Do Inkjets Make Sense Anymore?

  • Thread starter Thread starter El Castor
  • Start date Start date
Taliesyn said:
More than just savings, like hitting the lottery.

If I refill my own cartridges the cost is approximately $5 CAD (for
the 5 of them).

If I buy the individual Canon OEM cartridges at a Wal-Mart or Staples,
we're talking around $125 CAD.

The difference in cost is ridiculous;
Click to expand...

THAT IS CORRECT. I WOULD LIKE TO SEE A COMPANY MFG/FORMULATING AND
SELLINING HIGH QUALITY PREFILLED CARTS THAT ARE APPROPRIATELY LABELED
AND PACKAGED WHERE YOU COULD TRACK THEM AND ARE SOLD IN ALL VENUES.
the difference in printouts is
ridiculously minuscule.

I don't mind keeping about $120 CAD every time I refill, would you? :-).

Sure I'd like to buy Canon OEM cartridges, but not on their terms.
Click to expand...

THAT IS A SENSIBLE STATEMENT
If
they don't sell them at $5 CAD a piece,
Click to expand...

I THINK THAT WOULD BE A GOOD AND FAIR PRICE
I feel I'm being ripped off.
And I'm sure a lot of people feel the same way.
Click to expand...

ME TOO
 
Costco does not make paper. Most likely it is made by ilford

It's just as likely it's made by Pelikan
 
I've now printed several photos on the new 4x6 Kirkland paper. Because of
the slight ivory colored tint, flesh tones are more toward the yellow or
orange, and whites and highlights aren't as "crisp" looking as with the
8.5x11 paper. I may use it to crank out quick photos for friends, but for
my own prints I prefer the original paper. The glossy surface and weight
are very nice, there is no bronzing in the dark areas, and the prints come
out of the printer dry to the touch. Too bad Costco didn't just get the
original mfgr of their paper to provide it cut to 4x6 format.

Although the 8.5x11 paper may be Ilford, the 4x6 is identified as made in
the USA. I don't know what firms in the USA make glossy photo paper.

In addition to the odd sizes and formats that one can do at home, home
printing of 8x10 or 8.5x11 (or even larger formats) is a greater cost
savings over quick processing places. Creative control and the ability to
immediately process prints is a great bonus as well. Convenience, contol,
and the ability to customize certainly offset the cost of the printer in my
estimation. The strict cost comparison and use of the inexpensive
processing places holds sway if the primary interest is 4x6 prints without
much effort. It is also possible that some of the processing places deliver
more archival prints - another consideration.


zakezuke said:
At about five cents per 4x6 sheet of Costco glossy photo paper and a
few pennies for MIS ink these prints are easily under ten cents US
Click to expand...

Assuming 450 print [there and abouts] per 2oz of ink @ 5 each (photo so
only $20) And a refillable tank set at another $20 we're talking 8.8c
each, but given one only has to buy a refillable set once for at least
a few refills or re-use their canon ones, let's call it a plum nickle
for the ink. This is a vague estimate of ink at 50% yield, 280p 5%
yield on OEM and 2oz is 4x OEM there and abouts.

So a nickle for the paper and a nickle for the ink = 10c which could be
higher or lower depending on reality, such as how often one actually
has to replace the tanks, if one buys OEM canon tanks and refills them,
or gets a lower cost. Also the paper may or may not be kirkland. So
while i'll agree odds are the MIS stuff we use is likely to be lower in
cost... i'd still class it on par with costco printing or other sub 20c
solutions. Why? Cause you shelled out at least $100 for that
printer.. and even at 5000 4x6s that's at least a couple of cents, a
number I loosly base on canon's product life estimate.

Average photo printing... odds are the mis solution is less by about
30% to 50% based on my ballpark estimates.

Photos of gothic churches at night..."might" be more.
Click to expand...
 
Burt said:
I've now printed several photos on the new 4x6 Kirkland paper. Because of
the slight ivory colored tint, flesh tones are more toward the yellow or
orange, and whites and highlights aren't as "crisp"
Click to expand...
THEY MIGHT BE IF YOU USED CANON OEM INK INSTEAD OF THE INK THAT YOU USE
WHERE YOU DO NOT KNOW WHO MAKES IT.
looking as with the
8.5x11 paper. I may use it to crank out quick photos for friends, but for
my own prints I prefer the original paper.
Click to expand...
SO THAT IS WHAT YOU THINK ABOUT YOUR FRIENDS
The glossy surface and weight
are very nice, there is no bronzing in the dark areas, and the prints come
out of the printer dry to the touch. Too bad Costco didn't just get the
original mfgr of their paper to provide it cut to 4x6 format.

Although the 8.5x11 paper may be Ilford, the 4x6 is identified as made in
the USA. I don't know what firms in the USA make glossy photo paper.

HAMMERMILL

In addition to the odd sizes and formats that one can do at home, home
printing of 8x10 or 8.5x11 (or even larger formats) is a greater cost
savings over quick processing places. Creative control and the ability to
immediately process prints is a great bonus as well. Convenience, contol,
and the ability to customize certainly offset the cost of the printer in my
estimation. The strict cost comparison and use of the inexpensive
processing places holds sway if the primary interest is 4x6 prints without
much effort. It is also possible that some of the processing places deliver
more archival prints - another consideration.



Well... i'm not sure what my cost per print actually is using MIS ink
but it's pretty dang low, on par with costco low when taking cost of
low cost paper into account. I'm not sure if they are using dye subs
or some sort of silver halide solution as i've never used their
service. But as I said and yes our resident troll didn't get it...
such places don't do odd sizes like 5x5.


At about five cents per 4x6 sheet of Costco glossy photo paper and a
few pennies for MIS ink these prints are easily under ten cents US
Click to expand...
Assuming 450 print [there and abouts] per 2oz of ink @ 5 each (photo so
only $20) And a refillable tank set at another $20 we're talking 8.8c
each, but given one only has to buy a refillable set once for at least
a few refills or re-use their canon ones, let's call it a plum nickle
for the ink. This is a vague estimate of ink at 50% yield, 280p 5%
yield on OEM and 2oz is 4x OEM there and abouts.

So a nickle for the paper and a nickle for the ink = 10c which could be
higher or lower depending on reality, such as how often one actually
has to replace the tanks, if one buys OEM canon tanks and refills them,
or gets a lower cost. Also the paper may or may not be kirkland. So
while i'll agree odds are the MIS stuff we use is likely to be lower in
cost... i'd still class it on par with costco printing or other sub 20c
solutions. Why? Cause you shelled out at least $100 for that
printer.. and even at 5000 4x6s that's at least a couple of cents, a
number I loosly base on canon's product life estimate.

Average photo printing... odds are the mis solution is less by about
30% to 50% based on my ballpark estimates.

Photos of gothic churches at night..."might" be more.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
kirkland is a costco store label. costco does not make paper. most likely is it made by
ilford. because of its size some can consider it a large corporate brand
Click to expand...

This is true.. .Costco does double as a wholesale warehouse. It
doesn't meet your requirements of a brand because according to you you
need multi means of distrobution. Where NCR's third party ink would be
considered a brand.
http://www.ncr.com/en/products/supplies/retail_office_products.htm
http://search.finance.yahoo.com/search?s=NCR

Which to answer burt's question NCR out of Dayton OH makes glossy photo
paper... I'm just not all that sure that they make an ivory 4x6.
 
zakezuke said:
This is true.. .Costco does double as a wholesale warehouse. It
doesn't meet your requirements of a brand because according to you you
need multi means of distrobution. Where NCR's third party ink would be
considered a brand.
http://www.ncr.com/en/products/supplies/retail_office_products.htm
http://search.finance.yahoo.com/search?s=NCR

Which to answer burt's question NCR out of Dayton OH makes glossy photo
paper... I'm just not all that sure that they make an ivory 4x6.
Click to expand...
IVORY MAKES SNOW AS IN IVORY SNOW
 
I just retired my second inkjet in a row due to a clogged head. (Ok, I
admit I refill.) I bought my last inkjet, a Canon i860, to among other
things, print digital photos. It worked ok for that, but I think most
of us would secretly admit that it can sometimes be a hassle. I
replaced the Canon with a cheap laser that does superior B&W that
doesn't smear when I grab it too quickly or get it wet. I can take an
SD chip or CD into Walgreens or Costco and print 4X6's for the wife in
a flash compared to a home inkjet, and I think those prints cost less
-- 17 to 29 cents each, and I don't have to pay for the paper and ink.

So with under $100 lasers and 17 cent 4X6's, do inkjets continue to
make sense for most people in the home market?

Jeff
Click to expand...



But your $100 does not print Colour..?

The did a TV survey some weeks, and the Home Inkjet printer was the best in
price and Picture quality.


Those Mall type printer was rated as the worse.
 
XP said:
But your $100 does not print Colour..?

The did a TV survey some weeks, and the Home Inkjet printer was the best in
price and Picture quality.


Those Mall type printer was rated as the worse.
Click to expand...


I believe it. I also use Qimage photo software for unbelievably
sharp, realistic images I've never been able to produce before.
This is THE program professionals and amateurs alike use. I was
skeptical at first, but the free trial download version was the
clincher. Worth it an any cost. The $45, or so, that it costs is
peanuts because my $600 Lumix camera and Canon iP5000 printer were
vision impaired without it. It was like putting glasses on and seeing
everything in focus for the first time. The mall type printers do not
use this kind of advanced software. And I don't think I've exaggerated
too much. . .

-Taliesyn
 
WELL WHAT DO YOU EXPECT.
IF YOU USE CANON OEM INK IN A CANON IP4200 OR IP5200 AND COSTCO PAPER
THAT YOU CAN CUT INTO 4X6 THE PAPER COST IS 4.X CENTS FOR A 4X6. YOU
WILL HAVE A LEFT OVER FOR WALLET SIZE TOO. I DO NOT KNOW HOW MANY 4X6
YOU CAN GET OUT OF A SET OF CARTS.

UNLESS YOU ARE A GREAT PHOTOGRAPHER MOST OF THE PHOTOS WILL NOT BE WORTH
PRINTING SO I WOULD IMAGINE IF YOU SELECTIVELY PRINT (AND EDIT IN
PHOTOSHOP) THE TOTAL COST MAY EVEN BE LESS.

SINCE YOU ALREADY HAVE BEEN INTRODUCED TO AFTERMARKET INKS AND HEAD
CLOGS JUST BEWARE.
 
Meaksite said: He asked a legit quesiton for once

The offical yeild of the small color tanks bci-6 and cli-8 is 280 @ 5%
Given the large black isn't used in photo mode, we can ignore it.
Anyhow at 100% yield thats 14 pages.

Letter sized area = 93.5sq in
4x6 area = 24 sq in
(93.5 sq in / 24 sq in) = 3.9
Letter = 3.9 times greater area
14 letter sized pages * 3.9 = 54.9 4x6 pages @ 100% yield

4x6 100% yield = 54.9 pages
4x6 75% yield = 68.6 pages
4x6 50% yield = 109.2 pages
4x6 25% yield = 219.6 pages

---------------------------------------

Using US dollars as a reference, and at 50% yield and about 11
dollars/cart we are talking the neighborhood of 40cents per 4x6 print.


Assuming Canada, that's CAD$18 each or CAD$72 so CAD 66cents each [usd
55cents]

Cross the pond in the UK we can say £6 each is fair so 24 pound a set
or about £0.22 each. [usd 38cents]

Cross that other pond in Japan ï¿¥1000 each is reasonable or ï¿¥4000 a
set, so ï¿¥36.63 each [ usd 0.31 cents]

This is just the ink alone... add your own paper, which can be as low
as a nickle a pop.

Note a6 is 4.2x6 so it's area is 25.2sq... so there would be a
difference of 5% or so.
 
Burt said:
I've now printed several photos on the new 4x6 Kirkland paper. Because of
the slight ivory colored tint, flesh tones are more toward the yellow or
orange, and whites and highlights aren't as "crisp" looking as with the
8.5x11 paper. I may use it to crank out quick photos for friends, but for
my own prints I prefer the original paper. The glossy surface and weight
are very nice, there is no bronzing in the dark areas, and the prints come
out of the printer dry to the touch. Too bad Costco didn't just get the
original mfgr of their paper to provide it cut to 4x6 format.

Although the 8.5x11 paper may be Ilford, the 4x6 is identified as made in
the USA. I don't know what firms in the USA make glossy photo paper.

In addition to the odd sizes and formats that one can do at home, home
printing of 8x10 or 8.5x11 (or even larger formats) is a greater cost
savings over quick processing places. Creative control and the ability to
immediately process prints is a great bonus as well. Convenience, contol,
and the ability to customize certainly offset the cost of the printer in my
estimation. The strict cost comparison and use of the inexpensive
processing places holds sway if the primary interest is 4x6 prints without
much effort. It is also possible that some of the processing places deliver
more archival prints - another consideration.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the comment Burt. Was giving thought to buying some of the
smaller size but from your comments I think I'll stay with the larger
sheets and cut to size.

Mickey
 
Measkeite said: Nothing at all

Well you had no clue how many photos you can expect go get our of the
cartridges and now you do. The numbers I hear typicaly run between the
90 to 150 range so my estimate of 110 4x6s @ 50% yield seems most
reasonable. And based on these estimates one can expect double on
pixma series than low cost printlabs.
 
zakezuke said:
Well you had no clue how many photos you can expect go get our of the
cartridges and now you do.
Click to expand...
NO I DO NOT
The numbers I hear typicaly run between the
90 to 150 range so my estimate of 110 4x6s @ 50% yield seems most
reasonable. And based on these estimates one can expect double on
pixma series than low cost printlabs.
Click to expand...
HAVE NO IDEA
 
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