Longevity of dye sublimation prints

For printing out digital images to photo-quality (postcard size) I
have just bought a "Sony Digital Color Printer DPP-M55" which uses
"Sony Video Print VPM-P50STa" photo paper.

It was my understanding that this is a dye-sublimation printer, and
that the prints should last as well as any colour photo print,
assuming similar storage conditions.

It has been suggested to me that this may not be so, and that
actually they are more like thermal prints for lifespan.

What do list-members think?  I'm going to add a couple to my next
artificial aging test, but if they are short-lived, I would like to
know now, so it can go back to the shop!

The paper is about normal photo thickness, gloss, and has a slight
metallic sheen.

Mark Clarke

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                  Conservation DistList Instance 12:90
                   Distributed: Tuesday, May 25, 1999
                       Message Id: cdl-12-90-010
                                  ***