Wow! The "final word" on image stability from the horse's mouth (Epson him/herself) via MacinTouch: ". . . our cartridges use a water based ink, are not intended for archival purposes and they will show fading over time with exposure to oxygen and light. There are a number of steps you can take to try and preserve the image. The images (photos) can be cold laminated to preserve the image. . . . The fading process is caused by a combination of the paper and the ink. The average fade time is about four months. There are a few possible actions that can slow the aging process: * Use Acid free boards and plastic storage sleeves (reduce the exposure to air) * Laminate the paper (prevents exposure to air) * Avoid direct sun exposure. * Low humidity levels and direct sunlight will tend to dry the ink out faster than higher humidity levels with little or no sunlight. Any heat sources will of course dry out water. * You can use cold laminate pages or use various acrylic sprays to seal the ink away from the elements. And the real kicker: *There are no current plans to produce any archival inks for our printers.* So that should end the discussion about whether they do or do not fade and when might Epson make a better ink. (In other words, dream on!) A. - Please do not include an entire message in your response. Delete the excess. http://www.leben.com/lists for list instructions.