In some cases, glossy photographs are printed, and in which matte ones. How important is the thickness of photo paper?

What is the best photo paper 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 best choice There will 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 satin.
• 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 computer equipment, printers tend to break down and fail during continuous operation. 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 much cheaper than original consumables and are quite suitable for printing documents, pictures, and graphs. 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 (Super Glossy). 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 species in that it has maximum amount 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 the technical capabilities of 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. And practical advice on how to avoid making a mistake in your choice will help you.

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, read 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, this, of course, 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 various 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 quality you will receive the photo.

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, with all sorts of nuances in various types We have introduced you to the 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 photo printing High Quality purchase only original consumables, and for amateurs, you can choose from the variety of products presented what suits your wallet and taste.

Do you like to take photographs and want to decorate your interior with your works? Or do you professionally print photos? Then you will definitely need photo paper; without it, you won’t be able to get high-quality images. We won’t say that printing on regular office paper is impractical due to the quality of color rendering, warping of the paper in the form of “waves” and color bleeding, this is already known. Photographic paper is a multilayer paper-cellulose material designed for storing and displaying images. Based on the fact that several printing methods are practiced, the structure of different types of photo paper is also different. Let's look at what types exist and what parameters should be taken into account when choosing.

By type of printing device

For inkjet printing. To create high-quality images on paper, manufacturers recommend using inkjet printers.
The paper has layers that prevent ink from spreading and protect the image from damage (smearing, etc.). The structure of the material allows it to be used with water-based and pigment inks, for thermal and piezojet (these two types differ in the type of print head and the principle of image application) printing, at home and in the studio.
The format and density are chosen taking into account technical characteristics apparatus. For example, paper that is too thick can jam in the printer, and loading a sheet of the wrong size can result in jammed edges.

For printing on a laser device. The production of paper consumables for laser printing is less expensive, since the layers are thinner and there are fewer requirements for them. This method is used mainly by companies for which the speed and volume of printing is more important than the final quality.
Although such paper is rarely labeled “photo”, it is possible to select a material that will print close to photo quality. The density must be at least 100 g/m2, the coating can be any: matte, glossy or derivative options. Paper for laser printers is marked with the marks “laser printing”, LaserJet, etc.
Sometimes users try to print on paper for laser printer inkjet method and vice versa. Manufacturers do not advise doing this, since both the advantages of the material and the advantages of the printing method are lost. The image is of poor quality and short-lived.

By type of coverage

To obtain a high-quality printed photograph that will delight you for many years, it is important to choose the right type of paper. There are original (produced by companies that develop printers) and universal materials.


Uncoated paper. Used for laser printing, the outer layer is similar to glossy. This type has a fairly low price.
Matte photo paper (Matte). This type is considered budget (not counting materials not intended for photo printing), and comes in satin and silk.
The porous structure of the receiving layer looks like an unprotected one, but it is not. The material consists of several layers: the backing protects the sheet from ink seepage and prevents warping, and the top rough layer is resistant to minor damage and does not retain fingerprints. The advantages of matte paper also include its compatibility with pigment, water-based and even sublimation inks and its whiteness, which makes the image bright and detailed.
The disadvantages include loss of saturation when exposed to light for a long time, so it is recommended to laminate photographs or place them under glass. Also, matte paper does not convey color gradations well, especially gray.
This type of photo paper is used for various purposes. If the density is below 120 g/m2, then it is suitable for printing leaflets, presentations, brochures and other printed products. And paper with a density higher than 120 g/m2 is used at home or when creating photographic materials for exhibitions.
Glossy photo paper. This type of paper has a high density. The glossy layer protects the material from fading and paint washing off. Glossy photo paper perfectly conveys the brightness of colors and gradations of all shades, and is also resistant to moisture.

The disadvantages include poor protection from external influences: the surface is easily scratched and fingerprints are visible on it.
Glossy photo paper is used for printing photographs with soft halftones, bright colors, is suitable for printing portraits, and can be used both at home and in photo studios. Mainly water-soluble ink is used, since only super-glossy ink has a special structure that allows it to accept and retain pigment ink.
Can be one of three types:
glossy (Glossy);
semi-gloss (Semi-glossy). Combines the strength of matte paper and the muted shine of gloss;
super glossy. It is classified as premium quality photo paper, as it has a special layer that protects the image and can be used with different types ink. The prints are more saturated than on a regular glossy one.
Other types of printing paper. In addition to those listed above, there is thermal transfer (when heated, a thin glossy film remains on the object) and heat-sublimation (no film remains) paper. This is an expensive medium, as is adhesive or magnetic paper. They are used for advertising purposes or for souvenir products. When printing, both water-based and pigment inks can be used.

Manufacturers produce both single-sided and double-sided photo paper. Moreover, the latter can have a different coating on each side (glossy on one, matte on the other). It is worth remembering that the most expensive are satin and super-glossy finishes.

Paper Specifications

The main characteristics that you need to look at when buying photo paper include weight, size and type of coating. These factors greatly influence the cost.

Size. There are various formats: from classic (10x15, 21x29.7, 29.7x42 cm) to large-format roll types. The most affordable is the classic 10X15 format, packaged in packs of 500 sheets.
Density. The thicker the paper, the more ink it can accept without damaging the material, and the brighter the image you can get. But you shouldn’t chase a high figure, since not every printer is capable of working with high-density material - you can simply ruin the printing device.
To print a report with images, you should choose media with a density of 100-120 g/m2.
For photographs, photo paper with a rating of 150-300 g/m2 is suitable.
For creating business cards– not less than 250 g/m2.
Thicker types of photo paper are more expensive.
Permission. It is measured in dots per inch and is related to the weight of the paper. Thus, media with a density of up to 130 g/m2 allows printing with a resolution of 2880 dpi. Since small details will be unclear, the price of the consumable is quite low. A resolution of 5760 dpi can be provided by photo paper with a density of 150 g/m2. The higher the resolution, the more colorful and clear the pictures you will get.
Whiteness (brightness). The structure uses bleaches that qualitatively improve color perception. Therefore, on bright paper the print will look richer. The degree of whiteness can be determined visually.

Cost of photo and thermal paper

The price of the paper is affected by various factors, including packaging option (

Photo paper weight measured as the ratio of the mass of a sheet to its area and is usually expressed in grams per square meter (g/m2). Some people mistakenly assume the density of paper is directly proportional to its thickness, forgetting that the bulk density of different types can vary greatly: with a density of 600 g/m2 (due to the heavy magnetized layer) it is approximately the same thickness as matte paper of 250 g/m2. Although, in most cases, such an assumption is appropriate - the higher the density, the thicker and more expensive the paper.

Is tighter better?

The density is always indicated on the packaging, since the density of the paper determines, among other things, its purpose. For example, regular thin paper is not suitable for printing photos on an inkjet printer: a large number of the ink will literally soak it through, the sheet will be deformed, and the colors will not be sufficiently saturated and contrasting. The fact is that uncoated matte paper with a density of less than 100 g/m2 is essentially only suitable for printing texts, 100-200 g/m2 is for color printing, and for photographs a ratio of at least 150 g/m2 is required. In cross-section, such photo paper is a multilayer porous structure that absorbs colored ink well and protects it from fading over time. It is worth remembering that coated papers can be used for photographs even at a density of 100 g/m2 (the glossy coating absorbs almost the entire volume of ink).

High paper density also means the physical strength and durability of the print, and thin sheets are easily wrinkled and torn, and irreparable defects form at the bends.

Why you don't need to use very thick paper

It is extremely important to pay attention to density for another reason: not every printer can handle a sheet that is too thick and heavy. The maximum permissible paper density that will not jam or chew is one of important characteristics printers, plotters and MFPs. Most modern devices can handle paper up to 300 g/m2 - more than enough to print high-quality photos. And yet, when purchasing photo paper, check in advance whether your model can handle it - sometimes the stated characteristics are valid only for a certain type of paper (for example, matte from a certain manufacturer). It is this feature of printing devices that does not allow us to unambiguously recommend the most dense printing materials to all users.

You want it yourself print photos on an inkjet printer for a family album, creative business cards or a photo on a T-shirt?! I assume that you have already acquired a printer, which means this moment you are faced with choosing paper. In order for you to be satisfied with the print quality, you need to know what kind of paper will suit you.

Almost all the pictures in the text represent the universal Lomond paper, as one of the main brands that harmoniously combine price-quality ratio.

Criteria for choosing photo paper.

Paper for digital inkjet printing varies according to

manufacturer and cost

The cost of a glossy sheet A4 200 g/m2 was determined as of June 20, 2015 at the stated prices for retail sales on the manufacturer’s website or in the storeCoral Micro (KM) is where I buy paper and, I believe, it is the most inexpensive store, especially for consumables. If you find something cheaper, write me, I will be grateful.

Main brands:

Black Diamond $0.13

Cactus 0,10$

Canon $0.57

Epson 0,58$

HP 0.15$

Lomond $0.12

Revcol $0.11

Canon and Epson paper is designed for their respective inkjet printers and, according to tests, produces excellent quality. I've been typing on universal for a couple of decades now, i.e. Suitable for all printers, Lomond paper.

density

determines the thickness of the sheet. For comparison, regular writing paper has 80-90 grams per square meter (gsm). To print photos, paper from ~180 to 300 g/m2 is required:

• for documents 180-230 g/m2;
• for artistic printing photo, 230-270 g/m2 is enough;
• For photo on T-shirts you can use LOMOND Ink Jet Transfer Paper for Bright Cloth, A4, 140 g/m2;
• business cards We print on embossed paper (huge selection), for example, Lomond, glossy single-sided bright white with “Lizard” embossing, 200 g/m2.
• for flyers preferably double-sided paper with a density of 90-150 g/m2

Standard sizes of sheet photo paper:

There are many more standard formats that could be cited, but I think there is no need. If you come across a size in inches, then you need to remember that 1ʺ = 25.4 mm (classic English inch).

Most inkjet printers support A4 size or smaller.

In addition, if you decide to go to a printing point, you should crop the photo to the following dimensions (in mm):

• 10x15 —102x152
• 15x20—152x203, 152x216, 152x224 - sizes for every taste, do not forget to inform the laboratory assistant what size you have chosen. 20x30—203x305
• 30x40—305x403
• 30x45—305x457

coating or texture

• Matte. Ideal for inserting into a frame under glass, for laminating, for document photos.
• Glossy. Used for photo printing, has a glossy surface. Let it shine! And this is exactly that paper.
• Semi Glossy. It is shiny, but less so; an additional plus is that fingerprints are not so noticeable.
• Super Glossy. It’s already blinding,) especially considering that it is often very white (see other parameters).

Embossed paper can be either glossy or matte.

other parameters

permission, which is responsible for drawing small details. Resolution is essentially the density of dots per inch. Accordingly, the higher the resolution (measured in dots per inch (dpi – dots per inch) and dpi = ppi (pixels per inch)), the better the quality of the photograph. But such a statement is quite controversial. For your information, we view the photo on the screen with a resolution of 72 dpi, and only when printed it looks unattractive, which means that this parameter is important only when printing. It is believed that the human eye is capable of seeing no more than 300-320 dpi, i.e. a photo printed with this resolution and viewed from a distance of 20-30 cm will be no different from a photo from a more high resolution. And what? more picture, and, accordingly, the distance from which it is viewed, the lower the resolution can be.

Lomond's print resolution ranges from 2880 dpi to 5760 dpi.

For the curious. How can we compare this resolution of photographic paper with our resolution when printing 300-320 dpi? If I figured it out correctly, then a simple calculation shows that the sides of the A4 format are 297 mm = 297/25.4 = 11.7 inches, multiplied by a resolution of 300 dpi, we get 3510 pixels, and for the other side A4 210 mm = 210/25.4 = 8.3 inches multiplied at a resolution of 300 dpi we get 2490 pixels. So, to print a photo with a resolution of 300 dpi, we must use high-resolution paper, i.e. 5760 dpi. At 2880 dpi we get a resolution on the larger side equal to 244 dpi, which, in principle, is plenty.

brightness or whiteness. Whiteness, as comparison shows, is slightly lower in Lomond than in its main competitors. But is this criterion so important? Lomond has a line of photo papers with increased brightness (whiteness).

Color transfer, when using Lomond paper, no complaints. But when printing in black and white, a slight blue-green tint appears, especially noticeable in the black parts of the photo. Can be removed in the printer settings: blue, in in this case cyan is neutralized by adding red, and green is neutralized by adding magenta, you can slightly remove the saturation.

water resistance. Like any photo paper, it is relatively moisture-resistant, you can pour water on it and the ink (especially the original ones) will not flow, which is due to inkjet printing technology, but if you rub the wet photo with your finger, you will see a dazzling white backing. Repeated high-quality printing on such paper is impossible.

Perhaps you yourself printed photographs at home 20-30 years ago, or you may have seen your father do it. Until the early 90s, printing photos at home was much cheaper than in . Now, of course, it's the other way around. Mostly in those early years, houses were printed black and white photographs, because chemical process When printing black and white photos it is much easier than when printing color. Then you bought photo paper yourself and gave preference to a specific manufacturer. Nowadays, photo printing is carried out by technology and human participation is reduced to monitoring its work. Therefore, the question rightly arises: what is hidden behind such a characteristic of paper as “premium” and what paper is better to order photo printing on – glossy or matte.

Any paper is characterized by surface texture, thickness and color. The thickness of paper depends on its density - a value expressed in grams per square meter. The higher the density, the thicker the paper. Next is the color. Not all white papers are created equal. If you put paper from different manufacturers on the table, you will see that one sheet has a cool shade of white, another sheet has a warm shade of white, and the third has something in between. Therefore, when printing a photo on one paper or another, you will receive a photo in different shades each time.

Now let's look at the texture of the paper, i.e. the structure of its surface layer affects the printing of the photograph.

Paper with a deep texture is ideal for imitating painting and printing reproductions of paintings. These are special papers with an embossed relief that imitate certain materials - corduroy, linen, leather. Although we, for example, use canvas for similar purposes, because... Printing on canvas conveys greater naturalness than printing on canvas-textured paper. In addition to giving the effect of a painting, textured paper is used for printing photographs with low image clarity; the paper allows you to partially hide image defects, such as pixelation and blur. Such distortions in the image arise not only during the shooting process. When a customer wants to print a large photo and provides desktop wallpaper 1200x1800 pix for this purpose, the appearance of artifacts is inevitable.

Print photos on smooth semi-gloss and glossy paper gives optimal results for most high-quality photographs. It is these papers that allow you to convey the smallest details of a photograph, therefore The printed photo looks very clear. Semi-gloss photography has less glare than glossy photography and is ideal for printing large-sized photographs. Glossy photographs convey maximum detail in the image, this best option for printing photographs ranging in size from 10x15 cm to 20x30 cm (or A4). By the way, have you seen frosted mugs with photos anywhere? No. That's right, because the glossy surface of the mug is pleasing to the eye. And what’s interesting is that somehow no one cares whether the photo on the mug glares or not. But if you plan to hang the photo on the wall, then it is better for you to order a matte photo print, this will avoid glare. A wall is not a photo album, and in this case that's really important. Typical example- printing calendars with photos to order.

So, we still have the density (thickness) of the paper, which is also very important indicator. Customers don't pay attention to him at all. Firstly, because the performers themselves do not indicate this value. Density affects the external perception of the printed photograph, its wear resistance, and the ability to reproduce photographs with a dark background, for example, evening and night shots. The thicker the paper, the less likely it is to bend when you hold it in your hands. And this happens even with a size of 10x15, not to mention printing photos of 20x30. The price difference between thin and thick paper is a pittance, so we see no point in printing photos on thin paper. Printing photos is not an item of your expense where you need to save money.

To summarize, I would like to introduce you to our assortment. He is quite modest because in the process of work, we selected not just optimal, but ideal papers. To print photographs from 10x15 to 20x30 (A4), we use only glossy paper 230 grams/sq.m. (in most salons they print 180 grams of paper for 3-5 rubles). Our customers never say that they receive faded, low-contrast photographs. When to print big photo We insert 200 gram semi-gloss paper. Yes. There are only two types. But you don't need to experiment. Printing wall calendars is a separate topic; anyone interested can find it in the relevant sections of the photo salon website.