New to Lyson Products ?

We have detailed below information that we hope will be useful to both experienced photographers that are switching from conventional film to digital and people that are just starting out in digital imaging for the first time.

Just how good are Lyson Inks?
To demonstrate just how good Lyson inks are visit our Lyson Download a Demo page this will allow you to compare a print from your current ink set against the same print using Lyson inks.

Which is the best Lyson colour inkset to use?
We often get asked which type of ink set is best, Fotonic or Photochrome , while there is no clear cut answer to this question a lot depends on the type of prints the customer wishes to re-produce, and the type of media that is being used, some printers like the Epson 1290 can only use Fotonic ( dye based ) while the Epson 2100 can use either Photochrome ( Pigment based ) or Fotonic. Please note the information below is not relevant to the Epson R1800 and R2400 which use a unique formulation of Photochrome inks and do re-write the rule book.

Fotonic vs Photochrome
Fotonic Inkset		PhotoChrome Inkset
Dye based		Pigment Based
Slightly wider colour range than PhotoChrome		Easier to achieve neutral monochrome prints
25 - 30 years certified longevity (depending on media)		60 - 80 years (depending on media)
Produces negligible bronzing on Gloss or Satin papers		Slight bronzing on Satin and Gloss papers (new Lyson papers improve this considerably)
No need to change blacks from Matt to Gloss media		No need to change blacks from Matt to Gloss media
Compatible with a wide range of media		For best results use Fine art or Matt Paper
Water resistant when applied to waterproof media (i.e. Lyson 265gsm Pro Gloss and Lyson 265gsm Pro Satin )		Intrinsically waterproof inkset (water-stable on most media)

Basic overview of all Lyson inks, aimed towards the new user

Printing Colour and Black & White on one printer with one ink set.
A lot of photographers print both colour and monochrome prints, and we often get asked is it possible to print both colour and black and white on the same printer using the same ink set. It is possible to do if you are using a Epson 2100 with Photochrome inks, although you will not achieve to same quality as prints that have been produced using either Quad Black or Small Gamut. If however you have one of the later printers from Lyson ( R1800 or R2400 ) then you are in luck, this printer when used with the new Lyson Photochrome inks can not only produce outstanding colour prints but also excellent monochrome prints that are free from any colour contamination, and with excellent detail in the shadow, highlight and midtones.
For a basic introduction to MonoChrome printing with Lyson inks click here

Which printer should I purchase
We get asked this question everyday. It all depends on your budget, if your finances will allow I would recommend the Epson R2400, if you don’t have the desk space or you have a smaller budget the Epson R1800 is an excellent choice, both these printers can produce amazing prints and when used in conjunction with the new Lyson ink sets the user can expect to print very high quality colour and monochrome prints from the same ink set.

What is a printer profile and should I get one for my printer.
Since you have most likely taken the decision to convert to Lyson inks it’s a fair assumption that you are serious about the quality of the images that you want to produce, it is therefore recommended that you use a custom profile for your printer. Profiles cost around £35.00 and when installed will ensure that your prints are accurate and use the full extended tonal range of Lyson inks. Lyson do offer free profiles that can be downloaded and used, but due to the production tolerances experienced when printers are manufactured this will not be as accurate as a custom profile. We recommend that you contact Tony Riley who is an expert on colour management and carries out the profiling of printers.