On Wednesday, December 10, 2003, at 07:14 PM, Jeff Keller wrote:
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.
I think it was the Wilhelm site. It used to have much more public
information than it has now. I imagine he is getting paid for his
testing now and that the information is only as public as the buyer
wants. I remember it was the 2000P inks that had the 100 year life
span. but with a subdued color gamut. The Ultrachromes were a
compromise between vivid color and life span and have long lifetimes,
but not as long as the 2000P inks. Parenthetically, I saw a 4 page ad
for a Canon high quality printer recently with no mention of longevity.
I seriously doubt they have not had their prints tested, but do not
desire to publish the results or even to make a vague brag about it.
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.
I think you are probably right. But best guess scientific testing is
better than nothing. Although may not forsee the effects of everything
you can certainly account for most of what will happen to a print and
increase your chances that it will last. Certainly companies like Epson
think testing is important enough and accurate enough to base lots of
spending and lots of research to develop materials that do well in the
tests.
I don't have links ready to post but they can be found. There has been
lots of scientific discussion that even modern black and white film is
not as permanent as previously thought. Apparently not as permanent as
the old stuff that has survived.
Winsor
Long Beach, California, USA
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