Collotypes occupy a unique position between mass-produced photo reproductions and prohibitely expensive one-of-a-kind original works of art. The collotype process is ideal for producing small editions of museum-quality photographic prints for fine art collectors.
| Collotype | Silver Printing | Platinum Printing | Photogravure | Inkjet Printing | Offset Printing | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Small Edition Suitability for printing small editions |
★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★★★ | ★ |
| Cost/Edition Cost-effectiveness by edition size |
★★★ | ★ | ★ | ★★ | ★ | ★★★★ |
| Continuous Tone Continuous tone vs. halftone screened images |
★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★ | ★★ |
| Printing on Washi Suitability for printing on traditional Japanese rice paper |
★★★★ | ★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★ |
| Archival Stability of image over time |
★★★★ | ★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★ |
| Use of Pigment Ink Oil-based pigment ink rather than dye or photochemical print |
★★★★ | — | — | ★★★★ | ★★★ | ★★ |
| Printing in Color Suitability for printing full-color photographs |
★★★★ | ★★★★ | — | — | ★★★★ | ★★★★ |
| Maximum Size Suitability for producing large format prints |
★★ | ★★★★ | ★★ | ★★ | ★★★★ | ★★ |
| Rarity From one of a kind to a dime a dozen |
★★★★ | ★★ | ★★★ | ★★★★ | ★ | ★ |