Fade test for InkTec and cheap photo paper

[gigigogu]

Because I had a good experience with InkTec ink for Canon 525/526 cartridges (no clogs, good compatibility with Canon ink, good color reproduction) I was curious to see how it works with 2 cheap photo papers I currently have, Verbatim and Real glossy photo paper.

The setup: a pattern of saturated RGB and CMYK was printed twice on Verbatim and Real papers, and on Canon Photo Paper Plus Glossy II as a reference.
For each paper, upper side was printed with Canon Pixma IP4850 filled with InkTec ink, lower side was printed with Canon Pixma IP4600 with Canon original Cyan and Yellow and with unknown Magenta and PhotoBlack. Both printers had same settings (default) for all prints, with exception for Canon paper that was printed with corresponding setting.

Papers were exposed behind a south facing window, for two sunny weeks.

Here is the result, from top to bottom, Verbatim, Canon and Real papers.

InkTek ink faded on all papers, less on Canon paper.
Verbatim was a little better than Real, but the grains in paper are visible in lower side for green and blue band, and on Real paper all inks faded, save for Canon yellow .
The worst combination, for fading resistance under direct sunlight, was InkTec+Real paper.

 

[The Hat]

While your print and fade test looks very impressive its not very accrete or conclusive.
If you want to test out your two inks and test papers properly for fading
then you have to use only inks from one individual supplier and not mix then.

Try using the same printer next time with a complete set of inks form one supplier and
set your printer to print thirteen sheets of paper made up of ten plain sheets of copier + the last three to be your test sheets
then put an identification mark on your three test sheets so you can easily identify them later.

Next remove the first set of cartridges and then install the next matching ink set.
Now set your printer to print thirteen sheets again, the same as before
with the last three being your test sheets and mark them accordingly.

Discard all of the plain sheets of paper and display only two sets of test sheets
while holding back one of each sheet then leave the four sheets in your window for four weeks.

At the end of the four weeks youll have your exposure test results for your own two inks
and the original two sheets you held back earlier can then be used to compare the levels of colourfastness on both.

While this fade test wont be a true and scientific test it should help you to decide
which ink you prefer to use for your colour prints in the future good luck with you task..

 

[gigigogu]

The Hat

Thank you for info regarding a proper setup for fade test, but is far beyond my needs.
My little test had the sole purpose of seeing the behavior of said ink in combination with said cheap photo papers and I think it was conclusive: InkTec ink faded visibly even on Canon paper, after only two weeks exposure to mid autumn sun on 45 north latitude, and said cheap papers offered little protection.

 

[ThrillaMozilla]

Your test tells you that you need to use Canon cyan and magenta ink and Canon paper. It doesn't tell you anything else.

EDIT: oops, it just tells you about Canon cyan. You said you didn't know what the magenta was.

For example, it doesn't compare InkTec ink with any other third-party ink. Don't assume. You may be surprised. And unless you test under carefully controlled laboratory conditions, you can't compare two inks meaningfully unless you test them together.

It doesn't tell you anything about Canon yellow or black. (EDIT: that should say, it doesn't tell you anything about Canon magenta or black.) Furthermore, the test wasn't long enough to be meaningful. Don't assume that Canon ink won't fade. It probably will.

Finally, I wish everybody would identify the ink by number (OEM ink too if applicable). Magenta x and magenta y may not perform the same even if they are from the same manufacturer. There are some major discrepancies posted on the Web.

 

[gigigogu]

First some clarifications.
The image posted is actually composed of three papers. First two rows are on Verbatim paper, second two rows are on Canon paper and third two rows are on Real paper.
Half of each vertical strip was covered with aluminum foil.

I am saying again, this test was not to compare various third party inks, as the only ink available locally, intended for 525/526 cartridges, is InkTec, but to see its fade resistance on two cheap photo papers available to me.

In my opinion this test is telling me that photos printed with InkTec ink on these two papers will fade really fast if exposed to direct sunlight, if in only two weeks the fade was so pronounced.