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Why use Lyson and Ink2image?
Lyson is World renowned for making the best third party inkjet inks available. The Company has been making inkjet inks
since the late 1980’s (longer than most machine manufacturers have been making printers) and has thousands of
satisfied customers around the globe. Lyson prides itself in it’s R&D strength and has many ‘firsts’ in the photographic
and fine art inkjet market including the first fade resistant dye based inks, the first multi-black inks for black and white
imaging, and the first reliable third party pigment inks. Lyson products have a reputation for ease of use and trouble
free reliability.
Ink2image are the exclusive master distributors for Lyson photographic and fine art products in North America. All of our
employees have many years experience in the inkjet field and with Lyson products, and we pride ourselves in offering
excellent service and technical support. Users of Lyson products can call us anytime on our toll free support number
800 443 9508.
Will Lyson inks clog my Printer?
No – no more so than the inks from the original printer manufacturer. Lyson inks are filtered to among the highest
specification standards in the industry and, as long as you follow the installation instructions and use your printer
regularly, then you will have no problems.
What can cause my printer to clog?
99.99% of the problems experienced with inkjet printers are caused by inks drying in the nozzles of the print head. This
can happen regardless of what ink you are using. Yes, the original inks do this to. The way inkjet printers work is that
they depend on the liquid ink in the system to re-dissolve any dried ink in the print head nozzles. When you run a head
cleaning cycle on a printer, a pump sucks liquid ink through the print head and a rubber wiper (like a little squeegee)
wipes the nozzles to try and re-dissolve dried ink. There are several ways you can eliminate ink drying and reduce the
need to waste ink by running cleaning cycles. Firstly, use your printer regularly. Try and make a print every day, even if
it is a small 3 x 4 print onto scrap paper. This will use far less ink than a cleaning cycle and will make sure fresh ink is
run through the print head nozzles. Secondly, always turn the printer off when not in use. This will seal the print head
more effectively and reduce the chance of ink dry out occurring. Thirdly, ink jet printers hate high temperatures and low
humidity, so always keep your printer in a temperature controlled environment and, if you live in an area of low humidity,
then use a humidifier to keep the humidity up in your print room. Finally, if you are going on vacation or know you are
not going to use your printer for an extended period then nozzle dry out can occur. A tip to prevent this it to buy a
simple plug in timer like the type used for switching a lamp or Christmas tree lights on and off. You can get this at any
hardware store. Connect your printer’s power lead through the timer and leave the printer’s on/off button depressed or
in the on position. Set the timer to switch on for 15 minutes each day and this will cause the printer to perform a daily
start up routine. This includes firing all the print head jets for a second or two and will stop the nozzles drying out. Doing
this will use a little bit of ink but is less frustrating and wasteful than having to perform numerous cleaning cycles and
nozzle check prints when you want to use the printer again.
Will using Lyson ink invalidate my printer’s warranty?
Absolutely not. It is against the law for a manufacturer to deny warranty on a printer for just using a third party ink, and
most reputable repair centers won’t do this. However, the printer manufacturers gain a huge revenue stream from the
sale of original cartridges, and so spend a lot of marketing dollars to convince users that only the original inks will work
in their printers. This is an understandable approach but it is not the real World, or else reputable companies such as
Lyson would not be in business! It is a fact that most of the major printer manufacturers don’t actually make their own
inks, but go to expert ink developers like Lyson for the latest ink technology. If you are denied a warranty claim from a
manufacturer’s sanctioned repair center because you are using Lyson ink, then ask them to put it in writing and then
contact us. We will help you fight this.
Why should I consider using a Lyson bulk ink feed system?
Because the cost savings can be quite substantial. A 4 oz bottle of the latest Lyson pigment ink costs around $ 25
where as the equivalent amount of ink in original cartridges is in the $ 100 –125 range. If you are doing a lot of printing
then the savings can be several thousands of $’s per year. Plus you are freed from the time wasted in changing
cartridges, and you reduce your impact on the environment. Bulk ink feed systems, however, are not for everyone. If
you are only an occasional printer then there is a danger that the ink in a bulk feed may go out of date before it is used.
To find out if a bulk ink feed system is right for you, calculate the number of sets of original cartridges you use on
average. If it is more than a set of cartridges per month, then a bulk ink feed system will work for you. If it is less than a
set a month, then we would recommend you consider our refillable cartridge solutions. The cost savings with refillable
cartridges are similar to a bulk feed system but they can be easily sealed when not in use.
What is the difference between a dye and pigment based ink?
Both types of ink are water based. The difference is in the type of colorant used. A dye based ink uses a colorant that
fully dissolves and so the ink is a true solution and contains no solid particles. A pigment ink uses a colorant that is a
very fine powder and is dispersed throughout the ink. In terms of performance, a dye based ink will generally provide
brighter and more vivid colors, but is less fade resistant than a pigment based ink. However, recent advances in
colorant technology have made the gap much closer. The latest pigment based inks, such as Lyson Cave Paint R24,
produce excellent color and are nearly as vivid as dyes, and dye based inks, such Lyson Fotonic, are greatly improved
in fade resistance. A general misconception around inkjet inks is that pigment inks tend to block up printers more than
dye based inks. This is not true as the particle sizes used in modern pigment inks are incredibly small and hundreds of
times less than the size of an inkjet printer’s jets. The difference is that when a pigment ink dries in a printers jets, it is
more stubborn to re-dissolve than a dye based ink (see ‘What can cause my printer to clog?’ above).
Can I use a pigment ink in a dye based printer and visa versa?
We don’t generally recommend using pigment based inks in printers designed to run dye based inks. This is because
the type of cleaning cycles employed on dye based printers are different to those on a printer designed to use pigment
inks. As we have said above, pigment inks are generally harder to re-dissolve when they have dried in a printer’s jets,
and so a pigment printer has more aggressive cleaning cycles to overcome this. However, dye based inks generally
work well in pigment based printers. One thing to bear in mind though is that dye and pigment inks don’t mix well
together and can be chemically incompatible. This is why Lyson provides cleaning cartridges that are used to flush out
a printer when changing ink types.
Why should I consider using i2i inkjet media?
Quite simply, it is the best quality and most economical inkjet media range available. We have spent several years
working with some of the largest media manufacturers in the World and have developed a comprehensive range that,
we believe, provides photographic and fine art professionals with the type finishes of they want. Our media works
equally well with both the printer manufacturers inks and Lyson inks. We also support our media with free ICC color
profiles for Lyson inks so that you get great color out of the box.
Why should I spray my prints with Lyson Print Guard?
All photographic quality inkjet media is coated to quickly accept ink. As all inkjet inks used in photographic quality inkjet
printers are water based, then inkjet media, by it’s nature, is susceptible to damage from water. Print Guard is lacquer
that helps to seal the print and protect from moisture. The formulation also includes UV blockers that increase fade
resistance quite dramatically, even with pigment inks. There also gases present in our normal environment, such as
ozone and methane, that can cause a print to fade or color shift over a period of time and Print Guard provides an
excellent way of protecting a print against this gas attack. Basically, if you intend to put a print on long term display then
we recommend Print Guard as added security against fading or color shift, even if you display behind glass. Another
unique feature of Print Guard is that it tends to mimic the surface of the media you are using – gloss remains glossy and
matte remains matte – so the look of the print is virtually unaffected by it’s use.
What is an ICC color profile and what does it do?
An ICC profile is a small file that lives in the color folder on your computer and is used to ensure that the printer and ink
you are using provides the correct colors on the media you want to print on. Every printer/ink/media combination
requires its own color profile if you are going to achieve accurate color. If you have been using inkjet to print you photos
but are new to using profiles then you may be surprised to learn that you have already been using them! When you
make a print and go to your printer’s driver software and select a paper type, you are in fact selecting a color profile
that is embedded in the printer software. We provide free ICC color profiles for Lyson inks on our media range as well
as the common types of printer manufacturer’s papers to help you get color accuracy. These profiles are easy to install
and are used when printing from Photoshop or can be associated with the printer driver software for printing from other
programs. You may have also heard of the terms ‘canned’ and ‘custom’ profiles. Basically, a profile is made by printing
a special color chart using the printer/ink/media combination. This chart is then read using a color measuring device
and special software creates the profile file. A ‘canned’ profile is a profile that has been supplied with the printer
software or by a third party company like Ink2image, meaning that it was not created on the actual printer that the end
user is using. A ‘custom’ profile means that the color chart for creating the profile was printed on the actual printer the
profile is going to be used with. It may sound the same but there is a slight difference. All printers of the same model
type are actually different. Although printers are manufactured to very high tolerances, subtle differences can exist from
printer to printer than can affect the color they produce, and so the best way to get absolute color accuracy is to make
profiles on the printer you are going to use. So, a ‘canned’ profile is a generic profile for a given printer/ink/media
combination where as a ‘custom’ profile is made for an individual printer. Canned profiles are normally very accurate,
will give good results and are quite satisfactory for most users. However, if you want absolute color accuracy it is worth
considering investing in a color profiling package or using a third party profiling service. Color profiling equipment has
traditionally been quite expensive (in the thousands of $’s range) but good packages now exist under a $ 1,000 and we
can recommend who to go to. There also several good on-line profiling services who will make a custom profile for
under $ 100 and we can help here also. Just give us a call on 800 443 9508 if you need more information.
Lyson is World renowned for making the best third party inkjet inks available. The Company has been making inkjet inks
since the late 1980’s (longer than most machine manufacturers have been making printers) and has thousands of
satisfied customers around the globe. Lyson prides itself in it’s R&D strength and has many ‘firsts’ in the photographic
and fine art inkjet market including the first fade resistant dye based inks, the first multi-black inks for black and white
imaging, and the first reliable third party pigment inks. Lyson products have a reputation for ease of use and trouble
free reliability.
Ink2image are the exclusive master distributors for Lyson photographic and fine art products in North America. All of our
employees have many years experience in the inkjet field and with Lyson products, and we pride ourselves in offering
excellent service and technical support. Users of Lyson products can call us anytime on our toll free support number
800 443 9508.
Will Lyson inks clog my Printer?
No – no more so than the inks from the original printer manufacturer. Lyson inks are filtered to among the highest
specification standards in the industry and, as long as you follow the installation instructions and use your printer
regularly, then you will have no problems.
What can cause my printer to clog?
99.99% of the problems experienced with inkjet printers are caused by inks drying in the nozzles of the print head. This
can happen regardless of what ink you are using. Yes, the original inks do this to. The way inkjet printers work is that
they depend on the liquid ink in the system to re-dissolve any dried ink in the print head nozzles. When you run a head
cleaning cycle on a printer, a pump sucks liquid ink through the print head and a rubber wiper (like a little squeegee)
wipes the nozzles to try and re-dissolve dried ink. There are several ways you can eliminate ink drying and reduce the
need to waste ink by running cleaning cycles. Firstly, use your printer regularly. Try and make a print every day, even if
it is a small 3 x 4 print onto scrap paper. This will use far less ink than a cleaning cycle and will make sure fresh ink is
run through the print head nozzles. Secondly, always turn the printer off when not in use. This will seal the print head
more effectively and reduce the chance of ink dry out occurring. Thirdly, ink jet printers hate high temperatures and low
humidity, so always keep your printer in a temperature controlled environment and, if you live in an area of low humidity,
then use a humidifier to keep the humidity up in your print room. Finally, if you are going on vacation or know you are
not going to use your printer for an extended period then nozzle dry out can occur. A tip to prevent this it to buy a
simple plug in timer like the type used for switching a lamp or Christmas tree lights on and off. You can get this at any
hardware store. Connect your printer’s power lead through the timer and leave the printer’s on/off button depressed or
in the on position. Set the timer to switch on for 15 minutes each day and this will cause the printer to perform a daily
start up routine. This includes firing all the print head jets for a second or two and will stop the nozzles drying out. Doing
this will use a little bit of ink but is less frustrating and wasteful than having to perform numerous cleaning cycles and
nozzle check prints when you want to use the printer again.
Will using Lyson ink invalidate my printer’s warranty?
Absolutely not. It is against the law for a manufacturer to deny warranty on a printer for just using a third party ink, and
most reputable repair centers won’t do this. However, the printer manufacturers gain a huge revenue stream from the
sale of original cartridges, and so spend a lot of marketing dollars to convince users that only the original inks will work
in their printers. This is an understandable approach but it is not the real World, or else reputable companies such as
Lyson would not be in business! It is a fact that most of the major printer manufacturers don’t actually make their own
inks, but go to expert ink developers like Lyson for the latest ink technology. If you are denied a warranty claim from a
manufacturer’s sanctioned repair center because you are using Lyson ink, then ask them to put it in writing and then
contact us. We will help you fight this.
Why should I consider using a Lyson bulk ink feed system?
Because the cost savings can be quite substantial. A 4 oz bottle of the latest Lyson pigment ink costs around $ 25
where as the equivalent amount of ink in original cartridges is in the $ 100 –125 range. If you are doing a lot of printing
then the savings can be several thousands of $’s per year. Plus you are freed from the time wasted in changing
cartridges, and you reduce your impact on the environment. Bulk ink feed systems, however, are not for everyone. If
you are only an occasional printer then there is a danger that the ink in a bulk feed may go out of date before it is used.
To find out if a bulk ink feed system is right for you, calculate the number of sets of original cartridges you use on
average. If it is more than a set of cartridges per month, then a bulk ink feed system will work for you. If it is less than a
set a month, then we would recommend you consider our refillable cartridge solutions. The cost savings with refillable
cartridges are similar to a bulk feed system but they can be easily sealed when not in use.
What is the difference between a dye and pigment based ink?
Both types of ink are water based. The difference is in the type of colorant used. A dye based ink uses a colorant that
fully dissolves and so the ink is a true solution and contains no solid particles. A pigment ink uses a colorant that is a
very fine powder and is dispersed throughout the ink. In terms of performance, a dye based ink will generally provide
brighter and more vivid colors, but is less fade resistant than a pigment based ink. However, recent advances in
colorant technology have made the gap much closer. The latest pigment based inks, such as Lyson Cave Paint R24,
produce excellent color and are nearly as vivid as dyes, and dye based inks, such Lyson Fotonic, are greatly improved
in fade resistance. A general misconception around inkjet inks is that pigment inks tend to block up printers more than
dye based inks. This is not true as the particle sizes used in modern pigment inks are incredibly small and hundreds of
times less than the size of an inkjet printer’s jets. The difference is that when a pigment ink dries in a printers jets, it is
more stubborn to re-dissolve than a dye based ink (see ‘What can cause my printer to clog?’ above).
Can I use a pigment ink in a dye based printer and visa versa?
We don’t generally recommend using pigment based inks in printers designed to run dye based inks. This is because
the type of cleaning cycles employed on dye based printers are different to those on a printer designed to use pigment
inks. As we have said above, pigment inks are generally harder to re-dissolve when they have dried in a printer’s jets,
and so a pigment printer has more aggressive cleaning cycles to overcome this. However, dye based inks generally
work well in pigment based printers. One thing to bear in mind though is that dye and pigment inks don’t mix well
together and can be chemically incompatible. This is why Lyson provides cleaning cartridges that are used to flush out
a printer when changing ink types.
Why should I consider using i2i inkjet media?
Quite simply, it is the best quality and most economical inkjet media range available. We have spent several years
working with some of the largest media manufacturers in the World and have developed a comprehensive range that,
we believe, provides photographic and fine art professionals with the type finishes of they want. Our media works
equally well with both the printer manufacturers inks and Lyson inks. We also support our media with free ICC color
profiles for Lyson inks so that you get great color out of the box.
Why should I spray my prints with Lyson Print Guard?
All photographic quality inkjet media is coated to quickly accept ink. As all inkjet inks used in photographic quality inkjet
printers are water based, then inkjet media, by it’s nature, is susceptible to damage from water. Print Guard is lacquer
that helps to seal the print and protect from moisture. The formulation also includes UV blockers that increase fade
resistance quite dramatically, even with pigment inks. There also gases present in our normal environment, such as
ozone and methane, that can cause a print to fade or color shift over a period of time and Print Guard provides an
excellent way of protecting a print against this gas attack. Basically, if you intend to put a print on long term display then
we recommend Print Guard as added security against fading or color shift, even if you display behind glass. Another
unique feature of Print Guard is that it tends to mimic the surface of the media you are using – gloss remains glossy and
matte remains matte – so the look of the print is virtually unaffected by it’s use.
What is an ICC color profile and what does it do?
An ICC profile is a small file that lives in the color folder on your computer and is used to ensure that the printer and ink
you are using provides the correct colors on the media you want to print on. Every printer/ink/media combination
requires its own color profile if you are going to achieve accurate color. If you have been using inkjet to print you photos
but are new to using profiles then you may be surprised to learn that you have already been using them! When you
make a print and go to your printer’s driver software and select a paper type, you are in fact selecting a color profile
that is embedded in the printer software. We provide free ICC color profiles for Lyson inks on our media range as well
as the common types of printer manufacturer’s papers to help you get color accuracy. These profiles are easy to install
and are used when printing from Photoshop or can be associated with the printer driver software for printing from other
programs. You may have also heard of the terms ‘canned’ and ‘custom’ profiles. Basically, a profile is made by printing
a special color chart using the printer/ink/media combination. This chart is then read using a color measuring device
and special software creates the profile file. A ‘canned’ profile is a profile that has been supplied with the printer
software or by a third party company like Ink2image, meaning that it was not created on the actual printer that the end
user is using. A ‘custom’ profile means that the color chart for creating the profile was printed on the actual printer the
profile is going to be used with. It may sound the same but there is a slight difference. All printers of the same model
type are actually different. Although printers are manufactured to very high tolerances, subtle differences can exist from
printer to printer than can affect the color they produce, and so the best way to get absolute color accuracy is to make
profiles on the printer you are going to use. So, a ‘canned’ profile is a generic profile for a given printer/ink/media
combination where as a ‘custom’ profile is made for an individual printer. Canned profiles are normally very accurate,
will give good results and are quite satisfactory for most users. However, if you want absolute color accuracy it is worth
considering investing in a color profiling package or using a third party profiling service. Color profiling equipment has
traditionally been quite expensive (in the thousands of $’s range) but good packages now exist under a $ 1,000 and we
can recommend who to go to. There also several good on-line profiling services who will make a custom profile for
under $ 100 and we can help here also. Just give us a call on 800 443 9508 if you need more information.
| FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS |
Ink2image, 4338 Regency Drive, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.. Tel 847 827 0747 or (toll free) 800 443 9508. Fax 847 827 0797. E-mail Click here...
