Before Buying Inkjet Paper
There are lots of different types of inkjet papers available. However, there are really only five main differences in all these papers, with four of these playing a critical role: weight, brightness, caliper, and finish. You need to know how to select the right kind of inkjet paper for the job, and see how a few different types of paper stack up against each other.
Brightness You may only see white on your paper, but how white is it? There are different levels of brightness for each type of paper. 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 determine brightness is simply to compare two or more papers side-by-side. When you look at a piece of white paper, it will appear white indeed. But when placed side-by-side, white papers show a range of colors, from very bright cool white to a softer, warmer pale ivory white.
Opacity When you judge opacity, you try to check how see-through the paper is. The higher the opacity, the less that printed text and images will bleed through to the other side. This is important to know, especially if you do double-sided printing a lot. Photo papers used for inkjet printers usually have high opacity levels (around 94 to 97), compared to ordinary inkjet or laser papers, 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). The bond papers which include most inkjet photo 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. Heavy weight paper feel more substantial and can lend an aura of importance and seriousness not found in flimsier products.
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 Photo papers have a particular coating which allows your printed pictures to look and feel like photographic prints. The coating on the photo paper doesnt allow the ink to be absorbed by the paper quickly, so glossy papers sometimes dry a bit more slowly. However, it is becoming commonplace to find quick-dry glossy finishes today. The amount of shine on the paper gives it a description of high gloss, soft gloss, or semi-gloss. There is also a shiny coated finish called satin.
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 are specially formulated for photos. Many of the matte finish papers can be printed upon on both sides.
Ricky Davis is a researcher and writer working for http://www.papergroups.com, where you can get all the best paper products at the best prices. Visit us for all your paper product needs.
About the Author
Rating: Not yet rated