HP ink & fading.

[Hatem Eldoronki]

I am using an officejet all-in-one printer (with the standard color cartridge #57), and just after a month, I noticed that one of my prints that I hang on a wall is almost completely faded.
Has anybody encountered the same with an HP? Or, is the #58 Photo cartridge any better?
[i](Obviously I can't afford an expensive printer right now, otherwise I would've gotten the Epson 2200)

[robertwgross]

To get a better answer, you might want to state what kind of paper you are using, and whether or not the photo is framed behind glass (relatively air tight).

Most inkjet prints will fade as a result of direct sunlight and exposure to air.

---Bob Gross---

[Hatem Eldoronki]

You're right...
I used glossy photo paper (by HP), and also a speciality silk printer fabric. I didn't frame neither (just pinned them to the cork board).

[robertwgross]

mcouper wrote:
I didn't frame neither (just pinned them to the cork board).

Then, that explains it.

What does a frame do? The frame itself highlights the photo, and the frame holds the glass in front of the photo. The glass makes the photo viewable but keeps air off.

---Bob Gross---

[defordphoto]

You can also help lengthen the life of your photos by spraying them with a photographic lacquer such as made by Sureguard. It provides a UV protection and makes your HP prints waterproof too.

[John_T]

I have often heard this fading issue with HP. It may be paper related too.

[Hatem Eldoronki]

I have printed on the same paper using a Canon printer with no fading at all. I think it must be the ink.
What I really wanted to know was if the HP photo ink was in any way superior to the HP color ink, as far as resistance to fading goes, if anybody had similar ink.
Thanks guys..

[Kees Terberg]

Tell me all about it... I have a HP 930 where my superb monochrome prints turned green after a week. I had my prints framed behind glass. The reply from the manufacturer was that I used Ilford paper with HP inks which do not combine well. I then tried Olmec paper- the results were even worse. I then bought the Canon 950. The inks are cheaper as you are not constantly replacing the entire print heads when a single colour runs out... The results, my prints on both Olmec and Ilford, after having been hung in the sun (not even behind glass as an experiment) have not faded a bit (after about 3 months). My advice: switch to Canon. The step might be costly but it will save you funds and headaches in the long run.

Kees

[Delisi]

I have been in the digital printing buisness for 9 years now and I will tell you this... ALL prints will fade over time ... some will fade quicker than others depending on a number of factors not limited to ... amount of sun exposure, angle of exposure , heat, humidity, paper, ...

I dont care if you use a canon/epson/hp...they will all fade over time and are not archival quality no matter what they will tell you. We have done several test with so called archival/uv "stable" inks... in the past couple of years the ink seems to take longer to fade but it still fades!!!

Putting a lexan/nonglare laminate will protect your prints from fading more than any thing

[Hatem Eldoronki]

Great input guys, thank you all. I will definitely try the laminate too..