What You Need To Know About Inkjet Paper
There are lots of different types of inkjet papers available. But actually, these different varieties only have four major differences among them which separate one type of paper from another: weight, brightness, caliper, and finish. Learn how to choose the right paper for your needs, 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? 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. Photo papers are usually in the high 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. Individually white paper appears quite white. 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. If the opacity is high, that means printed text and images are less likely to bleed through. This is especially important for double-sided printing. 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 is less of a problem with these papers.
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 found in the 24 to 71 lb. (90 to 270 g/m2) range. The weight of the paper and its thickness will not have much of a noticeable effect on the quality of the printed image, if at all. 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 - Photo papers are heavier and thicker than typical multi-purpose papers. This thickness, known as 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 papers are usually found in 7 to 10 mils.
Gloss Finish - Photo papers have a particular coating which allows your printed pictures to look and feel like photographic prints. Because the coating keeps the paper from readily absorbing the ink some glossy papers dry 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. Satin is a less shiny coated finish.
Matte Finish - If you print images on photo matte papers, you will get soft and non-reflective images, not shiny ones. Matte papers, however, are not the same as regular inkjet papers. These are thicker and are specially formulated for photos. Many matte finish papers are printable 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.
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