Unfortunately I can't find the website that had the tests I remember. It may
have been an earlier version of
http://www.wilhelm-research.com/
or someone doing similar testing. Basically the people had been doing
accelerated life tests for a number of years before the Epson ultrachrome
inks came out. When they tested the ultrachrome inks they came up with a
number on the order of 100 years if the paper was the right kind etc. The
web site had a summary of about a half a dozen archival black and white
inkjet printing methods, the best of which they claimed would probably
outlast the paper. From their results, most papers showed that they would
degrade very noticeably within a 100 year time span.
Almost any kind of life testing which "proves" long lasting results has a
very high probability of being wrong because of unpredicted and untested
events. My example, perhaps poorly chosen, of the print touching the glass
was alluding to the lack of applicability/reliability of the tests. Simple
things can screw up any claim from being met. I believe one of the Epson
inkjet sets that was originally claimed to have a very long life span was
latter found to be very sensitive to ozone. Since inkjet printers haven't
been around for anywhere near a 100 years, proving how long it can last with
accelerated testing is very helpful but I wouldn't bet my life or property
title on it ... nor would I bet it on a single standard photo print.
Standard photo chemistry also is subject to mistakes that can greatly reduce
its life span. I had one of my favorite black and white prints go bad in
less than 10 years. I rather doubt that the standard photo print will have a
life span exceeding 100 years.
Debating whether a specially made photo print will last at least 100 or 200
years or whether a "pigmented ink" inkjet print will last as long can point
out more things to think about, but won't really tell whether anyone's
prints will survive without noticeable fading or discoloration.
There are dye based inks and there are pigment based inks.
There's acid free paper, ph neutral paper, lignen free paper, ....
Isn't a Palladium print considered to have a longer life than silver ...
There are books with ink on them that have outlasted any photo print ...
-jeff
----- Original Message -----
From: "Earl Dunbar" <edunbar@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <olympus@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
1. I am not talking about colour. I am ONLY talking about B&W (silver)
with careful archival processing. Are you saying that inks last as long?
If so, then I'd love to know the details. Paper is paper, inks are inks,
silver is silver.
2. Glass does not normally touch my prints.
Earl
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