My New Epson Stylus Photo 1500w (artisan 1430) !!!

[pharmacist]

I finally received the OCP Claria compatible dye refill ink from Costadinos yesterday. I will make some profiles for this ink and make some test prints, so we will get a complete set of prints of different ink types on two different papers in double (one for fade test, one to be kept safely in darkness as backup and comparison).

 

[pharmacist]

OK, finally managed to get 5 different ink sets on 2 different types of paper and taped the photo's on the window.

Used papers:

-Netbit Glossy from Aldi (similar to the United Office Sihl X paper from Lidl and formerly from Aldi as well)
-Epson Semigloss paper (satin)

Both are microporous, so susceptible to gas fading.

Used Ink sets:

-Epson Claria Photographic dye ink (Original cartridges)
-Inkowl Claria compatible "fade resistant" dye ink
-OCP K3 Vivid CcMmYK subset pigment ink (not using the LB and LLB inks)
-OCP Claria compatible dye ink
-Coralgraph Claria compatible dye ink (supplied with one of the cartridge sets)

Here the prints side by side taped on my window and waiting for some extra tenacious sun rays beaming down on the pictures:

I will report back in a few months time and meanwhile, I will play with my printers, Colormunki and ArgyllCMS.

 

[The Hat]

A really extensive test, great job @pharmacist , I bet that took a bit of organising..

 

[pharmacist]

@The Hat, yes it certainly was a bit organising. Costadinos originally send me a box of the OCP Claria ink to me, which is presumably lost during transport. Fortunately a few weeks later he resend me a set again, for which I am very grateful. A few sets of refillable for the different inks and lots of ink dumped in the printer potty after each exchange of ink/cartridges.

Now I have to wait a long time I think, as sun power is a bit low now. But the pictures are not taped tightly against the glass of the window, so air can easily touch the surface of the prints, so oxidative gasses can exert their destructing action on the prints as well. Later on I will scan each sample with the corresponding backup print (put away safely in a box away from light and air) and compare the amount of fading (or maybe not).

 

[costadinos]

You may want to include a little spacer so the print faces don't touch the glass directly. If the room they are in is heated and people spend time in it, there will be water building up on the glass from condensation , mainly around the edges of the window. That could cause some uneven fading on some of the prints...

 

[pharmacist]

Hi Costadinos: fortunately it is very dry here. I never had condensation on this area of the house, so fortunately no problems with moisture, otherwise I would have certainly put the pictures somewhere else.

 

[costadinos]

Any chance you could include a traditional print from a minilab (RA4 process) along those you already have?
I tried it in the past against pigment inks, but it would be really interesting to see how it compares to dyes.

 

[soberprinter]

Enjoy your 1500 (1430). My trusty 1400 has been a real workhorse having had to do 3 IPR resets since purchased. Still kicking. I've run dye, pigment and carbon black and white inksets through it. Always worked. I also have only used CIS ink systems throughout it's life. I see from your pic that they now put that bar connecting the back to the front across the opening. I think they do that to make it more difficult to use a CIS. They run a control ribbon through that bar to the front panel so it can't be removed (like my old Epson 1100).

And I want to thank you for all the Argyll and OCP assistance you didn't know you gave me.

Enjoy your new toy, er, I mean, professional inkjet printer.

 

[pharmacist]

OK, after more than 6 months I will upload the scans of the sun test pictures. There are some surprises concerning fading of the inks.

 

[The Hat]

OK, after more than 6 months I will upload the scans of the sun test pictures. There are some surprises concerning fading of the inks.

I can’t wait but I suppose I’ll have too.