A pigment printer is an inkjet printer that uses pigment-based inks to produce prints. Unlike dye-based inks, pigment inks consist of color pigments suspended in a liquid carrier. This results in prints that are highly durable, water-resistant, and fade-resistant, making them ideal for archival prints, photographs intended for display, and applications where longevity and smudge resistance are crucial.
Understanding Pigment Ink
- Durability: Pigment inks are known for their exceptional longevity. The color pigments are less prone to fading from light exposure and are resistant to water and smudging. This makes them superior to dye-based inks for long-term archival prints and documents. [Source: Stephen Bay Photography, Red River Catalog]
- Color Quality: While often described as having slightly less vibrant colors than dye inks, pigment inks deliver truer blacks and produce very detailed prints. [Source: DTM Print]
- Applications: Pigment-based inkjet printers are used in various applications, including high-quality photo printing, fine art printing, digital label printing, and food packaging. [Source: Arrow Systems, Inc., Red River Catalog]
- Examples: Epson SureColor series printers are well-known examples of printers that utilize pigment-based inks. [Source: Red River Catalog]
Pigment vs. Dye Ink Printers
The choice between a pigment and dye-based printer depends on your needs. Dye-based inks produce more vibrant colors, ideal for photos where color vibrancy is paramount. Pigment-based inks, however, excel in durability and archival quality. [Source: Splashjet Ink] A YouTube video comparing dye and pigment inkjet printers further elaborates on these differences. [Source: YouTube - Inkjet Printers: Dye vs Pigment, Which One's Better?]
In consumer printers, both ink types are water-based; however, their behavior on the paper's surface differs. Dye ink is absorbed by the paper, while pigment ink sits on top. [Source: Reddit - Benefits of pigment vs dye based printers?]
