Seeking a New Paper to Use on Epson 3880

[Alan Goldhammer]

Moab and Hahnemuhle make great papers and also have good quality control but I find their coatings not as durable overall and the brighter papers have dye brighteners. Hahnemühle’s new metallic paper is very unique and cool and their Museum Etching is one fine paper.

John

I've been trying to simplify things in terms of paper types as I'm not doing quite as much printing these days.  I've not noticed any issues with the coatings on Moab Entrada or Juniper Baryta Rag papers (the two main papers I print on).  Canon just did a firmware update for the Pro-1000 and have a new setting for Baryta papers and I have to re-profile Juniper Baryta.  It will be interesting to see what difference there is.  I still have a box of Canson Plantine and can do a direct comparison between the two papers.  The surfaces are quite similar.  I have done a little bit of reproduction work over the years for some local artists and the Hahnemuhle textured papers are always the top choice.  I've not seen any other brand that comes close.

[stockjock]

Breathing Color Riverstone Satin Rag is a definite contender. It is even double sided. Well, sorta.  It is officially single sided, but both sides are coated and will give you identical image quality, but only the bottom side will show a gloss differential streak in the middle. I'm told this defect (if you can call it that since double-sided baryta platine papers are unheard of), is a necessary byproduct of the manufacturing process in order to make the paper lie flat. One or two coats of Priemier Art Print Shield Protective spray  and that gloss differential is gone. And Breathing Color use to offer Vibrance Rag (the predecessor to Riverstone Rag) in 17x25" cut. So, maybe they now offer Riverstone in 17x25".

I've narrowed my favorite gloss platines based on similar criteria as yours (of course you'll have to compromise some) to the following

Breathing Color Riverstone Satine Rag
Epson Exhibition Fiber
Hahnemuhle  Fine Art Baryta (not to be confused with Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Baryra which is smoother and warmer)

How does the gloss differential of the BC River Stone Satin compare to the other papers you have been looking at?