Canson Baryta II

[LenR]

Canson Infinity Baryta II has been out of stock at local photo dealers for some time.
New shipments have now been received along with a nasty surprise - the price of a box of 25 sheets 13x19 is now $210! That is $50 to $60 more than previously. This is getting to be an expensive pastime.
Any other CIC members seeing similar increases?

Just checked B&H NY - price of the same paper is US$ 109. About CDN $149. Even with exchange and shipping it would be cheaper to purchase from B&H!

[DanK]

B&H lists the following prices for 25 sheets, US $:

11 x 17: in stock, $86.
13 x 19: out of stock, $110
17 x 22: in stock, $172

I'm guessing that the 13 x 19 will go up some when it's back in stock, but that's just a guess.

By comparison, here are their prices for Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Baryta. Much higher yet.

13 x 19: $186
17 x 22: $251

I only use the Canson papers for prints that really matter--ones that are going on the wall as major decorations or will be exhibited. For more casual printing, I often use Moab Exhibition Luster, which is much cheaper.

[LenR]

Checked B&H this morning to see if the Baryta II paper is back in stock - it is not.
However, I noticed a Canson paper that I had not seen before - Baryta Prestige II. The paper is heavier at 340gsm and is a mixed Alpha Cellulose Cotton Rag base. Paper has a Baryta layer and a gloss surface. Priced at US$152 for 25 sheets of 13x19.
Have any CIC members had any experience with this paper?
Thanks.......

[DanK]

I have, but only a few test sheets years ago, so I have only vague memories. My memory it that it has more pop than the baryta but less accurate colors, at least when using their ICCs for the Prograf Pro 1000 I had then. Another paper that comes very close to the baryta and has a surface more like the original baryta is Platine. My vague recollection is that had very similar color rendition to the baryta but perhaps slightly less DMax, as it isn't a baryta. However, I may be wrong.

You can buy a sampler that has two sheets of all three and more, https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/produ...ack_photo.html. I really recommend buying one and printing the same test image on all of them. I'm having trouble locating the test image I used, but there are several downloadable.

From what I have read, the baryta is supposed to be coming back into stock soon and may be already available from smaller and more specialized vendors, but I haven't looked.

[LenR]

Dan, appreciate you taking the time to respond. Apologies for the delay - constant and annoying time outs!
I have used the Platine paper and was quite pleased with it. You are correct that it does not have a Baryta layer.
The paper is however getting to be on the pricey side.
At this juncture I will wait for the Baryta II to be restocked.
Thanks again......

[Manfred M]

Dan, appreciate you taking the time to respond. Apologies for the delay - constant and annoying time outs!
I have used the Platine paper and was quite pleased with it. You are correct that it does not have a Baryta layer.
The paper is however getting to be on the pricey side.
At this juncture I will wait for the Baryta II to be restocked.
Thanks again......

Papers seem to have become crazy expensive.

Some of the importers (Hahnemuhle for sure and given the vagueness of the Canson.ca website likely as well) are based in the USA and seem to be a victim of US import tariffs. There seems to be little we can do about it. As I still have good stocks of sheet and roll papers, I am okay for now.

I have used Canson Platine, but found the paper surface to be rather fragile and easy to mark. Some people love it, but I am not planning to buy more when I run out. I still have a bit of the origninal Canson Baryta, which I prefer to Baryta II, even though the surface can be a bit of a problem (bits fall off after printing, leaving white spots and ruining the print).

I am pretty well only using Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Baryta instead of the Canson Infinity Baryta Photographique II in my gallery prints. I often buy directly from the Canadian importer Amplis Photo in Toronto ( https://store.amplis.com/collections/hahnemuhle ). They bring their product in from Hahnemuhle US.

[DanK]

Papers seem to have become crazy expensive.

Some of the importers (Hahnemuhle for sure and given the vagueness of the Canson.ca website likely as well) are based in the USA and seem to be a victim of US import tariffs. There seems to be little we can do about it. As I still have good stocks of sheet and roll papers, I am okay for now.

I have used Canson Platine, but found the paper surface to be rather fragile and easy to mark. Some people love it, but I am not planning to buy more when I run out. I still have a bit of the origninal Canson Baryta, which I prefer to Baryta II, even though the surface can be a bit of a problem (bits fall off after printing, leaving white spots and ruining the print).

I am pretty well only using Hahnemuhle Photo Rag Baryta instead of the Canson Infinity Baryta Photographique II in my gallery prints. I often buy directly from the Canadian importer Amplis Photo in Toronto ( https://store.amplis.com/collections/hahnemuhle ). They bring their product in from Hahnemuhle US.

At B&H, the Hahnemuhle paper (13 x 19 size) is roughly 70% more expensive than the Canson Baryta Photographique II, which is already not very expensive.

I still have some Baryta Photographique I and River Stone Rag, both of which have been discontinued, but I think I may end up after all of this going to Photographique II as my go-to high-end paper.

[LenR]

Interesting comments and I concur with the observations regarding the current pricing. Getting to be a costly pastime.
I have however thus far not encountered any of the issues with Canson papers Manfred refers to...

[DanK]

Interesting comments and I concur with the observations regarding the current pricing. Getting to be a costly pastime.
I have however thus far not encountered any of the issues with Canson papers Manfred refers to...

I haven't either. However, I have never used Platine on a regular basis. I have used a lot of baryta photographique--mostly I, some II--and have never had any problems with any prints. I use only sheets, not rolls, so I don't know how it holds up to being rolled and unrolled.

It's indeed an expensive hobby, but even with these price increases, the cost remains low relative to developing film and color prints in the analogi\ue days.