Portrait Artist Forum - View Single Post

03-20-2003, 07:44 PM

I own both a SLR and a digital camera. I love having both of them as I use my digital camera a lot when designing webpages and find it too convenient in taking quick snapshots on vacations and such. But I am still leary about the long term effects in printing my photos from my digial camera onto photo paper. There is no concrete proof in stating that these digitally produced photographs from my hewlett packard printer will be staying around for 100 plus years. Oh yes, the printing companies will state that there ink is archival and will last for 100 plus years but nobody really knows for certain. I have worked at a print shop for many years and know a lot about archival ink myself. Also, don't let water get near those ink-jet photos!

I am knee deep into geneaology and own tons of old black and white photographs taken in the 1800's. Not only are these old photos clear but not a hint of yellowing or degrading in them.

Also, we save our images to CD's. They have done studies on how long CD-ROMs will last for - I have seen the average at 10 years. No one knows for sure to say the least. So in the future, will we be able to ever look at those precious pics from our CD's again and pass them on to generation to generation?

Even if studies has shown that my photos printed on photo paper will last 30 years, I want to have concrete evidence to make sure that any of my precious photos such graduations, births, parties, anniversaries, etc are all taken on my SLR camera and not my digital. There is no gaurantee at all in stating that our beautiful, precious pictures will stay around for years to come. I know, my myself, I want to be able to pass down as many photos about my family and friends to my children. It has already been said that the older black and white photographs will outlast the coloured photographs of our time but what about those ink-jet printed photos?

I am too stuck into the new technology and love my digital camera. Oh how convenient it is to erase the photo we don't want and having a filmless camera. I use it all the time (maybe even too much).

Film is the cheapest I have seen it in years and that is probably due to the fact for the popular market of the digital cameras. Thank you digital camera!!

03-20-2003, 07:44 PM	#39
Melissa Schatzmann Guest Posts: n/a	Will your ink-jet photos last??? I own both a SLR and a digital camera. I love having both of them as I use my digital camera a lot when designing webpages and find it too convenient in taking quick snapshots on vacations and such. But I am still leary about the long term effects in printing my photos from my digial camera onto photo paper. There is no concrete proof in stating that these digitally produced photographs from my hewlett packard printer will be staying around for 100 plus years. Oh yes, the printing companies will state that there ink is archival and will last for 100 plus years but nobody really knows for certain. I have worked at a print shop for many years and know a lot about archival ink myself. Also, don't let water get near those ink-jet photos! I am knee deep into geneaology and own tons of old black and white photographs taken in the 1800's. Not only are these old photos clear but not a hint of yellowing or degrading in them. Also, we save our images to CD's. They have done studies on how long CD-ROMs will last for - I have seen the average at 10 years. No one knows for sure to say the least. So in the future, will we be able to ever look at those precious pics from our CD's again and pass them on to generation to generation? Even if studies has shown that my photos printed on photo paper will last 30 years, I want to have concrete evidence to make sure that any of my precious photos such graduations, births, parties, anniversaries, etc are all taken on my SLR camera and not my digital. There is no gaurantee at all in stating that our beautiful, precious pictures will stay around for years to come. I know, my myself, I want to be able to pass down as many photos about my family and friends to my children. It has already been said that the older black and white photographs will outlast the coloured photographs of our time but what about those ink-jet printed photos? I am too stuck into the new technology and love my digital camera. Oh how convenient it is to erase the photo we don't want and having a filmless camera. I use it all the time (maybe even too much). Film is the cheapest I have seen it in years and that is probably due to the fact for the popular market of the digital cameras. Thank you digital camera!!