dye vs pigment printers

Message 2637 of 5553

I have been researching printers for a while now and 1 question comes up rather often. What type of ink ?? dye or pigment .. why is one better than the other & why use either dye or pigment.
Most websites I have read report dye has betters colors & pigment does not ........ dye does not last as long 25 to 50 years ..... pigment over 100 years ... & what about the type of photo paper or manufacturer .. no one addresses it

what is your opinion on a purchase of a Canon Pixma Pro 9000 ??

lots of confusion ... answers appreciated

posted by blazeyellow

I used to be up to speed on all that stuff, but I am slipping away.

I used Epson printers for a few years that use pigmented inks, because they seemed to have the edge in color quality and longevity, and the "experts" always said they were the best. I got some really nice prints from those printers, but I gave up the hope of selling prints and those printers have been history for some time.

Dyes fade faster than pigments, and won't stand up to exposure to light as well, thus their wider acceptance for art that will be on display. Dyes are fine for snapshots, not for fine art.

posted by TJfromAZ
over 2 years ago

I too have used Epson printers for years. I got a freebee Canon copier/printer with the purchase of the iMac and didn't care for it.
For fine prints, especially large format, I use professional print shops with the criteria of archival quality inks and paper.
For 8x10 or small, I try to use archival quality paper.
To really fix prints and prevent fading, is to have them mounted and glazed with UV reflective glass or a clear fixative spray.

posted by Ghostdancer
over 2 years ago

Thank you for posting this question blazeyellow. Like TJ and Ghostdancer, I used an epson printer with pigment inks and enjoyed the results. However, for purposes of exhibition, I rely on a professional print shop. I did a little bit of research and found a couple of links that you might find (as I did) informative and useful:

Pigment vs. Dye Based Ink
view link

Dye vs. Pigment
view link

This includes a nice discussion on paper as well
view link