Epson 1280 & Canon BCI-6 ink tests
Epson Dye Ink Tests (Using Epson 1280 printer)
| Paper | Estimated Print Life |
|---|---|
| UltraPro Satin | 7 |
| Premium Matte Papers | 7 |
Canon BCI-6 inks tests
| Paper | Estimated Print Life |
|---|---|
| UltraPro Gloss | 5 |
| UltraPro Satin | 4 |
| Polar Gloss** | 5 |
| 53 lb. Premium Gloss | 5 |
| Premium Matte Papers | 12 |
** Polar Gloss before it was upgraded to slow fading with dye inks
Test Methodology
Our independent test facility* has just released the data from our last test. They used an established technique of exposing our samples to 50 kilolux of unfiltered cool light fluorescent light for 3 months (simulating a period of 25 years). Each patch has 12 unique parts for measurement.
These tests do not account for other causes of image failure which we now know can have a significant effect. Measuring effects from pollution (indoors and outdoors) and humidity are very difficult to qualify and are not addressed with our tests.
As before, the lab measures the deterioration of the intensity of all of 12 patches. When fading or other change has been recorded to each a specific point, the sample is declared to have "failed". For instance, if the "Pure Cyan" test reaches a point of 30% deterioration, that is the End Point for that sample regardless if no registered decline by any other of the 11 patches exists. The bottom line: we are looking for the worst case scenario.
This does not mean that your image will "disappear", rather it will change a bit in shade which can be recognized by the human eye especially if you compare to another identical image freshly printed on the same printer with the exact same settings as before.
Specific Test Criteria for Each Paper
| Test | Patch | Parameter |
|---|---|---|
| Cyan Fade | Pure Cyan | 30% Loss |
| Magenta Fade | Pure Magenta | 30% Loss |
| Yellow Fade | Pure Yellow | 30% Loss |
| Black Fade | Pure K Neutral | 30% Loss |
| Cyan Fade | CMY Neutral | 30% Loss |
| Magenta Fade | CMY Neutral | 30% Loss |
| Yellow Fade | CMY Neutral | 30% Loss |
| Red Green Imbalance | CMY Neutral | + or - 15% change |
| Red Blue Imbalance | CMY Neutral | + or - 15% change |
| Green Blue Imbalance | CMY Neutral | + or - 15% change |
| Cyan Stain | Dmin | 0.10 Density Change |
| Magenta Stain | Dmin | 0.10 Density Change |
| Yellow Stain | Dmin | 0.10 Density Change |
*All tests conducted at the Image Permanence Institute at the Rochester Institute of Technology
Last updated: August 19, 2021
