The cost of digital cameras has reduced considerably in recent years and now there is an increasing requirement for lower cost digital printing systems. These should be capable of producing digital photographs, with a quality equal to that of silver halide images. The latest ink jet printers can produce very high quality photographic images. The development of the ink and media has significantly contributed to the quality of the current digital images. By developing the ink and media, in combination, silver halide levels of performance will be attainable. For dye-based ink systems, better image durability is required. Pigment-based ink systems have much greater durability than dyes, however it is more difficult to obtain compatible photomedia for such inks. The development of more durable photomedia has presented a significant challenge. These media can either be based on the traditional resin coated photographic substrates or, on paper glossy products, where the coatings are applied directly onto the paper substrate. By avoiding the polyethelene barrier layer, the paper glossy photopapers have additional ink absorption capacity. The faster printer speeds have required the development of faster drying media to cope with the rapid ink laydown. These printers have led to the generation ofpigment microporous coated media, which provide instant drying of the inks. There are. however some issues with the image durability on such media.
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