Photo paper
Product Introduction
Photo paper is a specialized paper type designed exclusively for image output. It is mainly divided into two categories: silver halide photographic paper and inkjet photo paper. The former relies on chemical photosensitive imaging, while the latter is compatible with digital inkjet printing. The two have distinct differences in characteristics, specifications, and application scenarios, as detailed below:
Core Characteristics
1. Inkjet Photo Paper (Mainstream for Civil/Commercial Use)
(1) Coating and Process Features
Classified by coating technology, there are three main types:
- RC-coated photo paper (resin-coated): The most popular type. The paper base is coated with water-resistant PE layers on both sides, featuring a mirror-smooth surface. It absorbs ink quickly without smudging, dries rapidly after printing, and has excellent water resistance and fingerprint resistance. Its color saturation reaches 98%-100%.
- Casted photo paper: Creates mirror gloss through high-temperature calendering technology, offering high color reproducibility and outstanding cost performance, ideal for dye ink printing.
- Microporous/swelling photo paper: Uses nanoscale microporous structures to lock ink, providing stronger light resistance and durability, suitable for long-term collection.
(2) Physical Properties
- Grammage: Determines paper thickness and stiffness—higher grammage means thicker, stiffer paper and less curling.
- Whiteness: Generally above 90, with low light transmittance to fully restore image details.
- Special features: Anti-static, anti-curling, and fold-resistant properties, making it suitable for batch printing and long-term storage.
- Compatibility: Works with mainstream inkjet printers (Epson, Canon, HP) and both dye and pigment inks. With a maximum printing resolution of 5760dpi, fine text and image details are clearly distinguishable.
1.2 Silver Halide Photographic Paper (Professional Photography Grade)
Based on a fiber paper base, it is coated with photosensitive emulsion and undergoes chemical development to form images. It boasts exceptional color reducibility and light resistance, with images preservable for decades or longer. The surface offers diverse textures: glossy (high reflectivity, sharp clarity), matte (non-reflective, fingerprint-resistant), and satin (silky luster, strong three-dimensionality). It is the core material for professional photo studios and art exhibitions.
Common Grammage Specifications
Grammage (g/㎡) is the key indicator of photo paper thickness, and different grammages suit different scenarios. Mainstream specifications include:
(1) Lightweight (100-180g/㎡)
- 108g, 128g, 160g, 180g. 100-150g is mostly roll photo paper, suitable for advertising jet printing, display boards, and batch promotional materials.
- 180g is an entry-level household specification, lightweight in hand, ideal for daily ID photos and batch printing of life photos, with high cost performance but poor stiffness and easy folding.
(2) Medium-heavy (180-250g/㎡)
- Core specifications: 200g, 230g, 240g. The most versatile all-rounder.
- 200g is the top choice for families and small businesses, balancing thickness, texture, and durability. Suitable for regular photo printing (6-inch, 7-inch).
- 230g/240g has a texture close to professional photo lab outputs, with good stiffness, perfect for commemorative albums, gift photos, and baby growth records.
(3) Heavyweight (250-350g/㎡)
- Includes 255g, 300g, 350g. Thick and rigid paper with excellent deformation resistance, suitable for large-format images (A3, A2), art exhibition framing, wedding albums, and high-end poster making.
- Some 300g+ photo papers use acid-free cotton substrates, suitable for professional art photography collection.
Common Grammage Specifications
Photo paper sizes are divided into standard cut sizes and roll sizes, adapting to different printing needs:
1 Standard Cut Sizes (Core for Household/Small Commercial Use)
(1) Small sizes for ID documents/carry-on
- 3R (5.5×3.5 inches/12.7×8.9cm), 4R (6×4 inches/15.2×10.2cm, commonly called 6-inch), 5R (7×5 inches/17.8×12.7cm, commonly called 7-inch).
- 4R is the most popular daily photo size, meeting 80% of household printing needs. 3R is ideal for ID photos, hand account stickers, and phone case decorations.
(2) Office/large-size options
- A4 (21×29.7cm), A3 (29.7×42cm), A2 (42×59.4cm).
- A4 is suitable for resume photos, posters, and art portfolio printing. A3 and above are for large-format landscape photos, exhibition display boards, and commercial advertising output.
2 Roll Sizes (Batch Printing/Commercial Use)
- Mainstream specifications: 24 inches (60.96cm), 36 inches (91.44cm), with a roll length of 50 meters per roll.
- Suitable for batch printing in photo studios and advertising companies. Can be cut on demand to reduce waste, ideal for large-format jet printing, long album rolls, and continuous portrait photography.
Core Application Scenarios
(1) Daily Household Use
Print travel photos, family group photos, baby growth photos, and festival memorial photos, and preserve them in albums or photo frames. 180g/200g photo paper is the optimal choice.
(2) Professional Imaging Field
Photo studios and photography studios use 230g+ RC photo paper or silver halide photo paper to output wedding photos, artistic photos, and children's photography. Art exhibitions use 300g heavyweight photo paper with matte/satin technology to enhance the texture of works.
(3) Commercial Purposes
Advertising companies use roll high-gloss photo paper to make posters, leaflets, and product display images; enterprises use it for product brochures, invitation letters, and anniversary books. Handmade bloggers and micro-entrepreneurs use photo paper to customize albums and souvenirs to improve product texture.
(4) Cultural and Creative Handicrafts
Make postcards, greeting cards, and hand account materials. 200g photo paper has good stiffness and is not easily deformed after cutting, suitable for various handcraft creations.
