The variety of photo quality inkjet glossy photo papers can seem overwhelming. However, there are really only five main differences in all these papers with four of these playing a critical role: brightness, weight, caliper, and finish. Learn how to choose the right paper for your needs based on these criteria and see how a few different types of paper stack up against each other.

Weight

Paper weight may be expressed in pounds (lb.) or as grams per square meter (g/m2). Different types of paper have their own weight scale. The bond papers which include most inkjet photo papers are found in the 24 to 71 lb. (90 to 270 g/m2) range. Terms such as heavy weight do not necessarily indicate a heavier paper than other comparable papers as you will see in the Weight comparison.

Caliper

Photo papers are heavier and thicker than typical multi-purpose papers. This thickness, known as caliper, is necessary to accommodate the greater ink coverage typically found in photos. Typical inkjet paper caliper may be anywhere from a thin 4.3 mil to a thick 10.4 mil paper. Photo paper is usually 7 to 10 mils.