Canon × Hahnemühle × Canson × RGB UK
The Marque of
Print Quality
RGB UK is the authorised UK partner for Canon MasterCraft certification, helping print service providers and professional photographers achieve the highest standard in professional large-format printing.
Meet MasterCraft
Since its founding, Canon has led the imaging field, from the analogue era through to today’s advanced digital marketplace. Smartphones have made it easier than ever to capture and share memories, but imagery viewed on a small screen can never match the inspirational power of beautifully printed work.
Canon is elevating the value of printed photography with the launch of MasterCraft, bringing the full emotion and storytelling ability of photography to a bigger audience. By recognising and certifying photographic artists who demonstrate an uncompromising commitment to quality, Canon is championing the irreplaceable culture and art of photography.
MasterCraft is a certification awarded to qualified print service providers and professional photographers who print their photography using the certified print workflow. When you see the MasterCraft logo, you can be confident the print was produced with no shortcuts.
RGB UK is proud to be the authorised UK partner rolling out the MasterCraft scheme, working with Canon, Hahnemühle, and Canson to help UK print businesses and photographers achieve and demonstrate elite print quality.
A Collaboration Built on Excellence
RGB UK is working with three world-class brands to deliver MasterCraft certification to UK print professionals. Every element of the certified workflow is backed by industry-leading expertise.
Canon
The world leader in imaging technology. Canon imagePROGRAF PRO series printers are the only approved printers for the MasterCraft workflow, delivering 12-colour LUCIA PRO II ink precision at every format size — from 17” desktop to 60” large format.
Hahnemühle
Germany’s premium fine art paper maker since 1584. Hahnemühle’s certified MasterCraft media includes Photo Rag, Photo Rag Baryta, Fine Art Baryta, German Etching, Photo Glossy, and Photo Luster — chosen for exceptional ink absorption and archival longevity.
Canson
A French heritage brand with over 450 years in fine paper. Canson’s certified MasterCraft media portfolio — including Baryta Photographique, Platine Fibre Rag, and Photographique — delivers gallery-grade output for every print application.
Benefits for Print Service Providers
Becoming MasterCraft certified sets your print business apart in an increasingly competitive market. Here is what certification means for your business.
Carry the MasterCraft Marque
Display the official MasterCraft logo on every certified print, either embossed on the edge or stamped en verso — signalling uncompromising quality to every client, every time.
Premium Market Positioning
Certification immediately differentiates your business from uncertified competitors. MasterCraft tells prospective clients, before they even see a print, that the quality is guaranteed and verified by Canon.
Expert RGB UK Support
As your authorised Canon partner, RGB UK provides ongoing support, from printer sourcing and installation to media supply, colour management advice, and workflow optimisation throughout your certification journey.
Verified Canon Workflow
Print with the certainty that your Canon imagePROGRAF PRO, certified media, and precision colour workflow together meet Canon’s rigorous quality standard, every single time.
Benefits for Professional Photographers
Whether you want to print in-house or commission a certified lab, MasterCraft ensures your images are printed to the absolute highest professional standard, with no shortcuts.
Certified Quality Every Time
Every print produced under the MasterCraft scheme meets Canon’s rigorous certification criteria. No compromises on colour accuracy, gradation, black depth, or media archival performance.
Crystal Fidelity Workflow
Canon EOS users can unlock Crystal Fidelity, an end-to-end Canon workflow using RAW files and Canon’s own software to maximise dynamic range, shadow detail, and colour fidelity.
Archival Fine Art Output
MasterCraft prints are produced on Hahnemühle and Canson museum-quality substrates tested for archival permanence, ensuring your finest images are preserved for generations.
Command the Premium
A physical MasterCraft-certified print carries intrinsic, demonstrable value. Add the marque to limited edition pieces and fine art prints to command the premium your craft deserves.
Two Paths to MasterCraft Quality
MasterCraft supports two distinct workflows to suit different camera systems and production setups. Both pathways lead to a certified, marque-eligible print.
Standard Process
Open to all camera brands
The Standard Process is available to photographers using any camera brand. Images captured with any camera, Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fujifilm, or otherwise — can qualify for MasterCraft certification.
- Capture: Any camera brand, RAW or JPEG
- Edit: Any editing software (Lightroom, Capture One, Photoshop)
- Submit: JPEG or TIFF to a certified print service provider
- Print: Canon imagePROGRAF PRO series + certified media
- Output: MasterCraft-eligible print with official marque
Crystal Fidelity
The Canon end-to-end premium workflow
Crystal Fidelity is Canon’s premium workflow, exclusively for Canon EOS camera users. By keeping the entire pipeline within the Canon ecosystem, Crystal Fidelity extracts the maximum quality from every RAW file.
- Capture: Canon EOS camera, RAW format
- Edit: Canon Digital Photo Professional (DPP) or Print Studio Pro
- Advantage: Maximum dynamic range and colour fidelity preserved from RAW
- Print: Canon imagePROGRAF PRO series + certified media
- Output: Superior tonal range — the ultimate Canon print quality
Premium Certified Media
Every substrate used in a MasterCraft print has been rigorously tested and approved by Canon. RGB UK supplies the complete range of certified media from all three partner brands.
Hahnemühle
The world’s most trusted fine art paper, manufactured in Germany since 1584. MasterCraft-certified Hahnemühle media:
- Photo Rag
- Photo Rag Baryta
- Photo Glossy
- Photo Luster
- Fine Art Baryta
- German Etching
- Photo Silk
Canson
French paper heritage spanning over 450 years. MasterCraft-certified Canson media:
- Baryta Photographique
- Platine Fibre Rag
- Photographique
- Mix Media
Each Canson substrate delivers exceptional silver halide-like surface quality with proven archival permanence for fine art and exhibition printing.
Canon Media
Engineered for complete system optimisation with Canon imagePROGRAF PRO printers and LUCIA PRO II inks. MasterCraft-certified Canon media:
- Premium Fine Art Smooth
- Photo Paper Pro Platinum
- Photo Paper Pro Premium Matte
- Photo Paper Pro Luster
Tested in tandem with Canon PRO ink systems for guaranteed total colour accuracy.
Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-2600
The 24” large format printer at the heart of the MasterCraft workflow.
The imagePROGRAF PRO-2600 is Canon’s benchmark printer for superior image quality in fine art and photography. Its 12-colour LUCIA PRO II pigment ink system, including a dedicated Matte Black, delivers unrivalled colour accuracy, shadow detail, and tonal gradation across the full range of MasterCraft certified media.
- 12-colour LUCIA PRO II pigment ink system
- Up to 24” (610 mm) wide format printing
- Purpose-built for fine art and photographic substrates
- Seamless integration with Canon Print Studio Pro
- Crystal Fidelity compatible for the full end-to-end Canon workflow
- Supports all certified Hahnemühle, Canson, and Canon media
RGB UK is an authorised Canon reseller. Our team can advise on the right PRO series printer, from the desktop PRO-1100 to the 44” PRO-4600 and 60” PRO-6600, for your certification requirements.
What Photographers Say
Canon’s MasterCraft workflow has been validated by leading professional photographers and Canon Europe Ambassadors. This is what they say about print quality at the highest standard.
“As a professional photographer, I deeply believe in the power and importance of printing photographs. There’s something uniquely tangible about a physical print that a digital image can never replicate. Canon’s printing solution always gives me the best experience. The prints have exceptional quality — not only preserving the emotion and artistry of my work, but also adding significant value to my business.”
Sanjay Jogia — Professional Photographer
“My style is minimalistic, focusing on the essentials — this is exactly why I don’t make any compromises when it comes to the print result. Canon’s advanced printing technology always exceeds my expectations, creating impressive depth, precision, and durability. Especially the rich, deep black tones bring my subjects to life, turning every image into a masterpiece.”
Sascha Hüttenhain — Fine Art Photographer
“The combination of Canon’s high standard printing platform with fine art paper ensures that the black areas are purely black, giving the final result a sharper and tighter feel. It brings out the sharp edges and creates a powerful visual impact that defines my style.”
Alicja Zmysłowska — Canon Europe Ambassador
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“Printing photography is essential for any photographer — it allows us to experience our work in incredible detail with precise colour reproduction. The faithful colour accuracy and exceptional clarity enhance the viewer’s experience, creating a sense of depth and three-dimensionality. The art of printing is irreplaceable.”
Cem Talu — Canon Europe Ambassador
The MasterCraft Marque
As a testament to the quality of the print production process, prints produced under the MasterCraft certified workflow may carry the official MasterCraft logo, the unmistakable marque of superior quality. It can be applied in two ways:
Embossed on the Print Edge
The MasterCraft logo is embossed directly onto the outer edge margin of the print, a subtle, tactile mark of quality that is visible from the front, adding a physical, premium dimension to the certified piece.
Stamped En Verso
The MasterCraft marque is stamped on the reverse of the print (en verso), an unobtrusive certification that does not interfere with the image face, while clearly identifying the print’s certified provenance.
How to Become MasterCraft Certified
RGB UK makes the enrolment process clear and supported from start to finish. Here are the four steps to MasterCraft certification with RGB UK.
1. Contact RGB UK
2. Select Your Printer
3. Source Certified Media
RGB UK supplies the complete range of MasterCraft certified media from Hahnemühle, Canson, and Canon. We will help you select the right substrates for your output requirements, target market, and price point.
4. Certify & Promote
Get in Touch
Start Your
MasterCraft Journey
Whether you are a print service provider or a professional photographer, the RGB UK team will guide you through every step of the certification process from printer selection to official Canon certification.
Call Us
Email Us
Join the Scheme
Ready to Achieve MasterCraft Certification?
Speak to the RGB UK team today. We will guide you through every step of the process — from Canon printer selection and Hahnemühle and Canson media sourcing to full MasterCraft certification with Canon.