ArgyllCMS stands out as a powerful open-source tool designed for the creation and administration of color profiles.

One of its notable features is the spotread utility, which allows you to capture data from individual color patches using your spectrophotometer.

However, a drawback is that it solely provides textual XYZ and LAB values.

Fortunately, a solution exists in the form of the Rust-based colo utility. By integrating the values obtained from ArgyllCMS with "colo" you can generate a compelling visual representation of the specified color.

Imagine being able to see the color come to life as an actual image:

To streamline this process in real-time during scanning, a concise Bash script has been developed:

./spotread -H | while IFS= read -r line; do
    if [[ "$line" == *"D50 Lab:"* ]]; then
	echo $line
        lab_values=$(echo "$line" | awk '{print $9, $10, $11}')
        colo_command="colo show \"Lab $lab_values\""
        echo $colo_command && eval $colo_command
    else
        echo $line
    fi
done

When it comes to printing, the paper you choose can make a real difference. I recently found myself in a bit of a pickle trying to figure out the variances between two Epson papers – Value Glossy and Photo Paper Glossy. The internet didn't make it any easier, bombarding me with info that felt more like a sales pitch than useful details.

In this quick read, I'm sharing my down-to-earth journey of figuring out what sets these papers apart. No fancy jargon, just real talk. So, if you've been scratching your head over which Epson paper to pick, join me as we cut through the confusion surrounding Value Glossy and Photo Paper Glossy.

Value Glossy Photo Paper	Photo Paper Glossy

Prices

• Value Glossy — 8.5 euros for 100 sheets (0.085 per sheet)
• Photo Paper Glossy — 12.3 euros for 100 sheets (0.123 per sheet)

Although Photo Paper Glossy is 50% more expensive than Value Glossy, it's worth considering that Epson offers the former in a packaging of 500 sheets, providing a more favorable per-sheet price. Additionally, taking advantage of discounts (the last one in Europe was 33% off on all papers), you could potentially get a price of 0.075 euros per sheet.

Physical Differences

In terms of feel, Photo Paper Glossy is lighter and thinner (or it just more flexible) than Value Glossy, despite the manufacturer's specifications suggesting the opposite. The more expensive paper is supposed to be 200 g/m2 compared to 183 g/m2 for the cheaper option.

On the reverse side, Photo Paper Glossy features an Epson pattern, while Value Glossy has a simple white matte coating.

Testing

For an objective comparison, I've printed classic test image from Bill Atkinson (found here) on my Epson L8180 printer. Both papers utilized the same "Photo Paper Glossy" profile in the Epson drivers, with printing quality set to High Quality.

Results

To be honest, I was surprised. I didn't expect the cheaper paper to be so inferior.

In comparison, Photo Paper Glossy impresses with more vibrant dark color shades compared to Value Glossy. It also has much less grain in the shadows.

Just check how the Rose background looks on both papers.

No less important, the classic pizza-wheel marks on the glossy surface are almost imperceptible, making it more appealing for use.

Here is a shot of both prints side by side (left one is Value Glossy):

For your convenience, you can compare scanned prints of both papers using the widget below. Note that no processing has been applied, except for resizing and compression.

Conclusions

Both papers bear a quality label of 3 stars on their packaging, and it seems like Epson's marketers might be playing a bit clever here.

In my opinion, from Epson's perspective, it would be more honest to assign 2 or even 1 star to Value Glossy.

Have you ever wondered why thicker paper is essential for your inkjet printer? Let's explore this by examining a resolution test image printed at 1440 PPI on an Epson L8180 (aka ET-8550) printer using two different types of papers.

When printed on cheap plain office paper with a weight of 80 g/m2, the result reveals how ink drops merge due to the coarse texture of the paper:

Now, compare this with the same print setup but using 100 g/m² paper, which displays significantly improved clarity:

The choice of paper weight plays a crucial role in determining the print quality. Thicker paper minimizes the merging of ink drops, resulting in a sharper and clearer image. Consider opting for higher GSM (grams per square meter) paper to enhance the overall print resolution and achieve the best results with your inkjet printer.