How much ink does an injet use?

George07748

As family and friends are starting to see how good the prints look from my Epson R2000, I'm getting "will you print this for me" requests.

While I'm not in business, I'd like to recover costs when the work isn't related to my hobby/enjoyment. It's easy to figure out the cost per sheet for the paper and the cost per cartridge, but without waiting until I use up a bunch of cartridges, is there a figure of merit out there for how much pigment ink is used per print (or per square inch, etc.)?

I'd like to try and generate a rough cost per 13x19 using fine art paper... maybe one for a glossy 8x10 as well.

Thanks!

ziggy53

To give you an idea of the variables you need to consider, take a look at this page:

http://www.inkjetart.com/pro/7600_9600/cost_page.html

Pay careful attention to the information at the bottom regarding test images and ink coverage. Your answer depends on what your customers/friends/family are sending you for files to print.

Glort

When I started doing event work and churning out large amounts of prints a couple of years ago, i was horrified by what it was costing in ink per event. it was our major and significant cost of the whole exercise! It was costing me several times more than fuel to travel the 60-90 to most of the events we covered and that was at the consumption rate with my very un aerodynamic trailer on the back which sometimes doubled the amount of fuel normally used!

I soon started looking into continous ink systems and with some admitted trepidation, bought one.
Smartest investment I ever made!
Paid for itself and more by the 2nd event and has saved me literally thousands since.

As I'm now running 4 printers to get the speed up but the volume of actual prints each one has to handle is fairly low ( comparatively) I have been refiling the actual OEM cartridges ( Canon Printers) and this has proven perfectly successful as well. It takes a little time and messing around to refil them but I actually find it a good chance to sit down and relax so don't mind it at all especially when every time I get up after finishing I can look and say I just saved myself X hundred dollars.

A full set of bulk inks costs me $54 for 100ML bottles ( about 12 oem Cartdriges worth) whereas a full set of new inks is around $125 if you get them cheap.

A big concern I had initially was that the prints would still be of an " accetable " quality as I never thought ( probably brainwashed) that the reseults would be as good as the OEM inks.
My first tests were a real surprise. I had one printer with the OEM ink and another brand new never used one hooked up to the CIS. Printing the same files I unfailingly prefered the Neutral, true to life colours the aftermarket ink gave over the glaringly bright and over saturated colours and compressed tonal range of the OEM ink.
I have 3 different printers I have run this ink in and never had a calibration problem in any of them.

A quick google search shows you can get both CIS and refilable cartridges for your printer so I would highly reccomend you look at these.
For me it changed things from thinking of ink costs as a major burden to a complete, Couldn't give a damn because it is so cheap.
I did an event last weekend where I printed over 200 5x7 prints and I guestimate my ink costs were well under $5 and I would think in reality probaly closer to half of that. I only ended up running 2 printers on that job as we got on top of the printing early and kept up with it and I used most of one set of cartridges in the 2nd printer and witht eh first one with the CIS I could barely see where the ink had moved.

There are lots of people and company fear mongering warning against the Dangers of refilling and CIS systems but before putting much stock into them, ask yourself firstly if the people supplying the info have either something to gain financially OR, have used the systems and have any worthwhile experience with them.

If you are set on using OEM overpriced liquid gold cartdriges, just overprice the ink component somewhat to cover yourself. Your also investing your time and effort so hardly ripping anyone off.

I found that using the OEM inks I could get lab prints done a fair bit cheaper so if that's how your numbers come out, don't be surprised.

Art Scott

Glort......whose CIS system are you usng??

Glort

http://www.rihac.com.au/

I have gone through about 5 sets of refils now and the prints are still perfect.
For the event I did last weekend I used Ilford paper as it was all i could easily get in 5x7. You can go onto their site and download profiles for your printer.
I did that for both the models I'm using and the prints came out the best i have ever seen.

I think Ilford have won me over.

Art Scott

Glort wrote: »

http://www.rihac.com.au/

I have gone through about 5 sets of refils now and the prints are still perfect.
For the event I did last weekend I used Ilford paper as it was all i could easily get in 5x7. You can go onto their site and download profiles for your printer.
I did that for both the models I'm using and the prints came out the best i have ever seen.

I think Ilford have won me over.

Thank you so much for the link and info........Ilford......was / is great...I shot their film for ever and used their papers in the wet darkroom forever also......