Which Inkjet Printer Paper?
Your inkjet printer may be the most versatile piece of gear in your digital
photography kit. It can make small prints for passing around or big ones for
framing and mounting. The huge variety of special printing papers, each with
its own unique look, let your inkjet printere provide a nearly limitless artistic
palette. It can print your photos on t-shirts or decal film. It can even turn
your favorite shot into a temporary tattoo. (Though just because you can do
something doesn't mean you should.)
Your first choice is the size of your print. Regardless of your printer's maximum print size—8½ x 11 is common for home printers—you'll find paper sizes available in 4 x 6, or 8½ x 11. And for larger format printers, 11 X 17, 13 x 19 & 17 X 22 inch paper. Some printers can accept paper in rolls that let you print wide panoramas. Many newer printers can also make borderless prints when used with compatible paper. Check your printer's manual or spec sheet to see if it supports these features.
Inkjet photo paper is also available in many weights and surface textures, and your choice of surface has a big impact on the look of the print. High-gloss, or premium glossy surfaces generally give the richest, most colorful prints. These prints often resemble glossy prints from a photo lab. A semi-gloss, lustre or satin surface doesn't enhance color richness quite as much, but it provides a lower contrast and is often pleasing for pictures of people. This type of paper is great for portraits and is one of the trade secrets of professional wedding and portrait photographers. Matte surface papers are the lowest contrast of all and a wonderful choice for black and white printing (resumes, for example). Prints on matte paper generally, though not always, last longer before fading than glossy prints.
If the standard photo papers aren't enough, you can use a seemingly endless variety of art and specialty papers made for inkjets. These include canvas, foil, textured and watercolor papers. Many photographers and artists do beautiful work, producing images that appear to be a blending of photography and painting, with these specialty papers. Because of their thickness, however, many art papers require special techniques to feed through your printer, and some inks are not compatible with some papers. Online user groups and mailing lists for inkjet printers are good sources of hints and tips about specialty art papers.
Why coated papers & film?
High resolution graphic inkjet papers and films require a top coating. This
ensures that the inks dry quickly and properly and the colors are brilliant
and vibrant. Coatings on paper also give good flatness properties and hold the
ink dots in position to prevent any ink bleeding.
What is normal drying time?
Drying time is dependent on many variable factors, so there is never a fixed
time period. These variables include type and amount of ink used, its mix with
other colors, room temperature, humidity and they type of material that is being
printed. All of these factors have an effect on drying time. Many of the photo
papers we offer are specially coated to speed drying time and reduce the possibility
of accidental damage to the image.
What is the difference between dye based
and pigment based inks?
Dye based inks are the most common (and most popular) inkjet inks available
today. They offer excellent color range and brilliance as well as a superb choice
of different materials to print and they are less expensive than pigment based
inks. However, dye based inks are not recommended for outdoor use since the
inks have no water resistance and will be prone to light fade over time. We
do offer water resistant papers (as noted in the description) which will greatly
reduce the possibility of damage. Pigment based inks use pigment blockers and
have benefits over dye based inks in that they are more resistant to fading.
However, the color range and brilliance of pigment based inks is less than dye
based inks and the print material choices are more limited.
How long will my prints last?
Similar to drying time, there are too many variables to provide specific data
on how long your printed images will last. Image life is dependant on the ink
used and the paper or film you have printed on. Our inks are formulated in the
USA to meet or exceed printer manufacturer specifications and our papers use
on ageing agents in any of our coatings which can sometimes reduce UV life.
To increase the life of your prints, you should make sure they are dry and stored
or displayed out of direct light. Image life can be improved by keeping images
in a photo album or behind glass.
What is the best media type setting?
Within the print driver properties, the media settings allow you to select the
appropriate setting for the material you will be printing. These different settings
print different levels of ink and you should always select the setting which
most closely matches the material you are printing.
What is a print driver?
This is the software that comes supplied with your printer. It communicates
information from your computer to your printer. It enables you to sleet the
relevant printer, print size, resolution and different types of media settings.
Refer to your printer's owner's manual for specifics on your printer.