Google Groups no longer supports new Usenet posts or subscriptions. Historical content remains viewable.
Dismiss

HP 7550 fading prints?

1 view
Skip to first unread message

Tim

unread,
Jun 4, 2004, 3:28:23 PM6/4/04
to
I have an HP 7550 and ONLY use HP inks.

I'd printed some 4X6's using HP's Photo Paper, Glossy, some weeks/months
back. I'd say maybe 3/4 month maybe. They were printed under BEST with the
proper paper type setting.

I have them scattered around my living room and a couple in the kitchen.
This week I've noted they've ALL turned creepy greenish and have faded too.

The Environment: My rooms have windows, but are mostly left with the blinds
drawn until evening. There is minimal indirect light on the pictures and no
artificial light. The temperature does reach the mid-80's during the day at
this time of the year.

I KNOW that the normal 'Photo Paper' is NOT as long lived at the 'Premium'
or 'Premium Plus' stuff, but I thought they'd last longer than this. With
the cost of ink, not to mention paper, I hate just flushing everything I
print after 12 weeks.

Any thoughts?

Thanks,
Tim


Bob Headrick

unread,
Jun 4, 2004, 5:39:50 PM6/4/04
to

"Tim" <t...@check.com> wrote in message news:r34wc.6441$Sw.2992@attbi_s51...

> I have an HP 7550 and ONLY use HP inks.
>
> I'd printed some 4X6's using HP's Photo Paper, Glossy, some weeks/months
> back. I'd say maybe 3/4 month maybe. They were printed under BEST with the
> proper paper type setting.
>
> I have them scattered around my living room and a couple in the kitchen.
> This week I've noted they've ALL turned creepy greenish and have faded too.
[snip]

> I KNOW that the normal 'Photo Paper' is NOT as long lived at the 'Premium'
> or 'Premium Plus' stuff, but I thought they'd last longer than this. With
> the cost of ink, not to mention paper, I hate just flushing everything I
> print after 12 weeks.

There is actually an enormous difference in lightfastness between different
paper types. HP Premium Plus has about 2x the lightfastness of HP Premium.
The everyday HP photo paper has much less light fade performance. See
http://www.wilhelm-research.com/pdf/PCWorld_FadeFactor_Nov_2002.pdf for some
comparisons. There are lightfade differences of 30x or more between different
papers. For prints that you need to have last for years use appropriate
papers.
http://h10025.www1.hp.com/ewfrf/wc/genericDocument?lc=en&cc=us&docname=bpy21054
shows relative indications of various HP photo papers.

Regards,
Bob Headrick, not speaking for my employer HP


Tim

unread,
Jun 4, 2004, 6:01:29 PM6/4/04
to
Thanks Bob,

Hoped you'd see my msg.

I accept what you've presented.

Having said that, I'm amazed that these prints, not displayed in sunlight,
didn't even last 12 weeks. Seems a paper that needs withdrawing from the
product line.

re: For prints that you need to have last for years ... - What use would the
average person have for a print that lasts less than three months?

As a Product Manager, which I am, I'd be embarrassed to launch such an
offering, even having told the consumer of the characteristics of the
product in advance.

Nothing personal, of course. I appreciate your presence on this newsgroup.

Thanks,
Tim

"Bob Headrick" <bo...@proaxis.com> wrote in message
news:10c1r15...@corp.supernews.com...

Traveling

unread,
Jun 4, 2004, 7:36:49 PM6/4/04
to
A different question but about HP papers.

Does HP offer printer settings for a non-HP printer?

If they do, where would I find it?

I really think that there is potenital for a marketing coup to increase the
sale of paper if settings where listed for other major brands of printers.

Bob Headrick

unread,
Jun 4, 2004, 11:19:00 PM6/4/04
to
"Traveling" <hot...@hotmail.com> wrote in message
news:jI7wc.39202$oi5.18460@fed1read07...

> Does HP offer printer settings for a non-HP printer?

> I really think that there is potenital for a marketing coup to increase the
> sale of paper if settings where listed for other major brands of printers.

It really is not very practical to do this as different inks and papers have
differnt color output. SInce the objective is to reproduce color faithfully it
is necessary to tune the drivers for each supported paper. On the HP side the
color science folks in the printer divisions stay pretty busy moptimizing the
HP ink and paper results.

Trying to support the competitors ink and writing systes would be a formidable
challenge, especailly since support could not start until the products were on
the market as the competitors would presumably not care to share thier
development plans for printers and inks before then. An additiona difficulty
is that the color corrections for a particular paper are typically made in the
driver and internal printer firmware. It would be exceedingly difficult to
design color maps for a competitors printer without thier cooperation.

REgards,

Steve B

unread,
Jun 5, 2004, 1:33:30 AM6/5/04
to
FWIW, I've had prints from my old HP930 (4yrs) and newer HP5550 (16 months)
laying around in similar circumstances to yours with zero fading in all this
time. That's with HP ink, refill ink, some HP Premium paper, lots of Ilford
Printasia glossy and Imation Photojet glossy. I seem to be able to get away
with any storage method, even a couple of prints have for the last year been on
a shelf sandwiched between folders but with about an inch exposed, and there's
zero difference between the covered area and the exposed area despite lots of
fluorescent lighting exposure (but no direct sunlight, just normal shaded
daylight).
Differences? Well, it's England and we hardly ever see temperatures in the
80's. More like 68 deg
average I suppose indoors. Humid though. Gas pollutants can have a huge effect
on fading, as can draughts, especially if combined with light exposure but I
don't think anyone really understands the combined effect fully.
It would seem sensible to change papers and keep your prints covered up in the
meantime.

"Tim" <t...@check.com> wrote in message news:Zi6wc.41599$pt3.19141@attbi_s03...

Tim

unread,
Jun 5, 2004, 1:19:26 PM6/5/04
to
Actually Steve, you got me thinking about Gas pollutants. I have a very nice
Indian family living downstairs. You think the Curry fumes might be ...? ;>)

Thanks,
Tim

"Steve B" <sbrads@nildramDOTcoDOTuk> wrote in message
news:edmdnVdvtei...@nildram.net...

Message has been deleted

Mushroom

unread,
Jun 11, 2004, 4:40:19 PM6/11/04
to
Joel wrote:

Seriously, PhotoPaper is NOT the same as Premium or Premium plus. The
Photo paper uses an absorbant inkjet receiving layer over the subtrate.
The ink is absorbed into it but pollutants in the air can still get at
the ink pigments/dyes and they react to them - this is what changes the
colour. You need to use the Premium Plus paper which uses a swellable
receiving layer - the ink stays behind a UV and airproof layer and is
gauranteed for 70 years minimum - much longer than silver halide. Using
a "closed loop" system - HP priner, HP inks, HP swellable photo paper
will give you infinitely better and more consistent paper than all that
stuff abot taking the camera card/Cd to a photo shop.


--
Mushroom

Bob Headrick

unread,
Jun 13, 2004, 2:43:17 PM6/13/04
to

"Joel" <Jo...@NoSpam.com> wrote in message
news:21037744...@anonymous.com...

> There won't be 70 years, not even 2-3 years if explore to light.
> Some color may last longer than other, and some has much shorter
> life. Let say some colors last for 100 years and some last for 1 year,
> and 1 year later the photo will show DOT DOT DOT DOT and lot
> of DOTS because some color faded away and turn the 100-year color
> into ugly DOTs.

In your example the light fade would be rated as 1 year (or less). The rating
is based on the time it tekes the print to show just noticable degradation,
which will happen once the first color fades.

Read up on the subject at http://www.wilhelm-research.com/.

Message has been deleted

Bob Headrick

unread,
Jun 17, 2004, 4:17:43 PM6/17/04
to

"Joel" <Jo...@NoSpam.com> wrote in message
news:18340392...@anonymous.com...

"Bob Headrick" <bo...@proaxis.com> wrote:
>> Read up on the subject at http://www.wilhelm-research.com/.

[snip]

> Yes, I have read few color tests from several different ink
> and paper companies, and dozen individual users which
> often found more ink and paper problem than the ink and
> paper companies.

Henry Wilhelm is not an ink or paper company, he is a researcher and has been
doing this for 20+ years. From his web site: "Henry Wilhelm is co-founder,
president, and director of research at Wilhelm Imaging Research, Inc. and
appears frequently as a speaker on inkjet printing technologies and print
permanence at industry conferences, trade shows, and museum conservation
meetings."

See http://www.wilhelm-research.com/about_us.html for details.

regards,

Message has been deleted
0 new messages