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Just wondering if anyone has done this exercise...
Cost of professional printing of an A3 photo is around $20. If one was to purchase say a Epson R 1800 and print A 3's what would be the cost per print taking paper, and ink into consideration.

I'd be very interested to find out as i am about to purchase this printer... maybe!

Troppo

If you're going to try to do a cost analysis it'll probably not work out too well.

Just buy the printer, suck up the uncosted and uncostable convenience factor, and enjoy the superb quality that this box affords you!

gstark wrote:If you're going to try to do a cost analysis it'll probably not work out too well.

Just buy the printer, suck up the uncosted and uncostable convenience factor, and enjoy the superb quality that this box affords you!

I agree......do not count the fun you will also have...... but get your screen profiled and print on Epson stock, and do a bit of research on printer profiles. The Epson profiles that come with your printer are very good......

Troppo

Regardless of the marketing hype - any decent ink jet printer + quality paper will always work out more than printing in a mini lab. BUT, and it's a big one, when you can print yourself you have full creative control over the process. From colour calibration to size to things like playing with borders and image rotation. You just don't have the same level of granularity when you're paying someone else. Plus there's also the "I printed it myself" bonus when bragging to friends and work mates

Troppo
About $5.50 for glossy and $3 for matt. These are ballpark figures as the cost can change depending on the amount of colour the printer has to put down for each particular image.

guys, really appreciate your honest opinion, at the end of the day it seems that having the flexibility and control to print without moving from your armchair is the main reason for going to a home printer (up to A3)

I guess i was mainly approaching it from a cost point of view and that was wrong, but Matt K seems to be saying that the cost are effective, that would be a bonus i guess.

Thanks for you reply everyone.
Next question is... is the Epson R 1800 the way to go?

Troppo wrote:guys, really appreciate your honest opinion, at the end of the day it seems that having the flexibility and control to print without moving from your armchair is the main reason for going to a home printer (up to A3)

I guess i was mainly approaching it from a cost point of view and that was wrong, but Matt K seems to be saying that the cost are effective, that would be a bonus i guess.

Thanks for you reply everyone.
Next question is... is the Epson R 1800 the way to go?

The flexibility and control afforded you through the use of your own printer is immeasurable, but that by no means suggests that doing a costing on it is the "wrong" appropach. Many do, and I'm certainly no qualified to say whether they're right or wrong.

Frighteningly perhaps, I'm actually a qualified accountant, but working out the costing of my R1800 is not something that I have even the slightest inclination nor interest in doing.

If you want to look at costs, a pack of A3+ paper costs, depending upon the flavour, $50 - $80 for 25. That's around $2-$3 a sheet. Ink is around 15 Pacific Pesos for a cartridge, the R1800 uses 8, but drinks from the well in quite small doses. $4-$5 per print would be both a generous but reasonable costing, but it makes no effort to include the $1K+ capital cost of the printer, or the $330+ pa depreciation on the unit.

Equally, it makes no attempt to offset the cost of not having to go to a lab, nor the convenience factor of just being able to push that little button, and two minutes later you're holding the print in your hot little hands!

Which of these costs are important? Which need to be accounted for?

How does one account for the acquisition of one's D70, when in all likelihood, there may be a perfectly usable film camera sitting idly by in a close at hand cupboard?

It's not so much a matter of right or wrong, but of what you deem, in your particular circumstances, to be important.

Finally, the R1800 is a top printer, and for its cost, and when used with good paper, I suspect you'll be hard pressed to find a better or more effective home printing setup.

 LOL, Gary, your comments gave me great pleasure and your approach to cost sensibility as well as taking the depreciation and car costs amusing, I am a property developer and also do many numbers on costs, etc. I honestly never thought of the fact that i would not have to drive or have the flexibility of doing everything here. I think we should Kill this thread, i've got the message and i agree 100% with all concerned.

Now... Gary and everyone else what printer do you recommend

Troppo

Troppo wrote:<snip>Now... Gary and everyone else what printer do you recommend

Troppo - you tease

As a proud and very happy Canon Pixma i8500 owner who's read lots here on this subject I can unequivocally say the best printer for you to get is the Epson r1800

My vote is the same as Stubbsy's

Does anyone have any glasses, Stubbsy seems to be having problems with his typing, i think he wrote EPSON R 1800

Thanks Stubbsy, your a gentleman.

He did, and I concur.

http://www.luminous-landscape.com/revie ... view.shtml

The R1800 is considered inferior in this crowd.

thanks for the link Onyx, you think this range is better, can you let me know why and is there a huge difference in price?

Troppo