We compare five Hahnemühle papers: William Turner, Photo Rag, Bamboo, Fine Art Baryta, and Photo Rag Baryta
In this article and accompanying video, we are comparing a selection of some of the Hahnemühle company’s most popular fine art photo papers. Please note that Hahnemühle sells many more types and variations of papers than just these five.
For this test, I printed the same image used in previous comparison videos, and I didn’t adjust it at all for the individual papers. My light source for recording this video was soft, indirect window light on an overcast day. I recorded on iPhone. So, while I’ve tried to give an accurate representation of the whiteness and textures of the papers, keep in mind that this was not done in laboratory conditions — but, rather I think a more real-world representation of the papers.
William Turner
This beautiful paper was the surprise discovery of this exercise for me. I’ve avoided this one in the past because I thought the texture and matte surface might degrade details or reduce the tonal range, but no way. I love this paper!
Buy a sample pack of Hahnemühle William Turner on Amazon here.
Technical information
- 190 and 310 gsm, 100% cotton
- White, without optical brighteners
- Fine yet highly pronounced felt structure
- Matte premium inkjet coating for outstanding print results
- Acid- and lignin-free
- ISO 9706 conform / museum quality for highest age resistance
- Compatible with pigment and dye inkjet systems
William Turner sample prints can be seen below
Bamboo
Bamboo is a relatively new paper, and I applaud Hahnemühle for this — a beautiful fine art paper made of bamboo fibers. It’s part of their sustainable range they call the Natural Line, which also includes papers made of hemp and agave.
Here’s what they say about the natural line and remember this is the company’s own marketing language,
“The plants that provide the cellulose require minimal maintenance, grow quickly and don’t need any pesticides. Their rapid growth means that more cellulose can be produced on the same cropland than with other raw materials, and they also require much less water, helping to save valuable resources and protect the environment.”
Bamboo is made from 90% bamboo fibers and 10% cotton fibers.
Buy a sample pack of Hahnemühle Bamboo
Technical Specifications
- TIPA World Award 2020 “Best Inkjet Photo Paper”: Hahnemühle Natural Line
- 290 gsm, 90% bamboo fibres, 10% cotton
- Natural white, without optical brighteners
- Soft, lightly textured felt structure
- Matt premium inkjet coating for outstanding print results
- Acid- and lignin-free
- ISO 9706 conform / museum quality for highest age resistance
- Compatible with pigment and dye inkjet systems
Bamboo print samples
Photo Rag
This paper was my exclusive print media for over a year, before I fell under the spell of Fine Art Baryta. The artsy look and feel of the matte surface combined with it’s wdespread availability with print labs and it’s killer tonal rendition make it a great choice for fine art photographers.
Buy a sample pack of Hahnemühle Photo Rag on Amazon here.
Technical Specifications
- 188 / 308 / 500 gsm weights, 100% cotton
- Whiteness 92.5, with very low optical brightening agents
- Characteristic, beautiful defined felt structure
- Matte premium inkjet coating for outstanding print results
- Acid- and lignin-free
- Museum quality for highest age resistance
- Compatible with pigment and dye inkjet systems
Photo Rag print samples
Fine Art Baryta
Next we’ll go to my current favorite paper. I love this paper so much! Hahnemühle Fine Art Baryta is an alpha-cellulose paper with a baryta coating. It looks and feels like a classic fiber-based darkroom print. I recently published a video comparing a digital silver gelatin fiber-based chemical print compared to Hahnemühle Fine Art Baryta, and they are very similar in look and feel.
Buy a sample pack of Hahnemühle Fine Art Baryta
Technical Specifications
- 325 gsm, 100% alpha-cellulose
- Bright white with moderate optical brightening agents
- Clearly visible, exquisite felt structure
- High-gloss premium inkjet coating for outstanding print results
- Acid- and lignin-free
- ISO 9706 conform / museum quality for highest age resistance
Fine Art Baryta print sample
Photo Rag Baryta
The OBA content in Fine Art Baryta is what’s making me consider a change to another glossy baryta paper, and that’s Photo Rag Baryta. Rather than alpha cellulose, this paper is a 100% cotton base with the beautiful barium sulphate coating. Photo Rag Baryta is like the best of two worlds — the archivability of cotton paper with a great baryta surface that gives just brilliant tones and sharpness. Unlike the very white Fine Art Baryta, Photo Rag Baryta maintains a 91 whiteness with no optical brightening agents.
Buy a sample pack of Hahnemühle Photo Rag Baryta
Technical Specifications
- 315 gsm, 100% cotton
- White, without optical brighteners
- Exquisite surface texture
- High-gloss premium inkjet coating for outstanding print results
- Acid- and lignin-free
- ISO 9706 conform / museum quality for highest age resistance
- Compatible with pigment and dye inkjet systems
Photo Rag Baryta print samples
Thanks for reading.
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~ Keith