Description
* Packaged on a 2-inch core
Canon Universal Inkjet Backlit Film (9 mil) is a front-print polyester backlit film engineered for illuminated displays, delivering even light distribution, a glare-reducing matte surface, and water-resistant durability across 36", 42", and 50" roll widths.
Packaged as a single-roll carton on a 2" core, this 9-mil backlit film is built for light boxes, retail lightbox signage, trade show displays, menu boards, and backlit wayfinding graphics. Its inkjet receptive layer captures a broad color gamut, producing the color brightness and detail sharpness that illuminated graphics demand, where thin, low-opacity media typically wash out or show hot spots.
At 68% opacity and 95% whiteness, the film diffuses backlighting evenly across the print surface, so LED arrays and fluorescent light boxes render as consistent illumination rather than visible banding. The matte one-side finish cuts reflected glare in brightly lit retail and lobby environments, keeping graphics readable from off-angle viewing positions.
Universal ink compatibility is the practical advantage here. The film is rated for solvent, aqueous, and eco-solvent ink systems, and is optimized for pigment inks while still accommodating dye inks, so print shops running mixed fleets can standardize on one backlit media SKU instead of stocking platform-specific rolls. Fast dry times with pigment inks keep finishing and laminating on schedule.
Why choose Canon 9 mil Universal Backlit Film:
- Even light distribution — 68% opacity diffuses backlighting without visible hot spots or banding
- Glare-reducing matte finish — matte one side keeps illuminated graphics readable at off-angles
- Water-resistant polyester base — 9 mil nominal caliper handles handling, mounting, and cleaning
- Universal ink compatibility — solvent, aqueous, and eco-solvent rated; optimized for pigment inks
- Three production widths — 36", 42", and 50" × 100' rolls on a 2" core
Canon Universal Inkjet Backlit Film Specifications
| Specification | Detail | Professional Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Media Type | Front-print polyester backlit film | Print side faces the viewer — standard light box orientation |
| Caliper | 9 mil nominal | Rigid enough to mount flat without curl or wrinkling |
| Finish | Matte on one side | Reduces glare under overhead retail and lobby lighting |
| Opacity | 68% | Balances light transmission with color density for even backlighting |
| Whiteness | 95% | Neutral base for accurate color reproduction when illuminated |
| Ink Compatibility | Universal — solvent, aqueous, eco-solvent | One backlit SKU covers mixed printer fleets |
| Ink Optimization | Optimized for pigment ink; accommodates dye ink | Fast dry with pigment inks speeds finishing turnaround |
| Water Resistance | Water-resistant surface | Wipe-clean maintenance for high-traffic display locations |
| Roll Widths | 36" × 100', 42" × 100', 50" × 100' | Match roll width to light box size and minimize trim waste |
| Core / Packaging | 2" core, single roll carton | Standard 2" spindle fit; rolls arrive individually protected |
| Display Environment | Indoor and transient outdoor | Suited to permanent interior light boxes and short-run outdoor use |
| SKU / Part Numbers | TAVCO SKU: PSBLT36100 | Related Canon part numbers: 8357B326, 8357B327, 8357B328 | Reference numbers for reorders and purchasing records |
*Specifications reflect Canon published media data for 9 mil Universal Inkjet Backlit Film. Confirm your printer's media thickness handling and available ICC profiles before a first production run.
Quick Selection Guide
- Best for standard retail light boxes: 36" × 100' roll ($313.40, fits most common lightbox panel widths)
- Best for trade show and exhibit displays: 42" × 100' roll ($314.20, extra width for full-bleed panels)
- Best for large-format backlit signage: 50" × 100' roll ($397.60, fewest seams on oversized panels)
- Best for mixed printer fleets: Any width — universal solvent/aqueous/eco-solvent compatibility means one media SKU
- Best for high-traffic public spaces: Any width — water-resistant matte surface wipes clean and cuts glare
Canon Universal Inkjet Backlit Film FAQs
Quick Answer: Backlit film is a translucent polyester media designed to be lit from behind. This Canon film is 68% opacity and 95% whiteness so light spreads evenly instead of creating hot spots.
What is backlit film and how is it different from regular photo paper?
Backlit film is a translucent polyester media engineered to transmit light from a source mounted behind the print. Regular photo paper and bond are opaque and go dark when backlit. Canon's 9 mil Universal Inkjet Backlit Film is specified at 68% opacity and 95% whiteness, which lets a light box or LED panel illuminate the graphic evenly across the full surface. The polyester base is also water-resistant and holds a 9 mil nominal caliper, so it stays flat in a display frame rather than curling like paper media.
Quick Answer: Yes. This film is rated for universal compatibility — solvent, aqueous, and eco-solvent inks — and is optimized for pigment inks while still accommodating dye inks.
Which printers and ink types work with Canon 9 mil backlit film?
The film carries a universal receptive layer rated for solvent, aqueous, and eco-solvent ink systems, so it is not locked to a single printer platform. Output is optimized for pigment inks, which dry fast on this surface and support quicker finishing, but dye inks are also accommodated. If you run a mixed shop — aqueous wide-format alongside eco-solvent equipment — this lets you consolidate to one backlit media SKU. Before your first production run, confirm your printer's media thickness handling for 9 mil film and check whether an appropriate media profile is loaded. TAVCO can help you identify the right profile for your model.
Quick Answer: Three widths are available: 36" × 100', 42" × 100', and 50" × 100' at $397.60. All ship as single-roll cartons on a 2" core.
What roll sizes does this backlit film come in?
Canon Universal Inkjet Backlit Film is stocked in three widths, all 100 feet long: 36" × 100', 42" × 100', and 50" × 100'. Each is packaged as a single roll carton on a standard 2" core. Choosing the width closest to your finished panel size reduces trim waste and, on oversized signage, minimizes the number of seams you have to join. Note that the 42" and 50" widths require a printer capable of handling those media widths.
Quick Answer: Use it indoors for permanent light boxes and displays. It is also rated for transient outdoor exhibition, short-term outdoor use rather than long-term weather exposure.
Can this backlit film be used outdoors?
Canon rates this film for indoor and transient outdoor exhibition. That means it is well suited to permanent interior installations, retail light boxes, lobby displays, menu boards, wayfinding panels, and to short-duration outdoor applications such as event signage or temporary exhibits. It is not positioned as a long-term outdoor weathering media. The water-resistant surface helps it tolerate humidity, condensation, and wipe-down cleaning, but extended UV and weather exposure will shorten display life. For permanent exterior signage, ask TAVCO about outdoor-rated graphics media instead.
Quick Answer: This is front-print film — you print on the matte side that faces the viewer, and the light source sits behind the film.
Is this front-print or back-print backlit film?
This is a front-print polyester backlit film with a matte finish on one side. The printed matte surface faces outward toward the viewer, and the illumination source is mounted behind the film inside the light box. Front-print construction is the more common configuration for standard light box frames and is what most sign shops and display fabricators expect. The matte surface is the functional advantage here: it scatters reflected room light so graphics stay readable in brightly lit retail floors and lobbies where a glossy backlit film would show reflections.
Quick Answer: The 68% opacity and 95% whiteness are what deliver even light distribution — light diffuses across the surface instead of concentrating into visible hot spots.
Why do opacity and whiteness matter for backlit printing?
Opacity controls how much light passes through the film. Too transparent and the individual LEDs or lamps behind the panel show through as bright hot spots; too opaque and the graphic looks dim and muddy when lit. At 68% opacity, this Canon film diffuses the light source so illumination reads as an even wash across the whole panel. Whiteness of 95% determines the neutrality of the base the ink sits on. A high-whiteness, neutral base means colors reproduce accurately under illumination rather than picking up a yellow or gray cast.
Quick Answer: Store rolls flat or upright in original packaging at stable room temperature and humidity, away from direct sunlight, and let them acclimate before printing.
How should I store and handle backlit film rolls?
Keep unopened rolls in the original single-roll carton until use, stored either upright on end or flat in a stable, climate-controlled space away from direct sunlight and heat sources. Polyester film is dimensionally stable but rapid temperature or humidity swings can affect feed and tracking, so let a roll acclimate to your print room for several hours before loading. Handle the printed matte surface by the edges — fingerprints and oils can show on the receptive layer. Partially used rolls should go back on the 2" core and return to the carton.
Quick Answer: Yes — TAVCO ships wide-format media nationwide, with free ground freight on complete orders of $149 and up, plus direct support across Texas.
Does TAVCO ship backlit film and offer volume pricing?
TAVCO offers Canon Universal Inkjet Backlit Film nationwide, and complete orders of $149 and up ship free ground freight within the USA. Contact us for expedited freight options. For sign shops, reprographics providers, and marketing departments running backlit graphics on a recurring basis, we can quote multi-roll and standing-order pricing; call 866-254-8590 or email info@tavco.net.
Texas Wide-Format Media Experts: TAVCO has supplied print media, ink, and wide-format equipment to Texas sign shops, reprographics providers, marketing teams, and AEC firms since 1997. We offer backlit film, specialty graphics media, and OEM supplies for fast fulfillment, with direct service available in Austin, Bryan-College Station, Corpus Christi, Dallas, Greater Houston, San Antonio, Victoria, and Waco. Complete orders of $149 and up ship free ground freight in the USA. Call 866-254-8590 or email info@tavco.net for volume pricing.
Payment & Security
Your payment information is processed securely. We do not store credit card details nor have access to your credit card information.