Any recent data on 3rd party ink longevity / gamut?

[tony22]

In particular the 3rd party dye alternatives for the Pro9000 Mk.II. I'm nearing the end of my Canon OEM inks and I think it's time to migrate to one of the more affordable choices. I'd like to find one that is closest to the OEM inks in terms of gamut and longevity. New ink and paper combinations will be profiled. Papers will be primarily Canon, Ilford, and Moab.

 

[jtoolman]

Presision Colors or www.inkjetcarts.us if you are in the USA. Inks are made by Image Specialist and I saw no difference whatsoever between OEM and theirs. I did not have to redo any of my ICC profiles.

 

[pelermon]

I experienced same quality with inkjetcarts.

 

[rodbam]

Image Specialist inks seem to work seamlessly when you swap over from OEM inks. I just filled each OEM cartridge as the original ink ran out & the prints looked just the same. I don't think you have any worries about longevity either.
Precision Colors (Nth America) & Ocktoink (UK & Europe) both supply Image Specialist inks & lots of good advice if you need it.

 

[tony22]

Thanks. Good to hear positives from multiple people. Any anecdotal or measured info on how the longevity compares? I read something that suggested OCP inks may have been recently tweaked (maybe over the course of the past year). Curious as to whether anyone has insight into that?

 

[rodbam]

Someone a while ago here made two prints, one with Canon OEM ink & one with Image Specialist inks & placed them in a sunny position & the Image Specialist inks were at least as good. I've read the OCP inks have been tested to equal OEM inks in longevity tests & some colours bettering the OEM.
The archival properties of inks is I think being taken to silly levels these days as most quality inks will have a long life behind glass & even do OK naked. If the prints are for sale then it may have some importance but it would depend on the price of the print. How long do we expect anything we buy for a few hundred dollars to last.

 

[tony22]

The archival properties of inks is I think being taken to silly levels these days as most quality inks will have a long life behind glass & even do OK naked. If the prints are for sale then it may have some importance but it would depend on the price of the print. How long do we expect anything we buy for a few hundred dollars to last.

Yes, that makes good sense Rod. I like seeing data, though. I think I do remember somewhere seeing a website that had gamut comparisons for some of these inks. Although gamut volume is not necessarily the most important thing.

 

[aussierob]

In particular the 3rd party dye alternatives for the Pro9000 Mk.II. I'm nearing the end of my Canon OEM inks and I think it's time to migrate to one of the more affordable choices. I'd like to find one that is closest to the OEM inks in terms of gamut and longevity. New ink and paper combinations will be profiled. Papers will be primarily Canon, Ilford, and Moab.

Hi tony22

At the risk of preaching to the converted, your printer, ink and paper make up a system. The paper you use is probably the most important variable followed by the ink and then the printer. I did some crude fade tests using Image specialists, Inktec and Canon OEM inks on Kodak Premium Photo paper, Canon Pro paper and Ilford Galerie Classic gloss. The Kodak paper is not resin coated so fade resistance was very poor with the third party inks. When quality resin coated papers such as Canon Pro Photo paper (microporous) and Ilford Galerie Classic Gloss (swellable) the fade resistance was almost undetectable after a month or two in the Australian sun.

As you are going to be using Pro grade Canon and Ilford papers I would recommend either Inktec or Image Specialists; with the Image specialists being closest to the Canon OEM. Although you will need to profile to get them to match your monitor.

 

[tony22]

Thanks for your input aussierob. Yes, I typically stick with the higher end coated or swellable papers, although I may eventually try some of that fine art media someday. As to profiling, with that I'm all set. Been doing it for years, although with unpredictable results. It hasn't been until I finally got an i1Pro and began using better profiling software that I've been able to generate a usable profile without having to tweak it to no end.

 

[The Hat]

The paper you use is probably the most important variable followed by the ink and then the printer.

You never said a truer word aussierob
As I have always believed that paper plays a huge role in picture longevity followed by ink, printer..