Who understands inkjet ink usage???

[David Isaacs]

I feel quite inadequate at working out the approximate price per page
printing pics.
I'm using an Epson C83. Their figures are:
BLACK INK COLOUR INK
Black (T0461) Cyan (T0472), Magenta (T0473), Yellow, (T0474).
PRINT CAPACITY
600 pages, (A4, ISO/IEC 10561 Letter Pattern at 360dpi, 3.5%
coverage).
420 pages (A4 at 360dpi, 5%coverage) PRINT CAPACITY
280 pages (A4 360dpi, 5% coverage each colour)


Using the colour figures above, if I print borderless and use 50% coverage
at say 720dpi (they don't use dpi in their printer software, just quality
settings) with ink costing A$15.00 each for Cyan, Magenta & Yellow and Black
A$20.00.
If I assume the average colour pic uses equal amounts of each cartridge
(just a guess) can someone give me a clue, or an educated guess.
I have been asked to print about 30 proof sheets containing 20 pics each,
and don't know what to ask in order to cover my costs. The coated paper I
will probably use costs about A$0.20 per sheet.
Any help would be appreciated.
Dave.

 

[jbuch]

I feel quite inadequate at working out the approximate price per page
printing pics.
I'm using an Epson C83. Their figures are:
BLACK INK COLOUR INK
Black (T0461) Cyan (T0472), Magenta (T0473), Yellow, (T0474).
PRINT CAPACITY
600 pages, (A4, ISO/IEC 10561 Letter Pattern at 360dpi, 3.5%
coverage).
420 pages (A4 at 360dpi, 5%coverage) PRINT CAPACITY
280 pages (A4 360dpi, 5% coverage each colour)


Using the colour figures above, if I print borderless and use 50% coverage
at say 720dpi (they don't use dpi in their printer software, just quality
settings) with ink costing A$15.00 each for Cyan, Magenta & Yellow and Black
A$20.00.
If I assume the average colour pic uses equal amounts of each cartridge
(just a guess) can someone give me a clue, or an educated guess.
I have been asked to print about 30 proof sheets containing 20 pics each,
and don't know what to ask in order to cover my costs. The coated paper I
will probably use costs about A$0.20 per sheet.
Any help would be appreciated.
Dave.

I woud be tempted to call a darkroom and ask for the price of photo
contact prints of the same layout.

My guess would be to charge at least $3.00 per sheet. This scales in the
range of the rule of thumb of $.50 per 4x6 just for supplies.

What will be your policy if the customer decides that "they don't like
your color... as being "off" from the originals?

Jim

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[Don]

A rule of thumb often used is $.50 per 4x6. That's for supplies only - it
doesn't include amortization of the hardware.

Don

 

[Wolf Kirchmeir]

On Sun, 7 Mar 2004 13:05:04 +1100, David Isaacs wrote:

=>I feel quite inadequate at working out the approximate price per page
=>printing pics.
=>I'm using an Epson C83. Their figures are:
=> BLACK INK COLOUR INK
=> Black (T0461) Cyan (T0472), Magenta (T0473), Yellow, (T0474).
=> PRINT CAPACITY
=> 600 pages, (A4, ISO/IEC 10561 Letter Pattern at 360dpi, 3.5%
=>coverage).
=> 420 pages (A4 at 360dpi, 5% coverage) PRINT CAPACITY
=> 280 pages (A4 360dpi, 5% coverage each colour)

"5% coverage" is the most widely used figure to estimate
printing capacity. It corresponds roughly to a page printed
with double-spaced, 60-character lines and 1" margins all
round. Actual coverage will vary somewhat depending on the
font used, hence the 3.5% figure listed for "letter
pattern." Add a letterhead with bold print and a small
graphic, and coverage increases 1 to 3 percentage points.
Add a 1/4-page picture and coverage will be 25-30%. And so
it goes.

In your case: a full colour picture will have varying
amounts of coverage for each colour. Assuming 720dpi and
25% or more for each colour, your printing capacity will
be:

1/2 of the 360dpi capacity times 1/5th or less of the 5%
capacity (because 5/25 = 1/5)

That works out to 1/10th or less of the 5% coverage
capacity, that is ten or more times the cost of a 5%
coverage page.

Keep in mind that all four inks will be used in a full
colour high quality print. At 5% coverage, your costs would
be $45/280 for the colour or $0.16/p , and $20/420 or
$0.048/p for the black. Total: $0.248/p. That means your
minimum cost per full colour full page print will be about
$2.50 for the ink, plus the cost of the paper. It could go
as high as $5/print.

I would charge a minimum of $5 for a full page print or
equivalent.

BTW, it's calculations such as the above that make it clear
why professional printers are willing to spend $5K to $10K
for a colour laser printer. It's not the capital cost of
the machine that counts in the long run, it's the operating
costs.

HTH&GL

 

[BF]

If you refill you can almost forget about ink cost. It is very
minimal. I can refill my Canon ink tanks for a i950 for $1.00 per
tank. When you divide that by the number of prints from a tank of ink,
it comes out to pennies.

 

[PJx]

Ink alone should run about $1 per page.

PJ

 

[David Isaacs]

Thanks to all who answered my plea for help.
The answers differed greatly, but with that help, and closely watching the
status monitor I believe the proof sheets I need to do will need to be
charged at about $3 plus paper.
Dave.