Comparing Canson Arches to other Canson photo papers

After recently reviewing Canson’s Arches fine art photo papers, I was curious to see how they stacked up against other popular Canson fine art paper options. To do so (and save a good bit of money), I purchased up their Infinity Discovery Pack. Then, like before, I printed the same image used for the Arches review, and evaluated my favorite Arches paper against other options side-by-side. Here's what I found.

Disclaimer: I paid for all of these papers with my own money. Canson has not paid me to produce this, nor have they had any editorial involvement. All opinions are my own.

Why Arches 88 Stands Out

My top pick from Canson's Arches paper line is Arches 88. I like it because it has a bright, nearly neutral white point and a smooth matte finish which does not introduce additional texture (and helps subtle detail and texture in an image stand out more). BFK Rives Pure White has similar neutrality and look-and-feel, but contains a little more texture, which could be nice with certain images. Overall, I find myself gravitating towards Arches 88 the most.

Arches 88 vs. Baryta Photographique II

Baryta Photographique II is a baryta paper, which means it includes barium sulfate to boost brightness and neutrality without sacrificing archival quality like optical brightening agents (OBAs) can.

This paper sits between resin-coated photo papers and high-end fine art media. It’s stiff, ultra-smooth, and made from 100% acid-free alpha cellulose. While it performs well, I see some drawbacks when compared to Arches 88:

1. OBAs – Baryta Photographique II contains a moderate amount of OBAs. These additives make prints look brighter under UV light, but break down over time and reduce archival longevity. In comparison, Arches 88 contains no OBAs.
2. Finish – I find its finish to be bit shiny and synthetic. Reflections look more like plastic than paper. There is also no visible texture or depth, especially under reflected light. Arches 88, by contrast, has a more organic, natural matte surface. Obviously matte and semi-gloss papers are different things, but their finishes are very different.
3. Feeling – Held in the hand, Baryta Photographique II feels stiffer and less natural. Not as plasticy as standard photo paper, but Arches 88 makes a better impression.

Arches 88 vs. Baryta Photographique II Matte

Baryta Photographique II Matte is essentially the same paper as its namesake, but without a gloss finish. Same base, same color temperature, same OBAs. For that reason, it shares the same disadvantages in regard to archival longevity and feeling. Its matte finish is obviously much closer to Arches 88, so it's not as shiny or synthetic looking in reflected light, but there are a couple more things I don't care for:

1. Contrast – Blacks appear deeper and stronger with Arches 88. Maybe this is attributable to my particular printer and Canson's ICC profiles, but to my eyes Arches 88 has greater depth.
2. Temperature – Baryta Photographique II leans warmer and is less neutral compared to Arches 88. There could be images where a warmer paper would be desired, but I prefer a more neutral white point.

To be honest, I don't really see the point of Baryta Photographique II Matte when the matte Arches paper line is also available.

Arches 88 vs. Baryta Prestige II

Baryta Prestige II is the premium gloss option in Canson’s baryta lineup. It blends alpha cellulose and cotton, provides deeper blacks, stronger contrast, and supports a wider color gamut than Photographique II.

1. OBAs — Baryta Prestige II contains no optical brightening agents, so it's just as archival long-term as Arches 88 and other Arches papers.
2. Contrast — Baryta Prestige II has stronger contrast and depth compared to Arches 88. If rich, deep blacks and punchier images are what you're after, this might be a better option.
3. Color — Colors are more saturated and vibrant with Prestige II compared to Arches 88. This is attributable to its wider color gamut.
4. Finish — Prestige II's gloss finish has a rich, speckled reflection that adds dimension to an image. I prefer it over the harsh, flatter gloss of Photographique II.

Granted, Arches 88 and Prestige II are very different papers, but both papers have strengths depending on your image and aesthetic goals. If I wanted a gloss finish instead of matte when creating a print, Prestige II would be a strong contender.

But there's an even better option...

Arches 88 vs. Platine Fiber Rag

Platine Fiber Rag is designed to echo the look and feel of traditional platinum/palladium prints. The paper is made from 100% cotton rag, has a soft satin finish, leans slightly warm, and contains no OBAs.

This was my first time printing on it, and I was genuinely impressed. The surface has a rich, subtle shimmer that doesn’t feel artificial or plasticky. It’s more textured than Baryta Prestige II and looks fantastic under light.

1. OBAs — Platine Fiber Rag contains no optical brightening agents.
2. Contrast — Slightly better contrast, depth and sharpness compared to Arches 88.
3. Finish — Gorgeous satin finish which has a rich, subtle shimmer. Doesn't feel artificial or plasticky, at all. More gloss texture than Baryta Prestige II.
4. Neutrality — A little warmer (closer to D50) in comparison, but not obviously different.

Performance-wise, Platine Fiber Rag produces slightly richer, deeper, sharper prints compared to the more subdued Arches 88. I'm in love with how its reflective finish looks, and considering its 100% cotton, acid-free, OBA-free base, would pick this gloss paper instead of Baryta Prestige II when looking for a non-matte paper from Canson.

Final thoughts

Overall, if I were to invest in two fine art Canson papers to print my photography, I'd buy a box of Arches 88 and Platine Fiber Rag. Both are 100% OBA free, gorgeous papers providing different finishes and feelings for all image types.

If you'd like to perform the same tests I shared here, I highly recommend picking up the same Canson Infinity Discovery Pack. This cost-effective pack includes two sheets of each paper type so you may try them out with both color and black-and-white images. Each sheet is labeled with a sticker on the back to help identify each paper after prints have been made.