Kodak Premium Glossy Photo Paper Versus Hewlett-Packard Premium Glossy Photo Paper

From family vacations to college parties, people across the country have access to digital cameras nearly twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. Whether it is a cell phone camera, personal digital camera, or professional photography equipment, people want their cherished photos to last a lifetime. As two of the most popular photo paper brands, Kodak and Hewlett-Packard promise premium photo paper products that make digital photo prints last just as long, or even longer than the memories.

A prominent name in the photography industry, Kodak has a long history of quality products and services, from its array of photography equipment to its modern online photo merchandise service. Kodak color technology has remained one of the most advanced technologies in the digital photography niche, so it follows that consumers can trust Kodak photo paper to deliver long-lasting printouts of family memories. At a retail cost of $11.99 for a pack of twenty-five glossy Premium photo paper sheets, consumers expect quality results with vivid color and presentation.

Indeed, with highest-quality print settings on a standard home printer, Kodak Premium glossy photo paper delivers professional-looking prints comparable to those purchased from a local photo developer. With vivid saturation and true-to-life color, Kodak Premium glossy photo paper is heavyweight and difficult to bend or crease, helping to keep printed photos free from accidental bending or tearing. At about forty-eight cents per photo sheet, Kodak Premium glossy photo paper seems to be a reliable resource for excellent digital photo prints at a reasonable price.

Hewlett-Packard is also a leader in the digital photography industry. From personal computers and printers to digital cameras, Hewlett-Packard has emerged as a leader in digital photography as exemplified through its "You + HP: Digital Photography" advertising campaign. For about $19.99 for a twenty-five sheet pack of HP Premium glossy photo paper, HP comes at a higher price than Kodak, but still delivers its promise of quality and performance. Unlike Kodak, since Hewlett-Packard is one of the most popular manufacturers of personal printers, it is able to manufacture photo papers catered to providing the best quality prints using Hewlett-Packard inks and printing technologies.

Because of this, Hewlett-Packard photo prints look crisp and clear, with vivid saturation and brilliant, natural color balance. On the other hand, Hewlett-Packard photo paper seems thinner and more susceptible to creases and fold-lines. Tearing vulnerability seems comparable to that of Kodak photo papers, if not easier. In addition, Hewlett-Packard Premium glossy photo paper seems to warp more easily in warm or humid conditions. Instead of a crisp, smooth, and timeless family portrait, the paper turns into a wavy, ordinary, and bland picture.

While both Premium glossy photo paper brands produce exceptional value prints, Kodak seems to produce the best range of color throughout the printed photos as Hewlett-Packard produces more bland color variability. Similarly, Kodak photo papers tend to have a more natural tone than Hewlett-Packard Premium glossy photo paper. In terms of ink content, both photo paper brands create desirably smooth prints with rapid dry-time. As for fading characteristics, neither brands fade as rapidly as photos printed on standard office paper. For scrapbooking or storage, Hewlett Packard Premium glossy photo paper is a reasonable choice.

However, for displaying those priceless vacation photos or cute snapshots of kids, Hewlett-Packard photo paper may crease or tear quicker than Kodak photo paper. Likewise, at nearly eighty cents per sheet, Hewlett-Packard photo paper is a more costly option for those seeking to preserve memories that last a lifetime. For the best bang for your buck, Kodak Premium glossy photo paper serves as an ideal option for printing, storing, displaying, and preserving those once-in-a-lifetime moments of family and friends. Otherwise, the battle between Kodak Premium glossy photo paper and Hewlett-Packard Premium glossy photo paper boils down to one of personal experience in terms of performance and price.