Best photo-type inkjet paper for B&W?

[neil poulsen]

What's the best photo-type paper for black and white printing? I'm enquiring about the gloss type paper, versus matte paper. Why do you like the paper you prefer?

I've been using Epson Premium Lustre, but someone I know recently expressed his preference for Epson Semi-Gloss paper. He thought that it looked more like silver paper.

[Bill_1856]

HP Premium Plus Soft-Gloss ain't bad. It looks somewhere between RC and commercial Fiber papers.

[tim atherton]

If you can use Epson K3 inks - Museo Silver Rag

[Ron Marshall]

Have you seen the reviews for the new paper by Crane. I have not tried it but it seems from the reviews to be worth a look:

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/reviews/printers/silver-quick.shtml

[Ted Harris]

Neil, there is no BEST. This is one of those questions where you will get as many responses as their are responders. Your best bet is to get some sample packs from the major paper manufacturers (e.g. Red River, Moab, Hawk Mountain, Crane, etc.) and see what you find there that you like. These sample packs are very inexpensive and the best way I can think of the test what is available and make some personal decisions.

I hvae no single personal preference, it depends ont he image I ma printing. Generally I prefer semigloss and matte finishes over gloss but that is pure preference and it holds for wet processing as well. One paper that I am working a lot with right now which has a nice creamy base and is a heavy paper is Red River Natural; I really like it. It is an archival pure alpha cellulose paper that has no optical brighteners. Not for every image or every taste but I am finding it a perfect choice for soft subdued winter color scenes.

[John Brownlow]

I've heard enough from people I trust to order a couple of rolls of the Crane Museo Silver Rag.

And a 7800, yippee!

[Kirk Gittings]

Though I was not that thrilled with the early tests that I did during the beta testing period of Silver Rag, there are plenty of people out there who I respect who like the production paper allot. That is where I would go if I were you.

[Jack Flesher]

I saw some of the Crane Silver Museo rag and frankly, it does not excite me... So I think the best advice so far is Ted's -- Order some samples and try them yourself

Me personally, I like InkJetArt Micro-ceramic gloss for glossy prints with K3 inks (7800) and don't care too much for the combination of glossy textured surface of luster and B&W images -- which is probably why I don't like the new Crane paper. Also nice for B&W is Epson Premium semi-matte (uses the Pk ink), but it's base is not as bright as the gloss or luster.

FWIW I still print a lot of my B&W with UC Matte ink (in an older 7600) using matte papers. For matte, I like Hanemuhle Photo Rag and Epson Ultrasmooth Fine Art.

[tim atherton]

Kirk, the paper surface changed quite a bit from the first samples, during and as a result of feedback from the beta testing (though I know you are still very fond of the cotton rag papers...).

I had a roll from the last test batch from before production and I really liked it - and it was quite an improvement over the early stuff. But I'm still waiting for some of the actual production paper to get here...

[Bill_1856]

At the risk of sounding like a Luddite, the best B&W prints are still made on old-fashioned silver/gelatin (or platinum) fiber base papers. Digital can be surprisingly good, and is getting better, but it ain't there yet.