1. Lack of Standard Sparks InkJet Controversy.
- Author
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Scoblete, Greg
- Subjects
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PHOTOGRAPHIC printing , *PHOTOGRAPHIC processing , *INK-jet printers , *PHOTOGRAPHIC paper - Abstract
The article focuses on the controversy surrounding the lack of standards among vendors in determining the longevity of an inkjet photo print. This means that consumers are not making apples-to-apples comparisons when they buy inkjet paper with competing longevity claims. It has also meant that manufacturers can establish test methods that put their products in the most favorable light, said Henry Wilhelm, a print permanence expert and founder of Wilhelm Imaging Research, an independent lab that tests photographic prints for longevity. Wilhelm singled out Kodak's Ultima inkjet paper, which proclaimed a lifespan of 100 years on its packaging, as the touchstone for the controversy and the impetus behind the creation of his own label based on his test methodology. This label has been endorsed by Hewlett-Packard (HP), Lexmark, Epson and Canon. The companies will integrate the labeling selectively at first, generally on the higher-end papers with best longevity. What Kodak did was take an HP printer and HP inks and used a less rigorous test to beat Hewlett's longevity numbers. Executives from both Hewlett-Packard and Epson protested Kodak's marketing claim, arguing that the testing methods employed by Kodak were not consistent with the methods employed by Wilhelm.
- Published
- 2005