Using Third-Party printer inks...?

[Dinarius]

I'm using an Epson R2400 again for the first time in years - I have had zero need for printing until now.

The first thing is that the cost of Epson inks has fallen about 33% in the intervening 7 years. Quite a drop.

The second thing is that third-party inks are readily available - maybe they were back then too. I don't know.

Anyway, what's the view on third-party inks?

I know that if you're super-critical about matching profiles, they can be off.

But, how off?

At less than half the price, I'm tempted.

Any feedback appreciated.

Thanks.

D.

[mearussi]

The subject has been discussed quite a lot here and on other sites, but the simplest way to put it is that modern 3rd party inks can look very similar to OEM inks but they fade much faster. So if you're printing for yourself and friends where you can easily reprint when the image fades then you can use 3rd party inks. But if you're printing for resale then you should be using OEM inks.

[pikeys]

+1 on Mearussi's reply.
The only thing I can add,is,be careful on who you buy your ink from.
I used Precision Color inks on my pro-1 ,for over a year,and my results,were a perfect match to OEM,and PC inks tech support ,was outstanding.
The cost of running my Pro-1 was about 70% less,than using OEM.

Good Luck,
MikeS

[Peter McLennan]

the simplest way to put it is that modern 3rd party inks can look very similar to OEM inks but they fade much faster.

Got any reliable references for this statement?

I have third party ink prints hanging in my sunlit living room.  Printed on both canvas and conventional media, they show little or no signs of fading after more than a decade.

[mearussi]

Got any reliable references for this statement?

I have third party ink prints hanging in my sunlit living room.  Printed on both canvas and conventional media, they show little or no signs of fading after more than a decade.

Then you have some remarkable inks. Either that or the prints have gradually faded over time and you just haven't noticed it yet.
 But in response to your question, Mark McCormick who runs Aardenburg Imaging has tested a lot of them and found they fade much faster then OEM inks.

https://www.aardenburg-imaging.com/

[Peter McLennan]

My inks are from MIS Associates.  Epson K3 equivalents, they profiled nicely and look great. The only reason I stopped using them was the second head failure on my 9800.

[enduser]

It's more a pigment vs dye problem. Epson and Canon have some long life dye products that no third party yet matches. Dyes, even genuine HP, fade in a few months hanging inside in my experience. Third party pigments last much, much longer.