PRINT PERMANENCE CHART

Print Type
DSI Digital Silver Fiber Print®
(Silver Gelatin Black & White)
DSI Digital Silver RC Print®
(Silver Gelatin Black & White)
Digital Silver Imaging Museum
Quality Pigment Print -
Canon Lucia Inkjet Print1, 2
Epson UltraChrome K3 Inkjet
Print2 /Pigment Inks
Home and office Inkjet Prints6
(dye and dye sublimation tech-
nology). Note: quality varies
greatly by manufacturer and
type of printer and paper used.
Digital C Print /
Fuji Crystal Archive (aka. Lamb-
da Print)
Digital C Print /
Kodak Professional Endura
Premier Paper7,8 (aka. Lambda
Print)
Description Deterioration Life Displayed4 Life Under UV Life in Dark Strength/Weakness
Risk3 Glass5 Storage5
Black & white, light-sensitive silver bro- Moderately-Low 100+ years to 100+ years to 140+ years to Strengths - Exceptionally fade
mide photo paper that is exposed with a air pollutants Unknown. These Unknown. These Unknown. These resistant. Beautiful tonal range,
photographic laser and processed in liquid and moisture prints could last for prints could last for prints could last for high resale value, no color cast,
photo chemistry. Prints are air dried on are the greatest centuries depend- centuries depend- centuries depend- can be chemically toned for
a rack then flatted in a heat press. Silver threats ing on process- ing on processing ing on process- added permanence.
gelatin prints have been in common use ing and the paper and the paper base6 ing and the paper Weakness - prints curl in hu-
since 1874, and they are the only type of base6. Toned prints base6 mid environments, best mount-
print to be in continuous production for are expected to ed or matted and framed
over 140 years. have a longer archi-
val life.
Black & white, light-sensitive silver bro- Moderate 60 to 70 years. 100+ years to Un- 100+ years to Un- Strengths - Fade resistant.
mide photo paper that is exposed with a air pollutants Toned prints are known - no found known - no found Lustre (Pearl) surface, lays
photographic laser and processed in liquid and moisture expected to have a data data flat, lower cost, bright white
photo chemistry. The silver gelatin is on a are the greatest longer archival life. base, can be chemically toned.
polyethylene layer that allows these prints threats Weakness - not as heavy
to lay flat. RC prints can be heat dried for weight as fiber paper, RC base
quicker delivery times. not as archival as fiber base.
Color pigment print, made with Lucia inks Low 100 years 200 years 200+ years - un- Strength - Excellent color re-
on a fine art, acid free paper, with no OBAs known production that matches digital
(Optical Brightening Agents) RGB capture. Highly stable
and fade resistant, excellent
humidity-fastness. Weakness
- Fragile surface on some mat
surface papers.
Color pigment print made on a fine art, Low 61 to 108 Years 200 years 200+ years - un- Strength - Very good color
acid free paper, with no OBAs (Optical known reproduction. Highly stable
Brightening Agents) and fade resistant, excellent
humidity-fastness. Weak-
ness - Fragile surface on some
mat surface papers. Based on
CMYK workflow.
These prints are made on inkjet printers Very High 4 months to a 4 months to a maxi- Unknown - no Strength - inexpensive
that do not use pigment inks and do not maximum of 65 mum of 82 years found data Weakness - poor quality, not
print on archival papers. Most home and years permanent, inaccurate color
office prints fall in this category. reproduction, low resolution.
These are light sensitive digitally exposed Moderately 26-40 Years Wilhelm Research Unknown - no Strength - very good color
prints that are processed in liquid photo High - because Depends on rates at less than found data reproduction, continuos tone.
chemistry. This is a color material that is of fading when processing equip- 20 years10 - 60 Low cost. Weakness - average
often used to produce black & white im- exposed to UV ment used. years as stated by lightfastness when not under
ages as well. light the manufacturer UV glass, fragile surface. Qual-
ity dependant on processing.
B&W prints made on this mate-
rial can show a color cast.
These are light sensitive digitally exposed Moderately 20 Months - 100 Wilhelm Research 200 Years8 Strength - very good color
prints that are processed in liquid photo High - because Years8 rates at less than reproduction, continuos tone.
chemistry. This is a color material that is of rapid fading “20 months for 20 years10 - 100 Low cost. Weakness - poor
often used to produce black & white im- when exposed high-intensity com- years8 as stated by lightfastness when not under
ages as well. to UV light mercial reflection the manufacturer UV glass, fragile surface. (Opti-
display under 5000 cal Brightening Agents) B&W
lux” - Kodak prints made on this material
can show a color cast.

HP Indigo Digital Press Prints /
Used by many photo book
publishers and high volume print
houses such as Shutter Fly9 and
Baybook by BayPhoto.com
Both 4 and 6 ink processes are
included.
These prints are produced by an electro- High - because 13 - 23 Years 29-54 Years 200 Years Strength - wider color gamut
photographic process that uses liquid pig- of fading when than digital C prints, low cost,
ment inks. Quality and archival life depend exposed to UV high speed production, stand
greatly on the paper printed on. These light up well to handling.
prints are widely used to make photo Weakness - not considered
books, posters, and marketing materials. an archival print, designed for
Papers used to determine permanence: long print runs, limited paper
Kromakote Digital and Felix Schoeller E- choices.
photo paper. Both have UV brighteners.

1. Pigment Inks are the only inks used by Digital Silver Imaging. We use Canon Prograf printers and Canon Lucia inks. 2.Wilhelm Research, The Permanence and care of analog and digital
photographs - FotoCoservacion 2011, June 20-23, 2011 3. Deterioration risk as determined by the University of Illinois, https://psap.library.illinois.edu/collection-id-guide/photoprint 4. https://
www.getty.edu/conservation/publications_resources/pdf_publications/pdf/atlas_silver_gelatin.pdf , Wilhelm Research - HP Indigo Digital Presses - Print and Photobook Page Permanence
5. & 6. A Survey of Print Permanence in 4x6-Inch Consumer Digital Print Market 2004-2007, www.wilhelm-research.com, http://www.wilhelm-research.com/Collected_Papers/The_Wilhelm_
Research_Archives_Volume_1_Technnical_Publications_1968-2015_(v4.5_2015-02-15).pdf 7. http://imaging.kodakalaris.com/sites/prod/files/files/resources/paper-endura-techpub-e4070.pdf
7. http://imaging.kodakalaris.com/sites/prod/files/files/resources/paper-endura-techpub-e4070.pdf 8. Kodak uses different permanence testing standards than Wilhelm Research 9. ftp://ftp.
hp.com/pub/printers/HP_Exstream/Shutterfly_4AA0-1195ENWrr.pdf, https://globenewswire.com/news-release/2017/08/16/1086575/0/en/HP-wins-five-year-Shutterfly-deal-accelerates-digital-
print-momentum.html 10. http://www.wilhelm-research.com/Articles/one_for_the_ages/Fine_Art_Print_Permanence%E2%80%93PDN_Magazine%E2%80%93May_2016.pdf