Photo Paper
Also used for Premium Photo Paper Glossy

PGPS
Premium Photo Paper Semi-gloss

PLPP
Premium Luster Photo Paper
Also used for Ultra Premium Photo Paper Luster

PQIJP
Photo Quality Inkjet Paper
Also used for Presentation Paper Matte

PSPP
Premium Photo Paper Semi-gloss

SPP
Standard Proofing Paper

SPPAdh
Standard Proofing Paper Adhesive

SVFAP
Somerset Velvet Fine Art Paper

SWMP
Singleweight Matte Paper

USFAP
Ultrasmooth Fine Art Paper

UPGP
Ultra Premium Glossy Paper

UPPM
Ultra Premium Presentation Paper Matte

VFAP
Velvet Fine Art Paper

WCRW
Watercolor Paper Radiant White

[Eric Myrvaagnes]

There's one more, Dano:

UPPPMFKAEEMFKAAMOWTACITY

Ultra Premium Presentation Paper Matte formerly known as Epson Enhanced Matte formerly known as Archival Matte, or whatever they are calling it this year

 

Eric

[Dano Steinhardt]

It might be an acronym in some language!

I'll bring it up at the next planning meeting 

Dano

[Farmer]

For Europe, Australia and New Zealand, we can add one to Dano's excellent list:

TFP - Traditional Photo Paper

[JohnHeerema]

Possibly not what you're after as it would like be overkill

Thanks, but yes, even this little printer would be one more printer to care for.

I'm on something of a reducing diet for computers and peripherals. I haven't quite cut down to one of each, and I don't see myself going that far, but I'm trying to cut down on "occasional used" electronics.

[Ernst Dinkla]

For Europe, Australia and New Zealand, we can add one to Dano's excellent list:

TFP - Traditional Photo Paper

To EFP then as I understand it is the same paper.

And UPPM could get EMP Enhanced Matte Paper added as that name is still used in Europe.


met vriendelijke groeten, Ernst

New: Spectral plots of +250 inkjet papers:

http://www.pigment-print.com/spectralplots/spectrumviz_1.htm

[JohnHeerema]

Branding is an interesting thing. I've read several intriguing articles about the subtle ways in which branding can affect the perception of a product.

One of the things I haven't seen mentioned in what I've read, is the effect of re-branding. It's just my guess, but I suspect that constant re-branding exposes a company to ridicule, and undermines the intended effect of the re-branding. "Formerly known as" is a phrase that doesn't seem to be given a lot of thought by marketing folks.

Do you remember a fairly successful pop singer who went by the name of "Prince"?. He tried to re-brand himself, and now seems to be the poster boy for why re-branding doesn't work...

Back to the subject of acronyms, and Epson's constantly changing list of media names, I'd like to suggest that Epson, along with most of the printer manufacturers, could stand to think more about consistency.

Let's take the process of making a print on one of Epson's printers. If I use Exhibition Fibre paper, the process looks like this:
- soft proof in Photoshop. The profile name isn't one of the worst ones, but I have to remember that the profile isn't called Exhibition Fibre, but contains EFP. Fortunately, Photoshop is smart enough to let me name soft profiles myself.
- put paper in the printer. The printer wants to know what I've put it it, but Epson mysteriously hasn't actually put the name of this media into a localized version of the firmware, so I have to remember to use Luster 260.
- print from Lightroom. Again, I have to remember that the (I don't have a better term than "acronym") in the ICC profile is EFP.

How many people have wrecked canvas prints because they accidentally told their printer that they had loaded "canvas", not remembering that for most of Epson's canvas media,  they should select "watercolor paper radiant white" as the media?

Making media names consistent isn't a difficult task from a software engineering point of view, but it's a little thing that that the potential to significantly affect the user's experience. I appreciate the problem of global vs. local media names, but I think that the solution lies in opening the firmware up, so that users can add local Epson media, or third-party media names to the media list in the printer's firmware. Similarly, if Epson can't figure out a consistent profile naming convention, letting users change profile names would be a real help to Epson's users.

[Mike Guilbault]

All that being said... I'd like a sexier name than Cold Press Natural/Bright.  Just doesn't bring forth visions of a lightly textured, tactile and organic type of paper.  Sounds very 'Cold'... not that "Hot Press" is much better! 

[Farmer]

letting users change profile names would be a real help to Epson's users.

But you can!  Set up the driver the way you need it (correct profile, other settings, etc), then click "Custom" and then save it under any name that you like "Such as "John's Awesome Canvas Setting" :-) or whatever you like/makes sense to you.  You can then Export those customisations and keep them safe somewhere.  If you go to a new computer, or reinstall the driver, or whatever the case may be, you can then import them.  Then, you know exactly what you're selecting.  So, they do let you change them effectively.

For even more control, go into the Utility tab of the driver and then click on Menu Arrangement and you can make groups and arrange the order etc of all the standard and customised settings/names.  You can even reset it to default if you lose control :-)

[Alan Goldhammer]

But you can!  Set up the driver the way you need it (correct profile, other settings, etc), then click "Custom" and then save it under any name that you like "Such as "John's Awesome Canvas Setting" :-) or whatever you like/makes sense to you.  You can then Export those customisations and keep them safe somewhere. 

As the famous inventor and television evangelist of the small rotisserie is famous for saying, "set it and forget it!!"  Same can be said for driver settings and you can do even better by creating a LR preset as well if you have a common size that you print out.

[Dano Steinhardt]

The printer wants to know what I've put it it, but Epson mysteriously hasn't actually put the name of this media into a localized version of the firmware, so I have to remember to use Luster 260.

Per the attached:
With the latest generation printers we are incorporating the regional paper names in the driver for ease when setting the Media Type.   

Dan (Dano) Steinhardt

[JohnHeerema]

Per the attached:
With the latest generation printers we are incorporating the regional paper names in the driver for ease when setting the Media Type.

Thanks Dano,

I think that's a step in the right direction, even if it's only for the latest printers. As Alan et al have noted, the OS lets you save printer settings and assign custom names to them, and so I've got presets for all of the media types that I normally use (eg: 9900 Exhibition Canvas Gloss, 3800 Exhibition Fibre, etc). As a bonus, they help me to avoid the dreaded auto-black-switch on the 3800. I also use this for my non-Epson printers, and non-Epson media.

The printer firmware for the 9900 uses the printer LCD to ask you what you've loaded, which is what I was referring to. Maybe there's already a mechanism to let me add media types to that firmware menu: I haven't explored that option. For now, I just use my mental decoder ring.