Before Buying Inkjet Paper

The variety of photo quality inkjet papers can seem overwhelming. But actually, these different varieties only have four major differences among them which separate one type of paper from another: brightness, weight, caliper, and finish. Learn how to choose the right paper for your needs, and how these different types of paper compare to each other.

Brightness – You may only see white on your paper, but how white is it? In terms of paper, there are many different levels of whiteness or brightness. Brightness is expressed as a number from 1 to 100, with 100 being the brightest. The high-quality photo papers usually range in the 90s. However, you may find that not all papers are labeled with a brightness rating, so the best way to know how bright one paper is from another is to compare them side by side. Individually white paper appears quite white. But when placed side-by-side, different white papers appear to have a variety of colors, ranging from very bright, cool white to a soft, warm, ivory white.

Opacity – How see-through is the paper? The higher the opacity, the less that printed text and images will bleed through to the other side. This is especially important for double-sided printing. Inkjet photo papers have a relatively high opacity (around 94 to 97), as compared to ordinary laser of inkjet paper, so bleed-through problems are rare.

Weight – The weight of paper may either be measured in terms of pounds (lbs.) or as grams per square meter (g/m2). Bond papers, which include most inkjet papers, are usually within the 24 to 70 lbs. or 90 to 270 g/m2 range. Paper weight and thickness may have little or no noticeable effect on printed image quality. The importance of paper weights lies in the impression that heavier paper creates a feeling of seriousness and importance not found in flimsier paper.

Caliper – Typical multi-purpose papers are usually lighter and thinner than photo papers. The thickness of paper, or caliper, is necessary to accommodate the greater ink coverage typically found in photos. Typical inkjet paper caliper may be anywhere from a thin 4.3 to a thick 10.4 mil. Photo paper is usually 7 to 10 mils.

Gloss Finish – The coating on photo papers give your printed photos the look and feel of photographic prints. Because the coating keeps the paper from readily absorbing the ink some glossy papers dry slowly. However, quick-dry gloss finishes are common today. The finish may be described as high gloss, gloss, soft gloss, or semi-gloss, each reflecting the amount of shine. Satin is a less shiny coated finish.

Matte Finish – Images printed on photo matte papers appear soft and non-reflective, not shiny. Matte papers, however, are not the same as regular inkjet papers. These are thicker and specially created to printing photographs. Many matte finish papers are printable on both sides.

Article Source: Main Articles

Ricky Davis is a researcher and writer working for www.papergroups.com, where you can get all the best paper products at the best prices. Visit us for all your paper product needs.

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