Current 220/221 inks that work well

[stratman]

Choice of paper is probably the primary determinant of fade resistance, barring additions of museum glass, etc, as well as a component in the final printout's visual appeal. Of course paper choice must be made with an eye towards ink type - Pigment vs Dye - and that ink must be of high quality to afford the best opportunity to be visually appealing and slow the rate of fading. The printer itself is low on the totem pole concerning fade resistance.

Some reading:

http://h10088.www1.hp.com/gap/Data/supplies/training/photo_papers.pdf

https://www.imagepermanenceinstitute.org/webfm_send/310

 

[ThrillaMozilla]

It's not the printer itself, Stratman. It's the fact that different printers require different ink, which may or may not have the same fade resistance. Contrary to what is repeated again and again on this forum, the ink itself has a huge effect on fading.

 

[stratman]

Of course there is a symbiotic relationship between paper and ink. A poor ink is a poor ink, and no paper will be able to compensate enough, though the choice of paper will have an effect on the final product. You can have the best ink and your results will pale (pun intended) if the wrong paper is used. Additionally, even if the proper inks and paper are used, environmental conditions will still erode the print. This is why proper framing with suitable materials like museum-grade glass, for maximal protection, can extend the life of the print.

Maybe there should be less emphasis on a single component in discussions of longevity and more on the totality of all components combined - ink, paper, framing materials, and environmental conditions the image will be displayed/stored in.

 

[slocumeddie]

Yeah ! What he said.....

Ink, printer, printer firmware, printing software, and paper are all part of a system that we use to produce the final printed image. Any tests conducted outside of that system have no relevance(in producing accurate and repeatable results) within the system.

And what I said !

 

[stratman]

You put a fine point on things, slocumeddie. It is a system, an ecosystem of sorts, that may compensate somewhat for its weakest part(s), although not completely.