Luster paper prints

Luster vs Matte vs Metal Prints - Photo Comparison

To help you decide which print type is best for you, the following are a photo of my son I had printed on all options. By comparing the same image across all mediums, my goal was to show you the differences among the options while keeping the reference image the same.

Luster Print

Luster prints offer the second best viewing experience of all the options. The colors and detail are very good, however you will still get a glare when viewing from certain angles.

Fine Art Matte Print

Fine art matte prints have the best color purity and detail. Note the close up photo taken at an extreme angle. The surface is smooth, yet non reflective so the viewer will not get a glare from any viewing angle.

Metal Print

Metal prints are the most durable of all the options. Their glossy surface allows them to be cleaned with most household products, however they will also have the most glare of all the options as a result.

Cost – Which print is most affordable?

Looking though my price menu it might seem obvious that luster prints are the cheapest option to display your final artwork. This is true if you want to keep your luster prints in a folio box. If however, you’re looking to save a little money on wall art, luster prints might not be the cheapest option to go with.

Metal prints for example don’t require framing or matting like luster prints might. So even though metal prints are a 20% premium over luster prints, metallics usually end up being cheaper overall since you don’t have to frame or mat the print.

In short, if you’re looking for the cheapest option to display your photos on your wall, metal prints are the cheapest option overall. If you’re looking for the absolute cheapest way to have your photos printed, a folio box would be the best option to go with.

Durability - Which print is most durable to touch and moisture damage?

Metal Prints – Most Durable & Even Cleanable

Metal prints are the most durable against touch and moisture damage. These prints are very tough and can be displayed in bathrooms, kitchen’s, or even outside. They are the only print option that you can also clean using a micro fiber cloth and most household cleaners.

Luster Prints – Touch & Moisture Resistant

The second most durable prints are luster prints. These photo paper prints have a protective coating that’s applied to them that makes them both touch and moisture resistant. That said these are still paper prints, and I’d not recommend hanging these in high humidity areas like bathrooms.

Fine Art Matte Prints – Very Delicate

The least durable prints are the fine art matte prints which can become damaged or scuffed just from lightly touching the surface. These prints also have no moisture resistance since they have no protective coating that’s applied to them like the luster prints. That said, of these three choices, the most durable offers the least desirable viewing experience while the most delicate is what everything else is compared to.

Colors and Detail – Which print has the best detail and color purity?

Fine Art Matte Prints – Best

The prints with the highest detail and most color purity are the fine art matte prints. These photos are printed on more precise machines and use more colors with better inks than the other options.

To illustrate this point, fine art matte prints use 10 base colors of aqueous pigment ink (water based ink) to create their images. These colors consist of the typical cyan, magenta, yellow, and black, with additional light cyan, light magenta, and a series of grey tones.

The result of the more precise printer and inks makes for an unparalleled viewing experience when compared to luster or metal prints. Fine art matte prints aren’t a little better, they’re a lot better like comparing a 720p tv with a 4k HDR display.

Luster Prints – Very Good

Luster prints (which offer the second best detail and color purity) are first formed using light sensitive silver crystal paper like a traditional darkroom. Once formed, the printer then uses 3 layers of cyan, magenta and yellow dye-based inks to color the photo.

With regards to color, luster prints offer a very good viewing experience with vivid colors, brilliant whites and rich blacks. That said, even though the blacks are nice and deep on these prints, the shadow details will be noticeably murkier compared to fine art matte prints. These details however, will still be miles ahead of what you can expect from metal prints.

Evaluating detail, luster prints will also be plenty sharp for the average person. In truth, most laymen probably wouldn’t think about the sharpness of the image unless they were actively comparing a luster print side by side with a fine art matte print.

Metal Prints – Good

Although metal prints don’t offer as good of a viewing experience as the other options, they are still quite good. These prints are created using a process called metal dye sublimation where special dyes are heat infused into polyester pre-coated on aluminum.

The process starts by printing an image onto a sheet of transfer paper. That transfer paper is then attached to the aluminum and run though a heat press. This heat press turns the dyes into a gas which get trapped into the polyester coating previously applied to the aluminum. When the aluminum cools, the dye changes back to a solid state where it locks into place.

While the color purity and detail might not be as good as the other options, they still have tremendous depth and radiant colors. Consider these for colorful images with good mid tones and highlights. Darker images that depend on shadow detail will get lost in these prints so consider the other options for scenarios like this.

Reflectivity - What is the best finish for photo prints?

As with everything else, the “best” finish depends on how you intend to view your images. Photo paper prints can be finished with a gloss or luster coating and can also be left unfinished for a matte look.

In the case of luster and gloss prints, this finish protects the photo from UV and moisture damage. It also naturally has a sheen and thus reflects light back at the viewer. This makes all prints with gloss more durable, but less desirable to view when compared to un-finished fine art matte prints.

Luster Prints – Semi-Gloss Sheen With Light Texture

For durability and the least impact on viewing experience, I find luster to be the best finish for photo paper prints that are handled. A good example of this would be prints intended for a folio box or album.

Metal Prints – Semi-Gloss & Smooth

Metal prints might seem like an eye-catching option, but in reality, reflect the most light back at the viewer than any other option. This means metal prints will be the lest desirable option to look at from certain angles because of their reflectivity.

Fine Art Matte Prints – Not Reflective & Smooth

Matte prints with no finish offer the best viewing experience because they don’t reflect specular highlights back at the viewer. This makes fine art matte prints ideal for prints that aren’t handled. A good example of this would be framed pieces you’d hang on your wall.

Inherently due to the lack of a coating, fine art matte prints are also very delicate. Thus, for the best viewing experience and maximum durability, you should have your photo printed as a fine art matte print, and then protect it behind low iron glass. Low iron glass is non reflective and will have almost no impact on your viewing experience.

UV Resistance

Metal Prints – Best

Fine art matte prints, luster prints, and metal prints all have very good UV resistance. Of the three options metal prints have the best resistance to UV exposure if you need to hang your photo in an area with full sun or even outdoors.

Luster Prints – Good

By comparison, luster prints also have very good UV protection thanks to the protective finish applied to the paper. That said, I still recommend keeping luster prints out of extreme sunlight as this will cause gradual fading over long periods of time. Under normal lighting conditions, luster prints are rated to maintain their original quality for 60 years.

Fine Art Matte Prints – Very Good

Although fine art matte prints don’t have a protective coating, they still offer the second best UV resistance of all the options. The reason they hold up so well is thanks to their aqueous inks and 100% cotton papers. With this combination of ink and paper, fine art matte prints are rated to hold their original quality for 100 years under normal light conditions.

Despite the awesome UV resistance of fine art prints, I still recommend these photos be displayed out of direct sunlight and behind museum glass to protect them from premature aging.

Substrate – What surface is each option printed on?

Fine art matte prints, luster prints and metal prints are all printed on very different substrates. Each surface has advantages and disadvantages depending on what’s most important to you. Some are more durable, while other offer a better viewing experience. In short the best option for you will depend on what’s most important to you.

Luster Prints – Silver Halide Photo Paper

Luster prints are printed on silver halide photo paper. The advantage of this substrate is that It’s very cheap and thus the most affordable way to print your photos. It’s also very durable for a paper print and produces the second best image to view behind fine art matte paper.

Fine Art Matte Prints – 100% Cotton Fine Art Paper

By contrast, fine art matte prints are printed on 100% cotton paper. Fine art paper is inherently higher quality and more archival than silver halide photo paper. These prints offer the best viewing experience of all the options at a nominally higher cost.

Metal Print – Aluminum

Metal prints on the other hand are printed on aluminum and are thus the most durable option. This surface is both scratch resistant and water proof. These prints can even be cleaned with most household cleaners and a micro fiber cloth which is a unique feature of all the options.

In any location that has high humidity, aluminum prints are ideal because of their superior moisture resistance. Examples locations include areas like exterior walls, kitchens, bathrooms and garages. 

Luster vs Matte vs Metal Print – Conclusion

If you found this comparison of luster vs matte vs metal prints helpful, you can share it using the orange arrow in the lower left corner. As always feel free to comment if you found anything confusing or wrong so I can try to make this more helpful for everyone!

Photo printing on glossy paper in Moscow

Classic Photo Printing Calculator

How to place an order? Brief instruction

Orders are INSTANTLY calculated and processed through the print cost calculator on the website:

• Each product page has an instant print cost calculator. In the calculator, select the options you need and the circulation and at the bottom you will immediately see the cost of the circulation.
• There will also be downloading files and placing an order and delivery. Shipping costs are automatically calculated at checkout. If the operator has questions about the layout, he will contact you.
• The standard order processing time is 3-5 working days and 4-8 working days in November-December, as well as on the days of the so-called. "increased demand" (pre-holiday days). If you need "as soon as possible", ie. urgent production of the order, then you should use the options "Urgent production". You choose the time of production of the order in the calculator. You will receive an email notification when your order is ready.

• and in the comments to the order write the exact size you need.
• To place an order for a legal entity and pay by invoice, it is necessary BEFORE placing an order in the Personal Account in the tab My company to fill in the details and then at the stage of payment you will have the opportunity to print an invoice for payment from a legal entity. Upon receipt of the order, you will be provided with all the necessary accounting documents. To receive an order paid from a legal entity, you will need a power of attorney.
• Minimum order value - 1500 rubles. The minimum cost of one item of the order is 500 rubles.

Product Features

The choice of glossy or matte photo paper depends on the nature of the photo. Gloss has the following characteristic features:

• allows you to get the whole range of halftones and shades, achieve smooth color transitions and high contrast;
• is ideal for printing landscapes with their rich colors, as well as posters, interior decoration paintings, calendars;
• the finished picture glares when bright light hits it, so it will be problematic to photograph the work on the wall with a flash;
• fingerprints are clearly visible on paper, as well as small creases and scratches;
• image may fade over time;
• the price of shots is lower than when choosing matte options.

If you want to print photos with perfect colors, choose glossy paper (glossy). In the online printing house Digital-Printing. ru you will find:

• an intuitive order form where you can easily upload pictures from your computer memory or social network account;
• large selection of paper of different weights and formats;
• affordable prices for all types of printing services.

Immediately after filling in all the fields of the order form, you will see the price of the circulation and, if necessary, you can adjust it by changing certain parameters.

If necessary, the order will be printed in a matter of hours. It can be picked up at one of the pickup points, received at home or in the office with courier delivery, or sent to any region of the country by a reliable transport company.

Payment is accepted in cash (terminals, cash desks of pickup points), bank cards or transfers, as well as electronic money (Qiwi, Web Money).

If you are looking for where to print good photos at an affordable price, welcome to the online printing house Digital-Printing. ru. Orders are accepted around the clock on the company's website.

Operation

Payment Methods

All prices indicated on the site are not subject to VAT (0%). Your payment receipt you can find in your personal account the system through which the payment was made. IF you need to place an order for a legal entity and pay by invoice, you need to in your Personal Account in the "My Company" tab fill in the details and then at the stage of payment you will have the opportunity to print an invoice for payment from a legal entity.

Delivery

Delivery is carried out by a transport company throughout Russia. For urgent delivery in Moscow on the day the order is ready, you can select "Delivery by Taxi". You can also choose "Pickup" and order any third-party courier from any courier service to our office for circulation. Delivery times and times depend on the courier service.

Production time

The standard production time for an order is 3-5 business days and 4-8 business days on the days of the so-called. "increased demand" (pre-holiday days). There is a possibility of urgent production of an order both in 24 hours and in 3 hours and even faster (on weekdays). You choose the time of production of the order in the calculator... You can pick up your order at the offices of the printing house in the Central Administrative District near the metro station immediately after it is ready. Time and delivery times depend on the selected courier service.

Do you have any questions?

Application for calculation

Features of printing on glossy and matte papers

Glossy and matte papers are the most popular for printing various printing products.

Glossy paper

Glossy paper, in addition to its good print quality, also uses less ink, especially when compared to coated paper. In addition, the gloss is also characterized by a smoother surface, minimal set-off and dusting. It is thanks to these characteristics that glossy paper is actively used in the printing of illustrated publications, primarily in the printing of glossy magazines.

The visual appeal of glossy paper is due to its smooth and shiny surface. In addition, it is also distinguished by its high density, as a result of which images with a very high richness of colors are obtained on it. That is why experts recommend glossy paper for printing various color images on paper. But the texts on it come out less clear and bright.

Gloss papers:

• Galerie Art Gloss;
• Quatro Gloss;
• UPM Finesse Gloss;
• Art Lux;
• Mega Coat.

Matt paper

The main feature of coated paper is the presence of a special layer that makes its surface matte. Thanks to this layer, the text on such paper is very clear and legible. That is why matte paper is very popular with publishers that specialize in the production of elite, gift and children's books, mass magazines, as well as in the production of brochures and booklets.

In addition, coated paper is used for printing texts on various printers.

Matte Paper Types:

• G-Print delivers high-definition fine print details with a bulge effect;
• EuroArt Plus Silk allows, thanks to its high rigidity, to create perfect two-sided printing;
• Image Silk/LumiSilk, due to its high whiteness and opacity, as well as its low gloss level, is used in the most demanding printing jobs, characterized by large text fields;
• Magno Satin is ideal for laminating, varnishing, embossing, embossing and die-cutting. Used for printing catalogs, annual reports, high-quality magazines, high-end promotional materials, direct mail and calendars;
• Omega Silk is characterized by excellent optical brightness and smoothness. Applies to all post-press works;
• Techno Satin has high opacity, smoothness and whiteness, making it suitable for the most demanding printing jobs;
• Everest Fine Silk due to its higher bulk has a lower density, which led to its use for printing posters, magazine and newspaper covers and art albums;
• EcoSatin is characterized by the use of eucalyptus pulp, which gives it a special plumpness and excellent printability.

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