Paper for printing black and white

Denis99

Denis99

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Denis
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I have recently bought a Canon Pixma Pro 200 printer, and pleased with the colour images printed on semi gloss paper.

However, the black and white images on the same gloss paper lack a certain something.

Could you recommend some paper for b&w images in particular?

Budget would be about £30 for A4 sizes.

Am I right in thinking that a fine art paper would be better?
 
I suggest you try (initially?) Canon Matt papers

As noted in the Pro 200 manual

• Matte Photo Paper <MP-101>
• Photo Paper Pro Premium Matte <PM-101>
• Premium Fine Art Rough <FA-RG1>
 
Not sure about the Pixma 200 but my Prograf 300 has a specific B&W mode, might be worth trying that if you aren't already and your printer supports it.
 
The Pixma Pro 200 has been reviewed as being a black and white printer.

My budget couldn’t stretch that far though.

Will experiment with some of the papers suggested above.
 
My go to papers...

Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Metallic. Works really well for B&W. Gives a metallic sheen to the print that makes it very unique. Outside your budget, but very sorry not sorry. Grab a test pack that includes it, or do what I did and send a begging email to customer support who sent me 2 sheets to try it. Once I'd printed on it, that was me done. Worth the expense IMVHO.

Moab Slickrock Metallic Silver (not Pearl). Another really unique paper that works brilliantly for moody B&W. The native tone of the paper is actually silver (light grey) which means all the highlights are pulled right down. Had to import mine from Germany (at expense!) as Moab didn't seem to have a UK distributor that held it when I looked, so this might be tricky to get hold of.

Permajet Photo Art Silk is my current favourite matt-for-anything paper. Works well in B&W and colour and has good tone reproduction.

For semi-gloss, Canson Platine Fibre Rag for normal prints, and Ilford Gold Fibre Gloss for as close as I've found to that "glossy darkroom print" look.

I'm a bit sad :)

You did click!


Screenie by Ian, on Flickr

tl;dr - Every test pack I ever got or every new paper I tried had a test print done. I wrote the name of the paper on the back of the print. Once I had loads, I shuffled them, laid them all out on the floor and "blind" tested them making notes as to what I didn't like/did like. I'd then "reveal" who the winners were. I was really disappointed not to find a great paper for no money...
 
Page 386 in the manual shows a tick box in the driver settings for B&W photo print but it also says.......

" During Black and White Photo Print, inks other than black ink may be used as well."

Though AFAIK they are saying that this is most relevant where you are sending a colour image and letting the driver convert it to "grey scale" file.

However it is not clear how the driver with the tick box above selected would treat a Post Processed to B&W image???
 
+1 for hahnemuhle baryta or metallic. Find some more budget it will be worth it.
 
I'll be trying some Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Metallic off the back of this, thanks! Loving the spreadsheet.
 
What a great thread and spreadsheet!

Just re-engaging with photography. Quickly realising that having physical photos is SO much better. Have treated myself to a printer and am looking forward to getting started
 
Baryta paper is such a lovely tactile medium for black and white prints. You know you can go to companies, such as Permajet for instance and buy just a sample pack.

Here's a link for Permajet:
www.permajet.com

PermaJet A4 FB Baryta Test Pack 2 - Award Winning Inkjet Paper

Explore PermaJet's entire FB Baryta Range with our Baryta Test Pack 2. Containing 2 x A4 Sheets of every paper in the FB Baryta range.
www.permajet.com www.permajet.com

With the Permajet sample pack you get 2 A4 sheets each of:
(Copy and pasted)
I found buying sample packs like this a great way to try different papers and see how the ink and paper type interacted with the image. Permajet also supply free ICC profiles for their paper and your printer
 
Fotospeed Platinum Baryta is outstanding also. I used it for my successful Fellowship submission. Fotospeed are also very, very helpful and their technical support - Tim Jones c- is excellent.
 

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Late to this, but as a rule, dye printers have an edge for glossy/semi-gloss papers. As a test, try downloading profiles for the Pro300 and doing soft-proof comparisions. I prefer matte papers but I suspect you might find that rather going down the fascinating paper choice rabbit hole, working on how you process B&W for print might yield results?
 
The issue with dye prints is their logevity and fading, no?
 
Chipper, there's an awful lot said - yes, pigment has the edge but modern good quality dye inks are pretty good. Easy to get hung up about "archival".
 
cardiff_gareth said:
Baryta paper is such a lovely tactile medium for black and white prints. You know you can go to companies, such as Permajet for instance and buy just a sample pack.

Here's a link for Permajet:
www.permajet.com

PermaJet A4 FB Baryta Test Pack 2 - Award Winning Inkjet Paper

Explore PermaJet's entire FB Baryta Range with our Baryta Test Pack 2. Containing 2 x A4 Sheets of every paper in the FB Baryta range.
www.permajet.com www.permajet.com

With the Permajet sample pack you get 2 A4 sheets each of:
(Copy and pasted)
I found buying sample packs like this a great way to try different papers and see how the ink and paper type interacted with the image. Permajet also supply free ICC profiles for their paper and your printer
Click to expand...

Thanks Gareth

The sample pack arrived yesterday.

Just printed two of the FB Gold Silk 315.

Really impressed, so much better having the print in your hands.

I had resisted the urge to delve into home printing, but it definitely adds to the whole experience.
 
Denis99 said:
Thanks Gareth

The sample pack arrived yesterday.

Just printed two of the FB Gold Silk 315.

Really impressed, so much better having the print in your hands.

I had resisted the urge to delve into home printing, but it definitely adds to the whole experience.
Click to expand...


Awesome news. A local lab to me had a Hahnemuhle bartya sample pack in clearance which I've used.

What do you think of the bartya paper?

Such a nice paper ;)
 
Denis99 said:
I have recently bought a Canon Pixma Pro 200 printer, and pleased with the colour images printed on semi gloss paper.

However, the black and white images on the same gloss paper lack a certain something.

Could you recommend some paper for b&w images in particular?

Budget would be about £30 for A4 sizes.

Am I right in thinking that a fine art paper would be better?
Click to expand...
Probably worth watching this video by Keith Cooper. Then, if you haven't already watch the ones he does on the Pro200 as well, Then there are tons of other really helpful videos and articles he has written too.

Time well spent IMHO.
 
Denis99 said:
The Pixma Pro 200 has been reviewed as being a black and white printer.

My budget couldn’t stretch that far though.

Will experiment with some of the papers suggested above.
Click to expand...
ya know, experimenting is pretty much what I do. If I don't know the paper and want to try it I get a pack of 4x6 first. Have no clue what you'd call it ouside the US! Tell you what this experimenting has taught me, nothing! I'm not well educated on much of anything in photography so actually not a clue what I'm looking at. But I look at something and either I like it or I don't. May be a terrible shot and print but if I like it it doesn't matter! I've only found one brand of paper I won't buy again and it's not any of the expensive stuff. I avoid the expensive stuff like the plague. I can't see spending the money for something I don't know how to appreciate in the first place! Not a pro and never really gonna be and don't figure I could sell a pro one of my photo's, most pros would likely pick my stuff apart and me not a clue what he was talking about! Most people are not pro's and for myself not being one, the person I have to make happy is me. And I'll say this, doesn't make me all that happy to tear apart my own stuff! So I simply accept the fact that my stuff could be better but not going to kill myself trying to do something I really don't understand or plan on making a living at. Never have bought a sample pack of paper. said earlier, if i don't know I just buy the small size stuff. Read that the cheap stuff!
 
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I've tried many papers, but none of the "gold plated" ones, and have now settled on this.
B&W results are very good, as is colour.

I specifically did not want a heavy paper.

I am not keen on "gloss" papers as to me it has a fake look compared to proper traditional glazed photo paper.

Very happy with it, won't be changing as long as I can get it.

paper.jpg
 
Sangoma said:
I've tried many papers, but none of the "gold plated" ones, and have now settled on this.
B&W results are very good, as is colour.

I specifically did not want a heavy paper.

I am not keen on "gloss" papers as to me it has a fake look compared to proper traditional glazed photo paper.

Very happy with it, won't be changing as long as I can get it.

View attachment 392527
Click to expand...
I don't do gloss paper either. Do like some semi gloss and satin and luster paper.
 
I only use a few brands of paper. Have two Canon printer's so figure they should make good paper for their printer's, I do use Canon paper. I like Red River very well also. About all they do is sell paper and price for what I use is reasonable for me. Also found Staples paper in a Staples office supply store. Was reluctent about buying it as seemed like a store trying to capitalize on their own brand. Well liked it well enough when I go to town, Bend, I usually pick up some. Long trip to go for any one thing! But when I had HP printer's my first choice was HP paper. had an Epson and it got Epson paper. Just like my Canon paper. Seem's to me the best one for making paper for your printer I'd think would be the maker of the printer. I think getting the printer maker's paper solves a problem. We ask for advice and seem's lot of different choices, people see some thing's differently and someone that refuses to use one brand will choose anyther that other's won't use. If the cost is no prroblem it's likely the best way to go is get those sample packs. make's a lot of sense to me to try it before you jump in. My problem is I'm to stingy. Wouldn't it be nice if some company gave away a small sample pack hoping to sell you more?
 
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