Do Digital Prints Fade After Time?: Open Talk Forum: Digital Photography Review (2024)

I have heard a rumor that digital prints will fade after time because they are printed. Does it depend on the printer or where you print them? any goog info on this topic would be greatly appreciated. thanks in advance

Jonesman

Jonesman619wrote:

I have heard a rumor that digital prints will fade after time
because they are printed. Does it depend on the printer or where
you print them? any goog info on this topic would be greatly
appreciated. thanks in advance

Jonesman

Sadly, it is true. Anything that is printed will fade. The source of the image is not an issue, the fact that it is put on paper is. A digital file is basically eternal, as long as the storage media lasts. Anything printed, on any paper, will fade over time given the right conditions. Put the printed image in the sun for a year or two and it will fade. Prints made on a consumer inkjet will fade much faster, and this is probably the source of the rumor that you have heard. If you take your images to a real photo lab, the prints are no different than if you sent roll film to be developed. And they will fade in time.

Jonesman619wrote:

I have heard a rumor that digital prints will fade after time
because they are printed. Does it depend on the printer or where
you print them? any goog info on this topic would be greatly
appreciated. thanks in advance

For ink jet printing, a lot of things influence how long prints last: type and quality of paper you use (eg. archival), type and quality of ink (pigment or dye), how and where you store/frame prints, etc.

You can get a lot information and permanence ratings from the Wilhelm Research Institute:

http://www.wilhelm-research.com/

Check out the link re: Permanence Articles.

Jonesman619wrote:

So but are you saying that a Digital print and a Film print if they
were produced at the same time and placed under the same
conditions... would they fade at the same rate or would the digital
pictures fade faster than the film pictures??

There is a vast difference in fading for different inkjet prints. Some have reported here on DPreview seeing noticible fading within a week. (!) But some pigment based ink and paper combinations are rated for up to a hundred years. Follow the references the other posters gave you for more information.

And again, photos made from mini-lab photo machines are regular photos. They last as long as other photos do.

Wayne Larmon

Everything fades with time!

Jonesman619wrote:

I have heard a rumor that digital prints will fade after time
because they are printed. Does it depend on the printer or where
you print them? any goog info on this topic would be greatly
appreciated. thanks in advance

Jonesman

a pigment digital inkjet print (epson 2200, 7600, 9600, 7500, 9500 )will outlast all commercial photographic prints.

Jonesman619wrote:

So but are you saying that a Digital print and a Film print if they
were produced at the same time and placed under the same
conditions... would they fade at the same rate or would the digital
pictures fade faster than the film pictures??

humboldtjimwrote:

Everything fades with time!

hmmm ... even my age spots? There is hope then?

I have an Epson 7500 and I print on canvas. Because the print is easily scratched, I spray a UV coat on it. The print should be color fast for over 100 years, (assuming it isn't hung outside in the sun!!
Warm Regards
Karl
Karl H. Timmerman M.A.J.D.
http://www.karltimmerman.com
http://www.karltimmerman.com/ramblings.html
'The best part of taking the moral highground ...... is the view'.

Jonesman619wrote:

So but are you saying that a Digital print and a Film print if they
were produced at the same time and placed under the same
conditions... would they fade at the same rate or would the digital
pictures fade faster than the film pictures??

You are not getting the point. Film or digital is not an issue period. It is the print process not the medium in which the photograph was taken. I repeat it is the print process not the medium in which the photograph was taken.

Fading is determined by the paper, ink/dye used and how the print is stored. Film or digital medium is not an issue. I repeat film or digital medium is not an issue. I repeat film or digital medium is not an issue. I repeat film or digital medium is not an issue.

Jonesman619wrote:

I have heard a rumor that digital prints will fade after time
because they are printed. Does it depend on the printer or where
you print them? any goog info on this topic would be greatly
appreciated. thanks in advance

Jonesman

How about your skin or what about your clothes if you wear them over time?

What about the paint on your house or how about the paint INSIDE your house. If that white trim in the bathroom turning yellow?

ljbutler1951wrote:

Jonesman619wrote:

I have heard a rumor that digital prints will fade after time
because they are printed. Does it depend on the printer or where
you print them? any goog info on this topic would be greatly
appreciated. thanks in advance

Jonesman

and quite bad sometimes, it depends if they are kept under glass and out of strong sunlight. Color slides are pretty resistant to fading, as are negatives, but color prints are not. Also, I have seen the exposure of a color print (the kind you get from the mini-lab) change as much as one stop, just by exposing the print to direct sunlight.

Jonesman619wrote:

So but are you saying that a Digital print and a Film print if they
were produced at the same time and placed under the same
conditions... would they fade at the same rate or would the digital
pictures fade faster than the film pictures??

Here's a priceless Christmas memory of my sister and I:

This photo was stored in an album, in a closet, and only brought out maybe 2-3 times a year.
--
Tyson Schettig

probably due to the water soluble ink. Water vapor will eventually fade the colors. I have heard that if you seal inkjet prints in plastic, they don't fade.

I moved to a dye sublimation printer (Olympus P-400), which costs a bit more to run, but the print is made with melted plastic which is certainly not water soluble. I've had some dye sub prints hanging on my wall for two years, no sign of fading.

Another benefit of the dye sub printer - the prints have a sort of 'depth' to them, almost a 3D look. Inkjet prints look positively flat compared to the 8x10's that come out of the P400.

You can print it back at anytime anyway (if you can organize: digital files keep better than negatives). For printing I prefer real photolabs over home printers because these prints last longer and are cheaper as well.

Karl
http://www.pbase.com/karlc

Jonesman619wrote:

I have heard a rumor that digital prints will fade after time
because they are printed. Does it depend on the printer or where
you print them? any goog info on this topic would be greatly
appreciated. thanks in advance

Jonesman

Yes, but you most likely won't witness this fading.

Karl H. Timmerman M.A.J.D.wrote:

humboldtjimwrote:

Everything fades with time!

hmmm ... even my age spots? There is hope then?

Sure you can print them over again but who wants to have to make reprints every other month. My wife loves to scrapbook but she doesn't want to have to pull everything apart and redo the entire scrap book because of fading. Thanks for the info everyone.

Jonesman

Karl Cwrote:

You can print it back at anytime anyway (if you can organize:
digital files keep better than negatives). For printing I prefer
real photolabs over home printers because these prints last longer
and are cheaper as well.

Karl

That won't be needed. Especially not with prints coming from a photolab. So maybe once every 20 years, and if you still like that 'old' picture of course ...

Karl

Jonesman619wrote:
Sure you can print them over again but who wants to have to make
reprints every other month. My wife loves to scrapbook but she
doesn't want to have to pull everything apart and redo the entire
scrap book because of fading. Thanks for the info everyone.

Jonesman

Karl Cwrote:

You can print it back at anytime anyway (if you can organize:
digital files keep better than negatives). For printing I prefer
real photolabs over home printers because these prints last longer
and are cheaper as well.

Karl

Jonesman619wrote:

I have heard a rumor that digital prints will fade after time
because they are printed. Does it depend on the printer or where
you print them? any goog info on this topic would be greatly
appreciated. thanks in advance

Jonesman

True for Fuji Crystal Archive (rated life of 60 years). But Kodak's Endura papers are rated in use behind glass and out of direct sunlight as having a 100 year life and in dark storage a 200 year life span.

lrgfmtwrote:
a pigment digital inkjet print (epson 2200, 7600, 9600, 7500, 9500
)will outlast all commercial photographic prints.

Jonesman619wrote:

So but are you saying that a Digital print and a Film print if they
were produced at the same time and placed under the same
conditions... would they fade at the same rate or would the digital
pictures fade faster than the film pictures??

The latest Lumix puts a Four Thirds sensor in a full-frame body with boosted AF and a wealth of stills and video capabilities to create a Swiss Army Knife of a Micro Four Thirds camera.

The fourth camera in Leica's SL series of full-frame mirrorless cameras sees the 60MP BSI sensor from the Q3 and M11 models arrive with a significant interface redesign.

The Fujifilm X100VI is the sixth iteration of Fujifilm's classically-styled large sensor compact. A 40MP X-Trans sensor, in-body stabilization and 6.2K video are among the updates.

The Nikon Zf is a 24MP full-frame mirrorless camera with classic looks that brings significant improvements to Nikon's mid-price cameras. We just shot a sample reel to get a better feel for its video features and have added our impressions to the review.

This $250 electronic lens adapter is perfect for Nikon Z-mount curious Sony shooters — shhh, we won’t tell anyone.

What’s the best camera for around $2000? This price point gives you access to some of the most all-round capable cameras available. Excellent image quality, powerful autofocus and great looking video are the least you can expect. We've picked the models that really stand out.

What's the best camera for travel? Good travel cameras should be small, versatile, and offer good image quality. In this buying guide we've rounded-up several great cameras for travel and recommended the best.

If you want a compact camera that produces great quality photos without the hassle of changing lenses, there are plenty of choices available for every budget. Read on to find out which portable enthusiast compacts are our favorites.

'What's the best mirrorless camera?' We're glad you asked.

Above $2500 cameras tend to become increasingly specialized, making it difficult to select a 'best' option. We case our eye over the options costing more than $2500 but less than $4000, to find the best all-rounder.