HP photo paper is photastic (HP Premium Photo Paper)

Member Name: whatanoldbag

Product:	HP Premium Photo Paper
Date:	31/01/08 (92 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Good quality paper produces a shop quality print

Disadvantages: Tear off side can be a bit ragged

This product is premium quality photo paper with each sheet weighing 240 g/m² (which is quite heavy). It is pre-cut on three sides like normal paper but with a perforated tear-off tab down the fourth side so you can handle the print without touching the photo itself. It aims to give you a finished product that looks like a traditional glossy photograph and claims to be optimised print quality and reliability with HP inkjet printers.

What the manufacturer says about this product: (taken from their web site):

The HP Premium Photo Paper is designed especially for home users who want the look and feel of traditional photographs when producing reprints, enlargements or photos for sharing as well as business users for whom high quality, high impact outputs are vital. The traditional-quality 240 g/m2 weight gives your digital photos the feel of traditionally processed photographs and the glossy finish produces vibrant colours, deep, glossy blacks and realistic skin tones. Any prints produced with this paper will be perfect for keeping, framing or for sharing with friends or family. Also, the special coating means images stay clear and sharp even in humid environments.

What it is really like:

* This paper is a good heavy weight and feels like a 'proper' photo.
I like to have the option of printing A4 photos on my inkjet printer, though I have a smaller printer dock for ordinary quick snaps. If you want to do an enlargement to put in a frame then this is perfect. Even my pernickity husband couldn't tell the difference between a digital photo printed on this and a traditional photo.

* A whole A4 photo on my HP printer is not a quick thing. And it stays wet a while. so this paper has a really nifty extra edge which supposedly tears off when the pic is dry, but allows you to pick up the photo and put it somewhere safe whilst wet. Especially useful if your printer shoots paper out onto your desk. Great idea, but where the tear off bit is leaves a bit of a ragged edge when you tear down the perforations and I have to use scissors and a ruler unless I am putting the picture in a frame (which to be honest I usually am or I wouldn't be printing it as large as A4). Nice idea though.

* The paper holds ink well and doesn't bleed or anything.

It costs under £6 for 60 sheets which I think is pretty reasonable, though of course using ink jet on it costs a lot more in ink, which you have to factor into the cost of your photo.

I am really happy with it - I got given a free sample otherwise I don't think I would have bought it as other stuff is cheaper, but now I've tried ti I use it all the time. I do have an HP printer though - don't know whether that makes any difference and whether it would not be as compatible on other inkjet printers. Haven't tried it on a laser so can't comment but it is designed for ink jet.

The only thing I don't like about it is it is shiny, but you can't seem to get matt photo paper easily anywhere any more. Am I the only one who likes it?

In summary this is really good paper to have in the cupboard for occasional nice pictures you want to send someone or frame.

*also on ciao*

Summary: Really good paper to have in the cupboard for occasional nice pictures you want to fr

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