Photographic paper - varieties, types of formats. Matte or glossy: looking for compromises What is a glossy coating on paper

Which photo paper is best for an Epson printer? Many people are interested in this issue. Of course, this aspect has long been known to photo printing professionals, but for hobbyists who have a printer or MFP at home and would like to try printing photos for themselves at home, it is quite relevant. If you ask their manufacturers about the criteria for selecting photo paper for a printer, the answer will be clear: for high-quality photo printing, the best choice would be “original” photo paper in combination with original ink. But is this really so, because original consumables and photo paper are not always at hand. In addition, many people want to save money and replace these products with cheaper analogues. How will this affect print quality? We will talk about all the nuances of this issue in this article.

What is important for printing photos on an inkjet printer?

To obtain a high-quality image on photographic paper, it is very important, first of all, the quality of the paper and the quality of the ink. Let's look at these items in more detail.

Paper

If plain paper is suitable for printing text documents and simple graphic images, then for printing photographs the requirements are more serious. When you transfer a photo onto regular office paper, you see that the colors blur, the paper becomes wavy, damp, the clarity is blurred, and the colors are distorted. In general, you can’t put such a photo in an album. Plain paper has a small thickness and low density. Ink, especially water-soluble ink, penetrates the fibers of the paper, saturating it to the very bottom.

Important! Even the most expensive coated office paper will not help you get a high-quality photo. On it, graphs and pictures will definitely look more presentable than on a cheap one, but it’s still not suitable for photographs.

Features of photo paper:

Photo paper consists of several layers (from 3 to 10), each of which performs its own function (holds pigment, protects from external influences, and so on). Due to its multi-layer nature, photo paper is denser and heavier than plain paper.
It can be matte, glossy, semi-glossy, super-glossy, silky-glossy, even satiny and thin.
On both sides of the central cellulose layer are the rest:
1. receiving layer - absorbs ink, prevents it from spreading and mixing;
2. waterproof backing layer;
3. top layers - as if sealing the ink inside a sheet of photo paper and protecting it from damage, moisture, and ultraviolet radiation.
Typically, the more expensive and high-quality the paper, the more durable, clearer, and more realistic the photographs are.

Important! Manufacturers such as Epson, Canon, HP produce paper for “native” devices, and it is the best photo paper for inkjet printers, as it takes into account all the properties and features of their equipment.

Ink

Ink for an inkjet printer can be of the following types:

Water soluble. They are quite realistic, convey color well, but are very unstable to moisture and ultraviolet radiation. Therefore, photos will be less durable. But this ink is the most inexpensive.
Pigmented. The dye is solid particles (pigment). Such ink, having penetrated into the central layer of photo paper, remains there for a long time. The pigment is not as susceptible to moisture and ultraviolet radiation as water-soluble ink, so photographs retain their clarity and color for up to 75 years.

Important! Like other items of computer equipment, printers tend to break down and fail when used continuously. If you want to extend the service life of this device, you need to clean it periodically. Read in another article on our site about.

Important! Ultrachrome inks are also produced on a pigment basis (only for professional and wide-format Epson printers, they have a wide palette and convey the original image as accurately as possible). Sublimation ink (for special paper, thermal film) also consists of pigments.

There are Chinese, South Korean, and other companies that produce water-soluble and pigment inks for inkjet printers. They are an order of magnitude cheaper than original consumables and are quite suitable for printing documents, pictures, and graphics. But for high-quality photo printing, ink from the same company as your printer is best suited.

How to choose photo paper for inkjet printers?

To commit right choice, you need to know what criteria to pay attention to when purchasing.

External coating and internal structure

Photographic paper can be of several types based on its outer coating and internal structure. The choice of one or the other depends, by and large, on personal preferences.

Matte

Represents the most budget option:

It has three layers:
1. waterproof backing that prevents ink from bleeding through;
2. a middle layer of cellulose that holds the ink;
3. the top rough layer that serves as a protective barrier.
On matte photo paper, fine details of the image are quite clearly visible, it does not reflect light, and thanks to optical brighteners (usually titanium dioxide), the colors look brighter. In addition, minor scratches and fingerprints are not very noticeable.
This photo paper can be printed with water-soluble and pigment inks.

Important! The disadvantage of the product is that such photos are not very durable, they lose brightness over time, so for additional protection from external influences they need to be laminated or placed under glass or film.

Glossy:

This photo paper has an additional protective smooth layer.
The advantage is that the photo does not fade so quickly, is not so susceptible to moisture, and reflects light well.
The image looks juicy and bright, but all scratches and fingerprints are immediately visible.

Important! There is an intermediate option - semi-gloss photo paper (Semi Glossy). It produces bright, long-lasting images, but does not easily show minor damage or marks.

There is also super glossy photo paper (called Super Glossy) for photo printers. It displays colors the most richly and brightly, but, however, it shines too much in the sun, in addition, it shows the least damage.

Important! Probably everyone has encountered a situation where, while refilling a printer cartridge, ink accidentally got on their hands. In order to remove it without damaging the skin, read our other article.

Microporous

This look is similar to matte:

A special feature of microporous paper is that it has a special absorbent porous layer that instantly absorbs ink, and the photograph dries very quickly.
The downside is that micropores allow air access to the dye, so in order for the photo not to lose its brightness, it will have to be covered with a protective glossy layer.

Photo paper in the form of a polymer that swells

Inside the paper there is an absorber in the form of a gel or polymer. When ink arrives, this layer receives it and swells. As the liquid evaporates, the thickness of this layer decreases, air access stops, and the ink is sealed inside the paper. Thanks to this technology, the photo does not fade for a long time, although it is afraid of moisture.

Important! Only pigment inks are suitable for this type of photo paper.

Designer photo paper:

It differs from other types in that it has the maximum number of functional layers; inside there may be a layer of 100% cotton instead of cellulose.
The paper is protected from moisture and gluing.
The peculiarity of designer paper is that its surface can imitate canvas, an ancient scroll or the texture of leather.
Designer photo paper is the most expensive and is rarely found on store shelves.

Important! There are also other types of photo paper: for double-sided printing (one side can be matte and the other glossy), with an adhesive or magnetic backing, or for thermal printing.

When choosing a particular type of photo paper, do not forget to check with technical capabilities your printer.

Important! Do you have too many photos that you would like to enjoy every day without having to print them? Modern photo frames will come to your aid. Practical advice will help you avoid making a mistake in your choice.

Photo paper weight

It is measured in g/m2. This parameter usually depends on the number of layers in the sheet. The more there are, the greater the density:

In ordinary office paper, the density does not exceed 150 g/m2. In photo paper this figure should be much higher.
For good photo quality, the density should be at least 230-300 g/m2.

Important! The lower the paper density, the more the ink mixes and spreads, and accordingly, the clarity of the image is lost.

Size

If ordinary paper for printing text documents is in A4 format, then for photographs everyone is accustomed to using A6 (10x15 cm). Although the sizes may be different, the same A4 (210x297 mm), A3 (48x32 cm), A10 (26x37 mm) and others, less commonly used. There is even photo paper in rolls.

Important! Before you buy a ream of paper, check your printer's manual to see what format might be right for you.

Print Resolution

Measured in dots per inch (dpi or dpi). This parameter depends largely on the paper density:

For densities up to 150 g/m2, the printing resolution can be a maximum of 2880 dpi, that is, of course, this is not suitable for reproducing colorful photos with small details.
For thicker photo paper, printing resolution will be 5760 dpi and higher.

Important! The larger this parameter, the better quality photo you will get as a result.

So, we’ve sorted out all the different characteristics of photo paper, now let’s move on to specific examples.

Epson

What is the best photo paper for an Epson printer?

For an Epson printer, according to the manufacturers of this equipment, “native” photo paper is ideally suitable:

In the series of matte paper, you can find Matte photo paper Epson in A4 format (167 g/m2, 250 sheets), it provides high quality resolution.
There is also matte paper in rolls of 50 meters: Bond paper white (36” and 24”).
The line of glossy photo paper is more widely represented - Premium Glossy photo paper (13×18, 500 sheets or 30.5 meter roll), Glossy photo paper (10×15, A4, 13×18 from 50 to 500 sheets), Hi-image glossy and other.
Premium Semi glossy photo paper 10×15, 100 sheets or more is also available).

Important! If you use original ink on this paper, you will be pleased with the quality of the photo.

In addition to the original branded paper, for amateur photo printing you can also use paper from Inksystem - Glossy photo paper 10x15. It transfers images well, has a low price and, judging by customer reviews, is perfectly used in Epson printers and MFPs.

Photo paper from Lomond. It is presented in different series - from the usual matte and glossy to satin and designer (Art series).
You can find inexpensive analogues of the brands Barva, Colorway, BBM and others. For amateur photo printing without any special pretensions, such products are quite suitable.

Canon

What is the best photo paper for Canon? As in the previous case, original paper in combination with “native” ink would be ideal:

Photo paper matte in different sizes.
Photo paper plus glossy - glossy.
Plus semi-gloss - semi-glossy.

Important! There are a variety of sizes, and the number of sheets in a pack may also vary.

Like Epson, these printers are also suitable for universal paper Lomond, Inksystem, Barva, Colorway, BBM and others.

Important! They are not quite suitable for professional photo printing, but just right for amateur ones.

And don't forget to pay attention to the thickness of the paper. As mentioned above, the thicker the paper, the better image quality you will get.

Important! All data can be found on the front of the photo paper package.

HP

HP also produces a line of photo paper for its printers in different formats and with different coatings:

Everyday glossy photo paper and Advanced glossy photo paper - glossy.
Semi-matte – Premium plus semi-gloss photo paper.

So, we have introduced you to all sorts of nuances in different types of paper for printing photographs, so the choice is yours. The most important thing is that before purchasing, study the printing capabilities and requirements of your printer model, carefully read the parameters of the photo paper you are purchasing so that everything fits together. For professional printing of high-quality photographs, purchase only original consumables, and for amateur printing, you can choose from the variety of products presented what suits your wallet and taste.

Purchasing a high-quality camera makes it possible to capture the most memorable moments in the lives of family and friends. The most common way to store captured images is to use various electronic media. But it is impossible to completely replace traditional photo printing with such methods. Therefore, the demand for photo paper remains constant, and a decline in sales of matte and glossy paper is not expected.

Main characteristics of photo paper

You can even print your favorite photos on regular photocopier paper. The use of color photo printers allows you to obtain fairly high-quality images. But their useful life is very short. Therefore, for family archives it is necessary to use special glossy or matte photo paper.

When choosing, you need to pay attention to the following parameters:

Paper size.
Specific gravity or density.
Color.
Surface structure.
Brightness.
PH balance.
Resistant to ink.

In most cases, manufacturers offer customers paper in standard sizes. Purchasing rolls or sheets allows you to save some money. The user can cut the sheet to the required size and use the resulting fragments for printing. Purchasing packs of photo paper cut to size will cost a little more. But the material is much more convenient to use.

The thickness of the paper directly affects its quality and cost. The denser the composition, the better the quality of the photo. Such a photograph will be stored much longer. Therefore, the choice is made depending on financial capabilities and required quality fingerprints.

The shade of the surface affects the perception of the photo. White minimizes distortion. However, too much brightness makes the photo look cold. A beige tint can make the frame look too dull. Depending on personal preferences, one or another shade is chosen.

The determining factor when choosing is the surface structure. In addition to the most common matte and glossy varieties, there are several more transitional options on sale. Brightness, PH balance and durability are also taken into account when choosing. Paper with a neutral PH value is the preferred option, as it does not change its parameters much longer. Persistence affects the lifespan of an image and is an important indicator.

When choosing paper, you need to know its basic parameters in relation to your existing printing device. High-quality prints will only be obtained if the photo paper, ink and printing method are completely consistent. About the types of material and methods of use we'll talk below.

Basic types of photo paper

For the print photography connoisseur, there are several photo paper options on the market. Each variety has its own advantages, disadvantages and is used in certain cases. There are six such varieties in total:

Glossy.
Matte.
Silky matte.
Semi-gloss.
Satin.
Super matte.

The most common are the first two varieties. The remaining types are derived from glossy and matte surfaces. Professional photographers use these varieties.

The glossy grade has a smooth and shiny surface structure. Such characteristics are ensured by applying a special polymer coating. This material is great for displaying bright and contrasting images. The paper is combined with water-soluble ink.

Matte paper is very white and has some roughness. Due to the surface structure, the paint takes longer to dry than on glossy paper. The material is universal and is relatively cheap. You can print on it with standard pigment and waterproof inks.

The silky-matte material has some shine and excellent color rendition, but does not create glare. Suitable for professional use as it is resistant to scratches and mechanical stress.

The semi-gloss material combines the characteristics of two main grades. At a low cost, semi-gloss has higher density and conveys rich images well. The clarity of the image is somewhat inferior to glossy, but it is quite difficult to notice the difference visually.

Satin photo paper is a transitional option between matte and glossy. By purchasing such material, you can save money while maintaining good image quality. Super gloss is an improved version of gloss. The photo paper is completely worth its cost. Any photo on such paper looks very colorful.

Advantages and Disadvantages

When choosing one or another material option, you need to know its main characteristics and methods of application. For ease of use, the parameters of varieties, positive and negative qualities are summarized in the table:

View	Advantages	Flaws	Use Cases
Matte	Whiteness, versatility, resistance to damage	Slow absorption of paint, roughness, not very clear color rendering	Advertising materials, photos for lamination, materials with small editions
Glossy	Shine, smooth surface, excellent color rendering and contrast	High cost, susceptible to mechanical stress	Professional and amateur photo printing
Silky matte	Resistant to mechanical stress, excellent color rendition and no glare	High cost	Advertising and professional photo printing, web graphics
Semi-gloss	Density, thickness, excellent color rendering, low price	More modest, compared to the glossy version, color rendition	Everyday use for amateur printing. Semi-professional use
Satin	Versatility and cost-effectiveness	Average color and contrast quality	Amateur printing and production of promotional products
Super glossy	Best quality photographs	High cost	Use in professional photo studios

Thus, the choice depends on several material parameters. The most significant are the quality of the resulting image, its contrast and color rendition. Cost is also a significant characteristic. Nevertheless, modern technologies allow you to get excellent quality photo paper, regardless of type and cost.

Photography is probably one of the most amazing things in the world. After all, the photographs record not just events, they preserve for many years the memory of the warmest, joyful and pleasant moments of our lives. Thanks to the advent of digital photography, we no longer need to worry about saving frames or the hassle of developing and printing images, and the digital camera, whether it be a tiny amateur point-and-shoot camera or a professional SLR camera, has become our constant companion wherever we go. And, despite the fact that footage can be stored in huge quantities on digital media, nothing can replace the magic of a printed photograph.

Today, if you have a photo printer at home, you can print a wide variety of images yourself: from color graphs and illustrations to reproductions of paintings printed directly on canvas, and, of course, photographs - amateur and professional, in any quantity, format and quality. Inkjet printers are best suited for creating photographic images; laser printers are best for printing. However, nothing will stop you from printing business cards on an inkjet printer, or a highly artistic photograph of your favorite cat on a laser printer, if you choose the right paper.

At the time of chemical development of photographs, only a few dozen types of photographic paper were available to the average user, but now only one brand can offer up to 300 types of paper, differing in price, density, type of coating, and much more. Therefore, making a choice is not so easy.

First, let's figure out what photo paper is and what its features are.

The main function of photo paper is to inkjet printing- quickly absorb and securely fix ink, protecting the image from external influences. That is why such paper, unlike ordinary paper, consists of different layers - receiving, fixing, protective, etc.

The number of layers determines the density, which is measured in grams per square meter. The thicker the paper, the better its quality and the higher the price. Thick photo paper, firstly, will not allow ink to bleed through reverse side, secondly, it does not lose its shape by “getting wet” during printing.

Conventionally, photo paper can be divided into two classes based on density. Inexpensive paper with low density (90-150 g/m²) is designed to print images with a maximum resolution of 2880 dpi. It is great for making graphic materials such as booklets, leaflets, labels, memos and the like, but is practically not used for photographs. To create high-quality photographic images, you need more expensive and high-tech paper with a density of 160-300 g/m², which allows you to print pictures with a resolution of 5760 dpi.

Select the density depending on where and how you will store these photographs in the future. If carefully glued into an album or inserted into a frame under glass, you can limit yourself to paper with a density of 160-170 g/m². If you plan to take photographs with you, say, to show them to friends, you should choose thicker (and therefore reliable) paper (from 230 g/m²). To print high-quality color images on a laser printer, the paper weight must exceed 100 g/m².

Gloss, matte, satin?

The second important point that you should pay attention to when choosing photo paper is the type of coating. Basically, paper is divided into glossy and matte. There are also subtypes: super-gloss, semi-gloss (also called satin), silky-matte, and so on. Photo paper can also be double-sided - matte on one side and glossy on the other, or matte on both.

So what should you choose? Glossy papers better convey color saturation and soft tones. Due to this, gloss is often used for printing landscape and portrait photographs. A glossy coating better protects a photo from moisture, but all other damage is much more noticeable on it - scratches, fingerprints, etc. In addition, regular glossy paper is not suitable for printing with pigment ink (for this it is better to take super gloss, equipped with a special protective layer) .

Unlike glossy paper, all types of inks are suitable for matte paper. It is good to use for printing pictures, where it is more important to convey not colors and shades, but small details, for example, family or group photographs that show a lot of people. On matte photo paper, various damage and creases are less noticeable; it can be handled without any problems and even rolled into rolls.

Different types of photo paper coating:
matte, semi glossy and premium glossy

There are also various specialized types of photo paper. These include: self-adhesive, thermal transfer, textured and art paper, as well as film for advertising printing.

Self-adhesive photo paper has a special protected adhesive layer and low density. Suitable mainly for printing various promotional materials such as directional stickers, as well as for photographs that are pasted directly into an album.

Using thermal transfer paper, images are transferred to different items, such as T-shirts or mugs.

If you are planning to print a real artistic masterpiece, pay attention to textured and art paper. The first gives a very interesting effect due to embossing - in the recesses the color intensity is greater. True, you need to choose such paper with great care, since some textures may not be suitable for printing, for example, portraits or linear images. Art paper is mainly used to convey images made in various painting techniques - it resembles watercolor paper or canvas.

The quality of printed images also depends on other factors. For example, grain and whiteness affect light reflection (glare) and color fidelity. The porosity of the paper affects how the ink will be absorbed and how long the photo will last.

More, even more...

Let's talk about sizes. The choice is more than wide: from very small sheets of paper to hefty canvases used for printing artistic photographs and posters. The most common format for printing photographs is A6, that is, the familiar 10x15 centimeters. It's perfect for printing pictures for family albums, and it's supported by all printers. But the A4 format is considered the most profitable, especially in packs of 100 sheets or more. If there is no need to print such large photographs, the images can be printed two on one sheet and then cut. Textures, canvases and other special papers are produced in the same formats.

The brand of photo paper plays an important role in choosing photo paper. The fact is that, based on the manufacturer, all photographic paper can be divided into two large groups: universal paper (, Zweckform, Emtec, etc.) and original paper, produced by leading printer manufacturers (, HP). The difference between them is quality and price. Universal photo paper is more affordable, but not always of high quality. However, it is perfect for printing amateur photographs, various booklets, invitations, and leaflets. The main disadvantage is that over time the image noticeably fades, especially if it is constantly exposed to sunlight.

To print artistic photographs, it is better to use original photo paper. Thanks to its high quality and reliability, pictures printed on it will retain their original appearance for several years. Naturally, if you use only high-quality, or better yet, original ink designed for this specific printer model. In addition, to obtain the maximum effect, it is desirable that the paper matches the brand of your printer, then the quality of color rendition will be optimal. True, you will have to fork out for such paper.

It is better to store photo paper in a tight sealed bag in order to protect it from moisture and various mechanical damage. It also doesn’t hurt to protect it from direct sunlight. When printing, whenever possible, load one sheet of paper into the printer tray at a time, this way you will avoid deformation during picking.

Photosensitive photo paper

Photo paper for use in the classical photographic process is covered photosensitive emulsion, consisting of a thin gelatin layer, inside of which, without touching each other, there are crystals of a light-sensitive substance - silver salts, less than 0.001 mm in size. Because the silver salts themselves are milky yellow, the emulsion side of the photo paper has a pale yellow tint. Silver chloride, which has a maximum sensitivity in the ultraviolet zone of the spectrum, is most often used as a photosensitive substance. It was thanks to this substance that Ritter discovered the existence of ultraviolet rays (the substance darkened fastest in front of the violet part of the spectrum, where no light was visually detected).

Also available for amateur photographers self-production photographic paper using photo emulsion available to order.

In the USSR, photographic paper was available for retail sale in the following sizes:
6x9 cm, 9x12 cm, 9x14 cm, 10x15 cm, 13x18 cm, 18x24 cm, 24x30 cm, 30x40 cm.
Photographic paper was packaged in packs of 20, 25, 50 or 100 sheets.
Larger sizes of photographic paper were produced for darkrooms, as well as roll different widths.

Photo paper for printing with dyes

Photo paper- paper not sensitive to light, designed for use in jet And laser printers to obtain high-quality prints of digital photographs, as well as prints from processed computer film photographs. It differs from ordinary paper in its strict standardization. color and mechanical (such as absorption, paint flow) characteristics. This value the term became widespread with the development digital photography.

Separately, we can mention heat-sensitive paper for fax machines.

Notes

Literature

Photographic paper // Photocinema: Encyclopedia / Editor-in-Chief E. A. Iofis. - M.: Soviet encyclopedia , 1981.
Sublayer // Photocinema: Encyclopedia / Chief editor E. A. Iofis. - M.: Soviet encyclopedia , 1981.

Links

Photographic paper of the thirties and forties: brands and manufacturers. - information about manufacturers of photographic paper and photographic materials in Europe, their history before and after World War II, as well as samples of their products.

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