Inktec ink fading :(

[chirantha7777]

I've used Inktec ink with my Canon IP3680. I've printed some photo's and sold them (two or three) I kept one at my house inside in the hall. After a while (around 12 days) I've noticed it fading. The photo was printed on Kodak Glossy Photo Paper (4R). At the same time I bought a Epson and used Print-rite ink with it. Amazingly the prints done with the Print-rite ink didn't fade still (29 days).

Price of milliliter of Inktec ink : Rs. 25/-
Price of milliliter of Print-rite ink : Rs. 5/-

Here is the image compared with image I had inside a envelope. So we basically pay MORE to get bad ink? :shocked:

 

[ghwellsjr]

That's certainly not good news. I've been basing my preference for Inktec dye inks on this study done a long time ago. Maybe the problem is the paper.

Also, does the Epson printer use pigment ink?

 

[chirantha7777]

That's certainly not good news. I've been basing my preference for Inktec dye inks on this study done a long time ago. Maybe the problem is the paper.

Also, does the Epson printer use pigment ink?

Epson uses Print-rite dye ink. And both Epson and Canon used the same paper.

 

[fish]

I'm in Hawaii and have a bad ozone fading problem with most dye inks. Using swellable paper helps a lot - have been using up a batch of older Kodak swellable and recently purchased Ilford Classic, which is currently packaging 40 sheets (bonus extra 15 sheets) in their 25 sheet pack. Interestingly, I have had a real problem with Kirkland, which everybody loves.

 

[pharmacist]

Actually: two years ago I already mentioned the rather bad fade resistance of Inktec ink (CLI-8 version) compared to Hobbicolors UW-8. HC UW-8 has a significantly better fade resistance. Dye ink needs swellable paper for long lasting prints, but the slow drying of this paper forces everybody in need of convenience towards the easy to handle microporous paper like Kirkland. An alternative is to use a coating spray to seal off the surface. When kept in albums even cheap dye inks will last for decennia before noticable fading.

 

[StuartE]

Personally, I think the biggest problem will be the paper - I have had fading issues on Kodak paper, which is a pity 'cos it gives lovely prints when they're fresh - I do NOT have problems with the same ink on Canon PR101 paper. Kodak paper also gave some terrible colour shifts with both lexmark and HP printers I used, the PR101 didn't - as far as it goes though, there is some huge performance differences amongst various types of Canon paper, too, but the statement that Epson and Canon use 'Kodak' paper amuses me greatly - there are very different issues with the papers from all sorts of manufacturers, and each make a paper that is designed to work really well with their machines, profiling the paper to work well - Kodak make paper to work 'pretty well' on all machines - and did, at one point, supply their own profiles and settings to use with the major machines to work as well as it could. The resulting prints are certainly not to the same standard of Canon paper on a Canon machine, with Canon ink - I've got plenty of prints that prove that.

 

[fish]

Personally, I think the biggest problem will be the paper - I have had fading issues on Kodak paper, which is a pity 'cos it gives lovely prints when they're fresh - I do NOT have problems with the same ink on Canon PR101 paper. Kodak paper also gave some terrible colour shifts with both lexmark and HP printers I used, the PR101 didn't - as far as it goes though, there is some huge performance differences amongst various types of Canon paper, too, but the statement that Epson and Canon use 'Kodak' paper amuses me greatly - there are very different issues with the papers from all sorts of manufacturers, and each make a paper that is designed to work really well with their machines, profiling the paper to work well - Kodak make paper to work 'pretty well' on all machines - and did, at one point, supply their own profiles and settings to use with the major machines to work as well as it could. The resulting prints are certainly not to the same standard of Canon paper on a Canon machine, with Canon ink - I've got plenty of prints that prove that.

All manufacturers have a range of papers. Generally, the more you pay, the better it gets, both in terms of image and fade resistance. The old saying "nothing good is cheap, and nothing cheap is good" applies to inkjet photo paper.

 

[pharmacist]

StuartE,

I did perform my test on the same type of microporous paper and I have two specific profiles produced by a profile company to have identical prints for both types of inks. This paper is a microporous high gloss one. I tried to print with Inktec ink with my previous MP780 with the specific Hobbicolors UW-8 profile and discovered the prints were far too light. So conclusion: the dyes of HC are much stronger, because when I used the dedicated Inktec CLI-8 profile the prints are on pair with the HC UW-8 prints with HC UW-8 profile.

So even with more ink sprayed on the same type of paper (Inktec, to compensate for the less saturated ink) the Inktec ink was much more susceptible to fading than HC UW-8 ink. The HC UW-8 ink was sprayed in a thinner layer than the Inktec CLI-8 ink to achieve the same colours and intensity on this particular paper and still has a much better fade resistance. So one could ask what would happen if you will use the HC-UW-8 profile to print with Inktec ink on this paper: not only will the colours be much lighter and will look "faded', but I think the fading will be much faster too, because there is less ink laying on the paper as well.

 

[pebe]

I have bought paper from various sources, but I cannot remember seeing it stated on the packet whether it's swellable or microporous type. Usually it just says 'Instant dry' or something similar.

How can I tell the difference?

 

[fish]

I have bought paper from various sources, but I cannot remember seeing it stated on the packet whether it's swellable or microporous type. Usually it just says 'Instant dry' or something similar.

How can I tell the difference?

You need to do some homework at the manufacturer's site. Basically, swellable is incompatible with pigment inks (will not, or takes a looooong time to dry). I have found "Ilford Gallerie Classic" to give great results with my Canon printers and use microporous for proofs (Kirkland). Although not swellable, I also like Ilford Premium Photo Pearl.

http://www.ilford.com/en/products/galerie/classic/classicMedia.asp