Optical paper qualities that influence image quality

The performance of toner and ink are affected by the following paper characteristics: shade, opacity, brightness, and reflectivity.

Shade

Paper shades may change the appearance of colour images because toner and ink are applied in dot patterns (or screens) which allow a certain amount of the paper colour to show through. Paper shade can also vary significantly among brands.

For example, while some white papers may be a true white, others may be more blue- or yellow-white in appearance. Switching from a true white to a blue- or yellow-white affects the colours and overall hues in the finished piece.

Select a true white paper for truer colours and more natural looking skin tones.

Opacity

Two-sided (or duplex) printing requires paper that is more opaque so that show-through of images and text from one side of the sheet to the other isn’t a problem. A paper with low opacity allows show through of images and text from one side of the sheet to the other (eg newsprint). Opacity affects legibility, attractiveness, and quality.

For better results on documents with large amounts of toner or ink coverage, use papers with higher opacity.

Brightness

When toner or ink is applied to brighter papers, images have higher contrast which improves printability and quality.

Use brighter papers for best results with documents that contain complex graphics or photos.

DocuColor 2000 series design guide

5 - 6

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Xerox 2000 manual Optical paper qualities that influence image quality, Shade, Opacity, Brightness