Printers...

Rhys · Jul 1, 2008

Is there any value in having a printer any more?

Sure - the office type are handy for general printing but do we really need photo printers any more?

I was looking at the figures.

Mpix (as an example) price works out at $2.49 for a 10x8 and $11.20 for a 10x20 and $20 for a 20x30. OK you might say I can print 20 20x30s and be in with a profit. Not quite so fast - how about ink prices? Once you add ink into the equation, it becomes rapidly less economical. Let's use a typical 10x8 printer as an example...

Paper cost is going to be around $1 per sheet
Ink cost is going to be around $15 per cartridge and you need 4.
Each cartridge will cover about 20 sheets of paper before it's out.

So... we're talking $80 to do 20 prints with an inkjet as opposed to $50 for the same quantity (with zero wastage) from an online print company. That's an excess charge of $30 to print yourself and you also have to buy the wretched printer too.

Seems to me that we're being ripped off royally by the printer companies on ink charges and that they've basically slit their own throats. I know I'm buying all my prints from now on via Apple's online service (which is cheaper and better as it's colour matched).

Helen B · Jul 1, 2008

I print using inkjets because I prefer the prints they make, not because of cost. Using an inkjet printer and a RIP I can get a wider density range, gamut and choice of surface than I can get with online places like Mpix. The predicted longevity of pigment inkjet prints is greater than that of colour photo paper. I use bulk ink to avoid having to change cartridges, and this has the advantage of roughly halving my ink costs.

Best,
Helen

D-50 · Jul 1, 2008

The quality you get froma solid printer at homefar exceeds the cheap photo developers like snap fish, staples, CVS etc. Also when printing large photos on a 13" printer I find I do save a lot. I can print 16 to 20 11"x28" on a full set of 8 inks that cost about $110. When I add in the paper cost its about $70 in paper for 16 or so prints.. All together lets say its $200 for 16 11x28's (I use this dimension because I printer four last night at this size and measured the ink usage) Thats less than 15 a print. I would love to see you get a print of similar size and quality for that price.

NecroBolt · Jul 2, 2008

The new Kodak EasyShare 5300 is pretty economical and far superior to kiosk developments. I haven't compared it to Mpix or any other online printers, but I know they are the best prints I've ever gotten off a printer, including the ones at my work. I'm a printer and we use a big selection of different printers there. The Kodak beats them all.

I am not a paid endorsement or am i an actor. :lol:

Jon, The Elder · Jul 3, 2008

I'm pretty much with Helen on this one. They are MY images and MY reputation, I want to see them through to the end.

Alpha · Jul 3, 2008

I have a Durst Lambda in my closet.

Jedo_03 · Jul 5, 2008

Alpha said:
I have a Durst Lambda in my closet.

Alpha - why would that surprise me... Or anyone...?
Jedo

craig · Jul 6, 2008

I can not stand having someone else print my photos. Only exception is E6 processing, which I do very little of these days. For me it is that simple.

)'(

Alpha · Jul 6, 2008

craig said:
I can not stand having someone else print my photos. Only exception is E6 processing, which I do very little of these days. For me it is that simple.

)'(

Don't be a fuddy duddy. Pros the world over have had other people print their photos for ages, especially in your line of work. What if someone contracted you to make a DuraTrans for display in their storefront? Would you stand in the lobby of the print-shop biting your nails while they printed it unsupervised?

:cheers: