The age of getting photos printed at labs is on the brink and users are going for photo printers that ensure the best possible prints. The quality of most photo printers is lab-like but what about the longevity of these prints?

Several manufacturers claim that their prints last for ten years when exposed to air and twenty years if stored behind a glass frame. There is more to longevity than just the specifications; the technology behind the prints, printing paper and the maintenance of the printer does play a huge role.

As we had discussed earlier, there are two kinds of photo printers; inkjet and dye sublimation technology. Apart from the advantage of flexibility over the size of paper that can be used, inkjets have no other superior feature over the dye sublimation technology. Dye sublimation prints have known to last longer as they leverage upon fusing process where layers of film are fused onto a special paper. The technology behind inkjets is to place tiny drops of ink close to each other which is a suspect of aging.

The base matters as much as the foreground in photo printing longevity. Using premium paper for photo prints will definitely help your prints last longer. Many printer manufacturers recommend users to use their photo paper to get the best possible prints; they are probably right on this count. Their paper is generally designed to go well with their photo printer, and is also a tactic to increase their profits. Research has revealed that glossy prints last longer and all manufacturers offer glossy paper in their line-up.

One might spend several hundred pounds for a good printer, but, if it’s not maintained well, the quality and hence the longevity is bound to take a hit. Maintenance of printers mainly delves around keeping the print head clog-free at all times and clogging of print heads is a frequent issue with inkjet printers mainly.
Apart from longevity, using a good digital camera to snap your photos do play a big role in the outcome.