Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2000/09/15

[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]

Subject: [Leica] FYI... Lost in the Ozone: Epson Photos Fade
From: "Zeissler, Mitch" <mzeissle@gcipoa.gannett.com>
Date: Fri, 15 Sep 2000 10:40:12 -0400

Just saw the article below and thought others would be interested.

/Mitch Zeissler

+++++++++++++++++++++++

http://www.pcworld.com/pcwtoday/article/0,1510,18445,00.html

Lost in the Ozone: Epson Photos Fade

Photos printed on Stylus Photo 870, 875DC, and 1270 ink jets sometimes
change color quickly.

by Dan Littman, special to PCWorld.com 
September 12, 2000, 6:28 p.m. PT 

Contrary to ads promising fade-resistant, long-lasting photos, color prints
made with several Epson Stylus Photo ink jets turn orange in locations with
heavy concentrations of ozone in the air, Epson officials confirm. The
company offers to buy your printer if you're not satisfied with several
recommended fixes, including using new types of paper Epson will introduce
this fall. 

The problem came to light when some owners of Epson's Stylus Photo 870,
875DC, and 1270 reported photos they printed were turning orange. Sometimes
it occurs after a day or two, sometimes after a few weeks. But the problem
didn't occur at all for many printer owners. 

The printers shipped in May and were touted as economical alternatives to
professional photo developing and printing. (See "Epson Launches New Photo
Ink Jet Printers.") 

The complaints initially puzzled Epson, which had hired a well-respected lab
to torture-test the specialized inks and papers for the new Stylus Photo
models. Based on those tests, the company was so confident in the results
that its ads boast photos printed using the 870 "[would] be beautiful and
fade-resistant for years to come--as long lasting, in fact, as traditional
color photo lab prints." Other ads described the 1270's prints as
"fade-resistant media rivaling anything you've seen on standard color photo
lab prints." 

Lab Didn't Mimic Life

Why did some customers' real-world experiences fall so far short of Epson's
test results? The lab, following proper procedure to test any ink and paper
designed for indoor display, kept the test sample prints under glass while
bombarding them with "accelerated" lighting. But the glass also protected
the prints from air--and Epson now believes free-floating ozone is the
culprit. The gas apparently destroys the dye in cyan (blue) ink and leaves
behind the magenta (red) and yellow. That creates an orange cast. 

The orange shift only occurs where there's enough ozone at ground level.
Weather, other natural and human-generated chemicals in the environment,
indoor air quality, and other factors can affect ozone levels. That probably
explains why many Stylus Photo users haven't seen the orange shift.
Ironically, in smoggy areas with high levels of atmospheric ozone, the
problem can be less severe since other pollutants may interfere with the
ozone's ink-eating ability. 

Altering Ink Not an Answer

One Web developer, who asked not to be identified, wrote PC World that in
his work--developing Web sites--he photographs many products, and "It is
standard practice to send higher resolution prints to the clients for their
own use." 

He says prints that turned orange in transit have cost him several clients,
adding, "The sad thing is, the Epson 1270 delivers absolutely spectacular
prints--until the ozone attacks them. I guess I'm really hoping that they
come up with a real solution." 

The ideal solution would be an ink that won't break down from ozone
exposure. But a change in ink isn't as simple as it sounds, says Greg McCoy,
Epson's senior product manager for consumables (ink and paper). 

The printer software that controls the ink mix to look right on each type of
paper would have to be rewritten for a new formula. And there's no way to
ensure that the hundreds of thousands of people who own the affected models
will download and install the new software. 

"With any change to an ink it would be impossible to maintain the overall
quality of the printer," says McCoy. "It would be a catastrophe." 

Epson Offers Work-Arounds to Fading Photos 

So what should you do if you own one of these printers? Epson makes several
suggestions. 

First, the company recommends protecting photo prints from air in glass
frames or acid-free, archival photo sleeves. However, that could be
inconvenient. As another PC World correspondent writes, "Imagine a family
vacation photo-shoot of a hundred pics, all requiring being framed or placed
in a sleeve!" 

Also, if you're using Epson's Premium Glossy Photo Paper, you may want to
switch to a different type of paper for now. The Premium Glossy Photo
suffers more from orange shift than Epson's other papers. It produces its
bright, rich look by trapping ink on a surface barrier--where it is most
exposed to ozone--instead of letting it soak in, which would mute the
colors. 

Several photographers using Epson's 870 and 1270 report the same
orange-shift with other brands of high-quality barrier paper. Less glossy
papers delay the fading. Epson recommends its Matte Paper-Heavyweight or
Photo Paper. However, photographers also find the orange-shift occurs on
these more porous media, though more slowly. 

Finally, if you can't live without glossies, Epson in October plans to
release a Premium Glossy Photo paper that has an antioxidant to block the
ozone's effects. McCoy says photos printed on the new paper "will last four
to six times longer." Four to six times longer may satisfy some users,
though not all--particularly those who live where the orange shift occurs in
days or weeks. 

Buyback, But No Recall

Those alternatives are why Epson has not recalled the 870, 875DC, and 1270,
which the company maintains are fundamentally not flawed. 

"It's a usability issue," says McCoy. He insists the printers "work as
stated." In other words, Epson views the orange-shift only as an
inconvenience that doesn't render the printer unusable. (See PCWorld.com's
review of the 870: "Get Your Own Private Fotomat.") 

However, Epson realizes that convincing 870, 875DC, and 1270 owners to
change papers or protect every print is as impractical as releasing updated
drivers. Instead, the company is willing to buy back the printers. As McCoy
says, "If you're unhappy, I'm not going to argue with you; I'll refund your
money. We will do what it takes to make you happy."