George Schaub

Inkjet printmakers now have a range of printing paper options that go well beyond the wildest dreams of darkroom printers in terms of size, surface, and print “look.” While covering all the offerings would fill all the pages of this issue, and then some, what follows is a sampling of paper options that I have recently tested with some suggestions about how they might best be put to use in your creative endeavors. 

While it might seem unusual that a camera can be both mirrorless and have a medium format size sensor, that’s exactly what Fujifilm has created with their new GFX 50S. The 51.4MP CMOS sensor size is 43.8x32.9mm, 1.7x the size of the sensor in a full-frame DSLR; the body is decidedly mirrorless, lacking a pentaprism finder and replacing it with an EVF and a tiltable rear LCD. 

When Sigma introduced their new super-wide zoom in late 2016 I was eager to give it a try. Among their Art lens offerings, the Sigma 12-24mm f/4 DG HSM lens ($1,599, MSRP) serves as an upgrade to their 12-24mm f/4.5-5.6 (still available at an MSRP of $949) with a constant f/4 aperture; a nine-bladed diaphragm; FLD glass elements; an updated HSM (Hyper Sonic Motor) that uses 1.3x the torque for fast and smooth autofocus operation; 16 elements in 11 groups construction; and what Sigma claims is “the largest aspherical element in the industry” to minimize distortion, ghosting, and flare. The angle of view ranges from 84 to 122 degrees, with mount compatibility for Canon, Nikon, and Sigma DSLRs.

At $2,995 MSRP, this 24-inch paper width printer is clearly aimed at pros and pro labs and a select group of well-heeled enthusiasts, especially those who want to make large prints from their high-resolution Canon EOS—and other—digital cameras.