Who understands inkjet ink usage???

  • Thread starter Thread starter David Isaacs
  • Start date Start date
D

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.
 
David said:
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.
Click to expand...

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

Don
 
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
 
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.
 
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.
 
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