paper with least reflective surface that uses photo black ink?

[John V.]

Looking for a paper with a least reflective surface that uses PK black. Any ideas? So far only HFA Photo Rag Pearl is on the list...

[pluton]

The Canson Baryta Photographique has a smooth but not very shiny surface...almost like a textureless semi-matte.
Personally, I preferred the the glossier, less warm-toned, more textured surface of the Harmon Bartya, but that paper had severe curl issues.

[Jager]

Similar to Baryta Photographique, Canson's Platine Rag has a mild luster finish, without a lot of gloss.  A lovely cotton rag paper.

Probably the photo-black paper with the least sheen I've used is Jon Cone Studio 5.  That's a warm, baryta paper with a gentle tooth.  Like Platine Rag, it has a cotton substrate.  For me, its unique qualities sit somewhere between matte and glossy papers.  I use more of it than anything else.

[Pic One]

You could use a matte paper with Photo Black..  eg. does Epson still provide PK profiles for many of its own matte papers?
eg.
http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/support/supDetail.jsp?infoType=FAQ&oid=94507&foid=103620

[Alan Goldhammer]

Museo Silver Rag

[bill t.]

If you're looking for a glossy at the low end of the glossy spectrum, I would second Silver Rag.  Very elegant surface, slight stipple.  But it's latest incarnation is a little bit glossier and a little less stipply than before, and about 15 mils thick.  I use it a lot, it looks terrific and is physically optimal for those of us who  mount prints.  Excellent gamut, you can get Velvia-like greens if you're not careful.

If you have a PK-only setup and you want the ultimate non-reflective surface, the Epson Hot or Cold Press papers soaks up light from any direction without a hint of reflection or hazing no matter where the light is coming from, and the prints are very rich looking for a matte paper.  As mentioned, Epson used to publish PK versions of profiles for many of its matte papers, back in the non-switchable black ink days of the 9800 series.  The penalty for PK on matte is longer drying time and perhaps a slightly raised d-max.

[Geraldo Garcia]

Photo Rag Satin is a beautiful (and, at the same time, weird) paper that can make use of matte black or photo black inks.
It is not glossy or semi-gloss but it is not matte either. Works beautifully with bight images but renders muddy shadow areas.

[Czornyj]

Photo Rag Satin is a beautiful (and, at the same time, weird) paper that can make use of matte black or photo black inks.
It is not glossy or semi-gloss but it is not matte either. Works beautifully with bight images but renders muddy shadow areas.

+1! I love PRS, it looks like it had some kind of "wax" mixed into cotton fibres, which gives some "metallic shine" to the printed parts of the image and a punch to the colors.

[Justan]

Looking for a paper with a least reflective surface that uses PK black. Any ideas? So far only HFA Photo Rag Pearl is on the list...

Out of curiosity, what kinds of things are you planning to do with the paper you’re inquiring about?

[John Caldwell]

You could use a matte paper with Photo Black..  eg. does Epson still provide PK profiles for many of its own matte papers?

This would be my approach. I use, and like, each of the papers mentioned above they are not at all matte surfaces, in my mind.

PK on matte paper works, but the deep shadows and black point won't be quite right.

John-

[John V.]

Out of curiosity, what kinds of things are you planning to do with the paper you’re inquiring about?

Oh nothing special. It was a request. Sorry to bore you to death. Thanks everyone.

[Larry Heath]

I’ve been printing on Canson Infinity Rag Photographique 210 gsm with photo black on an Epson 9880 with K3 inks. It seems to produce quite nice color images with no reflection/glare at all, can be viewed at almost any angle. It is very tolerant of varied light sources, with no color shifts that I can see. I have not printed any B&W images on it as yet; though blacks in the color images are quite nice, at a guess I’d say Dmax of around 1.9. I use the “ultra smooth fine art” paper setting in the printer properties. Paper white is better than BC Pura Smooth to my eye. Cost is not bad at all, I paid around $275 for a 50’ roll in 44”.

Later Larry

[JRSmit]

Looking for a paper with a least reflective surface that uses PK black. Any ideas? So far only HFA Photo Rag Pearl is on the list...

innova ifa29 is the least reflective paper i know. Does a beautiful job. Very good Dmax for a paper this matte.