Best Ultra Glossy photo finish recommended - on Alu/metal, or paper/ film?

[narikin]

I'm out of touch with ultra high-gloss photo products, can someone advise?

Have seen some interesting work on metal with what seems to be an x-high gloss finish (laminate?)
or if not metal, what papers/ films work, and with which printers.

Do not need XL sizes, just medium-smaller.
Thanks

[dgberg]

The two best in my opinion are Chromaluxe hi gloss dye sub metal and Mitsubishi hi gloss white film printed with a dye ink printer.
There is no laminate in the dye sublimation process. Chromaluxe wins by a long shot as soon as you cover the dye ink print with glass the special cibachrome look goes away.
Don't get the two confused, one is dye sublimation (Epson f570)the other is just a dye ink printer. (Epson 8550)

[narikin]

Thanks Dan,
I have an 8550 here (printing onto Polar Metallic right next to me, as I write this) - so will try that firstly on some Mitsu hi-gloss.
Do not own a Dye-Sub, so that would have to be farmed out, and cost $$ (personal work, so I'm paying!)

[KeithR]

I was recently sent an email from Legion Papers (a paper distributer for various companies such as Canson and Moab) about a new Moab Slickrock paper on a PET aluminum base: Moab Slickrock Metallic Silver Pro 399. I asked for a sample and finally got it about a week ago but haven't tried it yet. i usually get 13 x 19 size but that won't be available until 4th quarter 2026.

Link to the Moab website: https://www.moabpaper.com/slickrock-metallic/?_gl=1*kr6ucm*_gcl_au*MTU0MzY5MzU0My4xNzg3MTU4NTQ1

[narikin]

Thanks - interesting to know about. Apprecaite the info, and will try to see a sample next time at B&H.

Wonder how different it is to Red River's 'Polar Metallic' (I use the Gloss version quite often)

[KeithR]

Just checked B&H and the only thing I saw for the 300 was 17" & 24" x 50' rolls. The sample I got was directly from Legion.

[SharonVL]

I love this paper. It used to be made by Hardon. https://www.hahnemuehle.com/en/digital-papers/hahnemuehle-photo/p/Product/show/37/862.html

It has a depth to it that I love.

Sharon

[narikin]

Thanks all for the suggestions!

One issue I have is how a pigment ink printer dulls a high-gloss finish (using P20000 in my case)
Pictorico is a waste of time/money in that.

Same paper through my 8550 (dye/ w some pigment) keeps the hi-glossy finish I want.

Think I can get this work done through that (pricey ink in small bottles!) but is there a wider/ bigger Epson or alternative, using this sort of inkset?

[narikin]

I love this paper. It used to be made by Hardon. https://www.hahnemuehle.com/en/digital-papers/hahnemuehle-photo/p/Product/show/37/862.html
Sharon

Thanks for sharing that. Will take a look.

Do I loose the 'Hi-Gloss' finish on a pigment printer though?
It's a recurring problem for me, forcing me to use a Dye based Epson printer.

[Richard.Wills]

You'll lose some. of the gloss. But, polyester based papers, with a polyester laminate (Drytac made a high gloss) allows pigment prints with an extremely rich surface.

[KeithR]

Thanks all for the suggestions!

One issue I have is how a pigment ink printer dulls a high-gloss finish (using P20000 in my case)
Pictorico is a waste of time/money in that.

The Slickrock 300 I mentioned previously states in their online info that pigment is recommended.

[Lessbones]

The Innova Supernova Chrome dye-sub film is by far the closest thing I've seen to a cibachrome/fujiflex look, even more so than pictorico printed with dye inks--

[dgberg]

The Innova Supernova Chrome dye-sub film is by far the closest thing I've seen to a cibachrome/fujiflex look, even more so than pictorico printed with dye inks--

That's a product I want to try for my workshops. Pricy but looks like a good product.
The big question is how well it mounts. The Pictorico white film on adhesive coated gator needs to be perfect or else it's a throw away.

[narikin]

Just checked B&H and the only thing I saw for the 300 was 17" & 24" x 50' rolls. The sample I got was directly from Legion.

Thanks Keith, I'm 10 mins down the road from B&H, so will take a look if they at least have a swatch book, especially as I want a 60" roll, and that is not cheap!

Need to see & try it first, and sadly their cut sheets are still 'coming' in October.

[Lessbones]

That's a product I want to try for my workshops. Pricy but looks like a good product.
The big question is how well it mounts. The Pictorico white film on adhesive coated gator needs to be perfect or else it's a throw away.

biggest issue for me is will it fade like chromaluxe?  Dan, have you had fading issues with your chromaluxe product?  I know you've done a lot of it, but recently it seems like it's particularly unstable, and I'm seeing clients from 5-7 years back coming forward with pretty severe fading issues (particularly the blacks turning orange/reddish) have you experienced this Dan?   From what I've heard it's almost entirely related to ambient heat/temperature and not light related at all.

[dgberg]

When I had my Epson P8000 with Ink Owl inks we had really bad fade problems. Typically start around 3 to 4 years and at 5 years I would consider them to be throw aways. Don't know about the Chromaluxe panels but huge improvements have been made in the ink longevity. Now printing with the Epson f570 I have about 20 chromaluxe and Colorlyte glass prints hanging in our lodge and after 6 years they are all as good as the day they were hung. Almost all are in hallways and basement home theater room with "no" windows. Keep them away from the sun and they will last and I tell customers that too. The EXT may last longer inside but I don't carry them because of the price.

[SharonVL]

Thanks for sharing that. Will take a look.

Do I loose the 'Hi-Gloss' finish on a pigment printer though?
It's a recurring problem for me, forcing me to use a Dye based Epson printer.

I use the Epson SureColor P800. It is a pigment printer. This paper gives a deep gloss. I will see if I have a print done I can share an iphone photo of.

Sharon

[pflower]

Ah.  Do you mean Harman.  My favourite paper was the Harman by Hahnemuehle Gloss Baryta which was discontinued some time ago.  Is this the same paper.  If so I am certainly in for it.

Philip

I love this paper. It used to be made by Hardon. https://www.hahnemuehle.com/en/digital-papers/hahnemuehle-photo/p/Product/show/37/862.html

It has a depth to it that I love.

Sharon

[Robcat]

Ah.  Do you mean Harman.  My favourite paper was the Harman by Hahnemuehle Gloss Baryta which was discontinued some time ago.  Is this the same paper.  If so I am certainly in for it.

Philip

The Harman was also my favorite. I just tested a box of the Hahnemuhle Photo Gloss Baryta X and though it's not the same as the H by H, it's pretty close. I just ordered a roll and had a custom profile made. It's not as glossy as I believe OP wants. For that, I've found the Canson Photogloss Premium RC is good. Hard to tell from Pictorico gloss level. Looks good but feels cheap (just don't let clients handle unmounted ;-)

[narikin]

Thanks, the H by H original was a favorite of mine too, apart from the incredibly fierce curl on rolls, that defied flattening, and which some LF Epson printers simply couldn't handle.

Great surface though, really like the old Baryta darkroom papers.
So rare that some claim by the marketing department is completely accurate!

I don't know much about the new X variant, but will give it a look.
Appreciate the reminder!