Best Digital Print Paper for B&W?

[neil poulsen]

I'm working on a project for a friend and would like to hear about what members consider the best digital print paper for black and white printing? While I'm using QTR with K3 inks, I don't think that this discussion necessarily needs to be limited to that environment.

Note that I asked this same question back in 2006. But for this topic, that's ancient history.

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?16761-Best-photo-type-inkjet-paper-for-B-W&highlight=paper

[djdister]

Well, this is highly subjective, but here is what I like (with my Epson 3880 printer):
for glossy - Ilford Gold Mono Silk and Epson Exhibition Fiber
for matte - Moab Entrada Rag Bright and Natural, Epson Hot Press Bright and Natural

[Peter De Smidt]

Matte, glossy, image tone, print size, longevity requirement....?

[Lenny Eiger]

My favorites are Hahnemuhle PhotoRag 308 and Japanese Kozo. The other top papers are also good - Canson Infinity.

Lenny

[Ken Lee]

This is a bit like asking about favorite film - or favorite developer - rather than film/developer combination.

It's not just the paper, but the paper and ink combination which determine the results. The same inks can look different on different paper and vice versa.

As Peter's reply suggests, a wonderful print which fades shortly after printing - or which changes color under different lighting conditions - may not be so wonderful after all.

[paulr]

The great thing about this choice is that you can base it almost entirely on the surface and color and other easily observable characteristics. You have almost complete control of the tonal curve separately from the paper. You can match an image from one paper to another very closely using ICC profiles. All the baryta papers I compared had such similar dmax that the differences there were unimportant. I could pick based on color and surface.

FWIW, my fave is Harman by Hahnemuhle baryta. The only drawback is that surface is more fragile than other similar papers ... it gets superficial scratches very easily. In matte papers I love PhotoRag. Which also, as it happens, has an annoyingly fragile surface.

[djdister]

FWIW, my fave is Harman by Hahnemuhle baryta. The only drawback is that surface is more fragile than other similar papers ... it gets superficial scratches very easily. In matte papers I love PhotoRag. Which also, as it happens, has an annoyingly fragile surface.

I would have liked Harman by Hahnemuhle Gloss Baryta, but it has too much edge curl and I get printhead strikes everytime I print with it. It's the only paper I've tried that has that much curl to it, but aside from that the image tone is very nice. I complained to the Harman contact information and got nothing back from them.

[Peter De Smidt]

For slightly warm prints on matte paper, I prefer Eboni Six (http://www.paulroark.com/BW-Info/Eboni-6.pdf), a carbon pigment inkset, Epson Hot Press Natural, a cotton paper without brighteners. The maximum warmth of the paper with a good QTR profile is a LAB B channel of about 4, which is the most neutral of the carbon pigment inksets that I know of. Dmax is about 1.7, and longevity is outstanding, according to Aardenburg.

[paulr]

I would have liked Harman by Hahnemuhle Gloss Baryta, but it has too much edge curl and I get printhead strikes everytime I print with it. It's the only paper I've tried that has that much curl to it, but aside from that the image tone is very nice. I complained to the Harman contact information and got nothing back from them.

I had that problem too and fixed it by increasing the platen gap. Canson seems to be a more customer friendly company. They even sent me a tweaked profile when I was having troubles. But sadly I don't like the surface texture or color as much on their version.

[Oren Grad]

I'll add another mention for Epson Hot Press Natural, which has a remarkable Dmax and a very rich look overall as matte papers go.

[Noah B]

Canson Platine Fibre Rag is my all time favorite paper! Museo Silver is the same as the platine. It reminds me of silver gelatin paper. Also Canson Baryta is a great one as well.

[andy]

I second the Canson papers--the quality is high, and they don't change. I work in an inkjet studio, and the biggest problem we have is with papers that either change from batch to batch (makes editioned prints a nightmare) or papers with high levels of defects. Museo isn't stable (the base changes, even if museo claims it doesn't) and hahnemule paper is super expensive and often (especially the photo baryta) has paper defects, such as clumps of pulp, or even large areas of discoloration.

the canson platine and baryta photographique are both excellent papers that look lovely.

of course, these observations come from my experience, and might not jive with other's experiences--

when it comes to matte papers, I really like the moab entrada rag or the canson rag photographique, depending on your surface choice and base color.

[paulr]

I'm having a series printed 40x60 inches (not b+w) and my printmaker and I decided on Canson baryta. It has the basic look of the Harman/hahnemuhle I like so much, without the scratching and edge curl issues ... which would be murder with such big sheets. The surface has a beautiful satiny sheen. I think it would be a great choice for any b+w work that you might print with an air-dried fiber glossy finish.

[neil poulsen]

I just did a comparison between the Harmon Gloss, H. Fine Art Baryta, and Museo Silver. The Harmon and H. Fine Art Baryta produced photos. The Museo Silver produced art. I was really impressed by this paper. Also, no optical brighteners in this paper.

[Peter York]

1. Epson hot press natural. Very good Dmax and image rendering at less cost than other papers, and you can proof on Epson ultra premium matte which is even cheaper.

2. Hahnemuhle bamboo

3. Harmon by Hahnemuhle gloss baryta. Beautiful images but I no longer use this paper due to pizza wheel marks from my Epson 3880.

[Michael Graves]

Someone once showed me the most beautiful print on Velvet. I never liked Velvet before that, and now I can't seem to figure out what brand it was. What is a great velvet surface?

[djdister]

Someone once showed me the most beautiful print on Velvet. I never liked Velvet before that, and now I can't seem to figure out what brand it was. What is a great velvet surface?

Could have been Epson Velvet Fine Art or Moab Somerset Enhanced Velvet.

[Michael Graves]

Moab was it, I believe. Thank you.

[Gary Tarbert]

I am another big fan of the Canson Platine . Cheers Gary

[bob carnie]

Me too, as well they make my pt pd paper of choice Arches Platine.

I am another big fan of the Canson Platine . Cheers Gary

[sanking]

Me too, as well they make my pt pd paper of choice Arches Platine.

Have you tried Magnani Revere for pt/pd?

http://www.dickblick.com/products/magnani-revere-printmaking-sheets/

I have not printed with this paper but according to some reports Revere is as good or better than Platine for pt/pd.

For inkjet printing Hahnemuhle Photo Rag is about as good as my budget permits.

Sandy

[bob carnie]

Right now I am sticking with Arches , I have had some nice results and it is great combined with gum overs.



Have you tried Magnani Revere for pt/pd?

http://www.dickblick.com/products/magnani-revere-printmaking-sheets/

I have not printed with this paper but according to some reports Revere is as good or better than Platine for pt/pd.

For inkjet printing Hahnemuhle Photo Rag is about as good as my budget permits.

Sandy

[Tyler Boley]

for those interested in inkjet on uncoated fine art papers, Revere does very well for that also.

[Ashly85]

the choice is your whatever the best print paper. only digital print paper is most popular today in the market.