I’m getting more and more into printing during the stay at home order, so having a good paper to pair with my Epson SureColor P800 is important. I had already setup a print shop with some great paper options — including Moab Entrada Bright Rag — but I wanted a good, everyday paper for home use, too.

Enter Moab’s Juniper Baryta Rag 305, which I was sent for review in 17-by-22 inch size. Featuring a 100% cotton fiber base, it’s a perfect semigloss paper option that will remind many of the old darkroom days. After I downloaded the ICC profile from Moab’s website, I was ready to go.

Crisp semigloss

If I had to describe the Jupiter Baryta Rag 305, it would be as a crisp, minimally textured semigloss paper option. While I’m used to printing on heavily textured paper, there was something fresh about this, as it really put the emphasis on the photograph.

Using my printer’s Advanced Black & White mode, the photos were pure perfection. Details were lifted off the page, making the photograph really pop. The prints were simply stellar.

And likewise, with color prints, the photographs continued to amaze. Colors were spot-on and well-saturated, providing for a great reminder of that moment in time. Details were very crisp, and you could make out even the tiniest of objects in the scenes.

Reflections

As with any glossy or semigloss paper, there are bound to be some reflections when light hits it. When that happens, the light on the paper is very soft, and spreads like a soft gradient. It’s very subdued. Needless to say, the paper is a perfect choice for multiple environments.

Sturdiness

Fresh off the printer, the paper wasn’t quite as sturdy as I would’ve liked. But give it a couple hours to dry, and it’s exactly what you would expect from a semigloss paper.

Specs

  • Material: Cotton Rag
  • Basis Weight: 305gsm
  • Thickness: 16 mil (0.41 mm)
  • Coating: Barium Sulfate
  • Finish: Glossy
  • Sided: Single

My new favorite paper?

There’s a certain “finished” feel to the Moab Juniper Baryta Rag 305 that makes it look professional and complete. It’s why I’m so excited about this paper, because it truly shows my photographs in the way I intended them to be viewed. I honestly can’t wait to print on this more!

The Moab Juniper Baryta Rag 305 comes in several sizes, starting at 5-by-7 inches, all the way up to 35-by-47 inches. The 17-by-22 size I reviewed retails for $125.45, for 25 sheets.