 |
|
|
|
While the Epson Stylus Color printers often produce stunning results when printing color graphics on coated or glossy paper, their plain paper performance can at times be less than rewarding. Since printing on coated paper for everyday usage is unfeasible for working folks, it is necessary to find plain paper that works well with these printers. (Otherwise, I wouldn't be doing this comparison.)
The following tests were performed on a Stylus Color 600. Since the Stylus Color 400, 500, 800, 850, 1500, 1520, 3000, Photo, Photo 700, PhotoEX also use the same ink formula, I would expect similar results from those printers. (If not, just shoot me right now.) The specifics of the test was rather simple - I printed "Times Bold Italic BI [Rev]" in Times New Roman 10 point at 1440x720dpi on each type of paper and then compared the output.
The following table shows the results when scanned in at 300dpi 256-grey extra-sharpening and scaled down to 16 colors. (The process of scaling it down to 16 colors makes it a bit messier than it really is so try to ignore all the little dots.) While I've done my best to sort the samples by output quality, it's a bit hard to distinguish the "so-so" papers. However, it is easy see the best and worse papers. (To see a similar review of the Stylus Pro on plain paper, click HERE.)
 | Screen Capture |
 | *Epson Photo Quality Paper $13/100 |
 | HP4si 600dpi |
 | Great White Coated Paper $26/200 |
 | *Strathmore Legacy Inkjet Paper ??? |
 | Hammermill Color Copy Paper $9.50/500 |
 | Top Gun Laser Paper $13/1500 |
 | Hammermill Xero Laser Paper $5.35/500 |
 | Hammermill Laser Paper $7/500 |
 | Cambric Writing Linen $15.85/500 |
 | Laser Select $7/500 |
 | Cascade Offset Vellum $5.40/500 |
 | Exact Opaque White Smooth $6.30/500 |
 | Exact Opaque White $5.70/500 |
 | Xerox Inkjet Paper $5.60/500 |
 | Great White Copy Paper $4.30/500 |
 | Cascade OM Bond $4.30/500 |
 | Capitol Light Cocke $10.30/500 |
 | Great White Inkjet Paper $5/500 |
 | Top Gun Inkjet Paper $12/1500 |
 | Hammermill White Recycled $2.85/500 |
 | Cascade X-9000 $2.80/500 |
 | Replicopy Paper $3.60/500 |
 | HP Laser Paper $7/500 |
 | Xerox High Tech Laser Paper $7.40/500 |
 | Classic Linen $18.55/500 |
 | Xerox High Speed Copy Paper $4.40/500 |
 | HP Multi-Purpose Paper $4.50/500 |
 | Neenah Classic Laid $17.05/500 |
 | Champion Inkjet Paper $4.00/500 |
 | Champion Laser Paper $5.00/500 |
 | Champion Multi-Function Paper $4.50/500 |
 | Aspen Xerographic $3.70/500 |
 | Neutech 25% Cotton $11.15/500 |
 | Gilbert 25% Cotton $15.05/500 |
 | CopySource Paper ~$5/500 |
 | Fox River 25% Cotton ??? |