PHOTO PAPER COMPARISONS

 

All products below are compatible with inkjet printing; Prices vary; the prices below do not include sales tax and may or may not have been on sale (it's the price consumer purchased it at at any given time).

 

Rating System: 1-5

=would never buy again

  =would probably not purchase again or only if that's all that was available

=would buy for non important print, everyday printing

=would buy for autograph printing, family photos, school and work projects

=would use for my very most important printing needs only (saving the best for the best).

 

NAME/Rating

TYPE

UPC/Product #

Brightness

Weight

Price/Number of sheets

User notes

IBM

Heavyweight Ultra-Glossy Photo Paper

8794434636/90H3781

96+

Photo Weight

$5.99 for 20 Sheets

(30 cents a sheet)

 

Nice thickness and did dry very fast, but some flat areas in black coloration were noted. Doesn't smudge as much as most fingerprints seem to permanently dull photo in areas where touched.

Amazon

Glossy Photo Print Film

4014626290/APA-90

?

?

$8.97 for 15 Sheets

(60 cents a sheet)

Translucent quality (can see through it); thin; feels like a transparency (not stiff to touch; floppy).  HIGH Gloss on both sides, so doesn't matter how you put it in the feeder. Won't tear. Long lasting and holds up under harsher conditions and handling. Colors came out "washed out" and any minor imperfections from printer wheel or from the jpg/file itself shows dramatically. While using Silver Sharpie on item, ink from page was transferred to the sharpie and the sharpie didn't work well; with black sharpie there was some thinness of sharpie noted in some areas but on the good side, sharpie dried immediately (no smudging).

Hewlett  Packard (HP)

Premium Photo Paper

8869891740/C6979A

 

240g/m2 / 64 lb

24.99 for 50 Sheets

(50 cents a sheet)

Fast drying; back of paper like canvas which prevents prints from sticking to one another. Does not seem to smudge; fingerprints difficult to see.  Fairly thick. Did have some minor matte areas (not glossy all over). Coloration came out very nicely.

Kodak

Ultra Premium Photo Paper High Gloss

 Product ID #: 753053

Mfg Part #: 8366353

 

285 g/m2

10.5 mil

17.99 retail price for 25 sheets 8.5x11"  (mine was a free trial of 4x6 size)

Pretty fast drying (heavy black areas take a little longer and were a bit "tacky"); very nice coloration, very nice glossy areas; black does really well and looks almost all glossy!  That's rare to find; I would ALMOST give this a 5 star rating; but it doesn't dry fast enough and could be a tad thicker.