Paul Verizzo
Print Addict
- Joined
- Apr 16, 2011
- Messages
- 436
- Reaction score
- 91
- Points
- 173
- Location
- Sarasota, FL, USA
- Printer Model
- Canon ip4500, 9000 MK II, PRO-
(Sorry about the word spacing. Artifact from cutting and pasting.)
The results are nothing short of astounding.
The inks were non-Chromalife as come with the G6000 series Megatank printer. I say "non-Chromalife" because they don't make the claim. OTOH, it would simplify production and inventory to make them CL+, no? I doubt if a "non-Chromalife" ink is any cheaper to make, so why not fill those bottle with CL?
My test setup was two 150 watt UV panels, side by side, held above the test papers by bricks, 3.5 inches. The paper temperatures ran 40 degrees over ambient. Ink torture, right? On each paper I laid a piece of cardboard covering a portion of the paper so that it would easily let one see faded vs. virgin. No looking at two papers, left and right trying to discern any difference. Obvious right away.
I wanted to see how different papers and different coatings would fare. Some of test prints were on basic plain paper, the goal was to compare coatings, not papers. Others were on assorted photo papers that i owned, nine in all. Coatings included Krylon UV, 100 SPF sunscreen, lacquer, and 1/8" acrylic sheet overlay. In my research about the latter, half of the serious papers said it stopped UV, others not. (It didn't.) Other than the plain paper, others were Canon Luster, old fashioned Ilford Classic Gallerie swellable gelatin type, Canon Glossy, generic clear film, and generic Staples matte.
To cut to the chase, no coating had any improvement over uncoated. Big bzzzt if you think that a coating will prevent light fading.
You can see some selected images at: Paper, Film, Coatings Tests (I hope that link works.)
My first and biggest disappointment was the Ilford Classic Gallerie. That old swellable gelatin had the reputation of fade resistance. Upon reflection, perhaps it was about ozone. I actually found a website that gave real time ozone readings where I live, immediately north of Austin, TX, USA. Almost always minimal. Anyway the Gallerie faded more than any other serious paper. What faded the least? Canon Luster and glossy...and the cheap clear generic film for transparencies! I ran the Canon Luster and clear film for another five day cycle, still virtually no fading after ten days of torture!
The only negative on the Canon luster image is a color shift on the lower B&W images. I've no idea why.
Which lends credence to my speculation that these G6020 inks ARE Chromalife+
Further, I'll speculate that even "non Chromalife+" inks will last are long as, or close to, pigments under most display environments.
So, the proverbial take aways or bottom lines are: No coating does squat. Maximum life is to be had with Canon papers....or generic clear film.
The results are nothing short of astounding.
The inks were non-Chromalife as come with the G6000 series Megatank printer. I say "non-Chromalife" because they don't make the claim. OTOH, it would simplify production and inventory to make them CL+, no? I doubt if a "non-Chromalife" ink is any cheaper to make, so why not fill those bottle with CL?
My test setup was two 150 watt UV panels, side by side, held above the test papers by bricks, 3.5 inches. The paper temperatures ran 40 degrees over ambient. Ink torture, right? On each paper I laid a piece of cardboard covering a portion of the paper so that it would easily let one see faded vs. virgin. No looking at two papers, left and right trying to discern any difference. Obvious right away.
I wanted to see how different papers and different coatings would fare. Some of test prints were on basic plain paper, the goal was to compare coatings, not papers. Others were on assorted photo papers that i owned, nine in all. Coatings included Krylon UV, 100 SPF sunscreen, lacquer, and 1/8" acrylic sheet overlay. In my research about the latter, half of the serious papers said it stopped UV, others not. (It didn't.) Other than the plain paper, others were Canon Luster, old fashioned Ilford Classic Gallerie swellable gelatin type, Canon Glossy, generic clear film, and generic Staples matte.
To cut to the chase, no coating had any improvement over uncoated. Big bzzzt if you think that a coating will prevent light fading.
You can see some selected images at: Paper, Film, Coatings Tests (I hope that link works.)
My first and biggest disappointment was the Ilford Classic Gallerie. That old swellable gelatin had the reputation of fade resistance. Upon reflection, perhaps it was about ozone. I actually found a website that gave real time ozone readings where I live, immediately north of Austin, TX, USA. Almost always minimal. Anyway the Gallerie faded more than any other serious paper. What faded the least? Canon Luster and glossy...and the cheap clear generic film for transparencies! I ran the Canon Luster and clear film for another five day cycle, still virtually no fading after ten days of torture!
The only negative on the Canon luster image is a color shift on the lower B&W images. I've no idea why.
Which lends credence to my speculation that these G6020 inks ARE Chromalife+
Further, I'll speculate that even "non Chromalife+" inks will last are long as, or close to, pigments under most display environments.
So, the proverbial take aways or bottom lines are: No coating does squat. Maximum life is to be had with Canon papers....or generic clear film.
