| Author | Thread |
|
|
07/21/2005 06:32:45 PM · #1 |
I'm sure a version of this question has been discussed ... BUT..
ON making prints that don't fade, good color and cost per print is a concern. I'm not evaluating Sam's Club qualiy, just using it as a sort of standard starting point.
SO ... 8x10 glossy / matt finish.
1. What printer do you use and how much do you believe it costs per print (ink only)?
2. Does it match or exceed quality, color, sharpness etc etc of a photo printed by Sam's Club (as a standard only)?
3. Fade resistance of your printer?
Trying to determine which meets basic quality, cost and ease.
For me I use the Epson C-84 and seem pretty happy for home use but not as sharp, clear and color match as Sam's. So what say ya'll?
|
|
|
|
07/21/2005 06:50:31 PM · #2 |
| I say print photos on a photo printer on photo paper. Use an inkjet to print pie charts of your print sales. |
|
|
|
07/21/2005 11:12:00 PM · #3 |
Well anyone with cost to print 8x10 on good photo printer? How does photo compare as asked in original questions?
Thanks.
|
|
|
|
07/21/2005 11:18:17 PM · #4 |
According to my ink tracking on the epson 2200, it's costing me $1.15 in ink to print an 8x10. The paper cost in addition to that varies based on the paper I use.
I have been tracking the number of square inches I print with this printer and how much ink I have put in it since I bought it. It's about leveled out after a year or so now and the numbers aren't changing much.
Fading is an issue no matter what paper and ink combination you use. The epson ultrachrome inks on epson papers (especially the matte, watercolor, and velvet fine art paper) give you the best possible life expectancy in the epson family. If you put these photos behind UV filtering glass, you should expect even more life.
|
|
|
|
07/21/2005 11:19:48 PM · #5 |
| I did some research on print costs a few months back, and they're quite expensive. Between paper and ink, a 4x6 print off an Epson R800 runs about 50 cents. Most other inkjets will cost you at least 29 cents per 4 x 6. That's quite a bit more than the 8-12 cents a typical photo service charges for a (usually better) print. You pay for the convenience. |
|
|
|
07/21/2005 11:20:55 PM · #6 |
For what it's worth, Sam's club prints in my hometown are excellent quality. They are printed on a Fuji Frontier mini lab and the output quality is extremely good. They are printed on Fuji Crystal Archive paper and I wouldn't hesitate to use these prints for sale. I just generally print everything 12x18 and smaller myself and order larger prints. I'm currently using //www.mpix.com for my sizes over 12x18.
|
|
|
|
07/21/2005 11:21:09 PM · #7 |
I've had great results from both options. I will mention that the first time I had photos printed at Sam's, the print was all wrong color-wise. It turned out they had an auto-color enhance feature on their printer. Once the manager turned it off, the color was incredible.
At home I have an HP Photosmart 7760. It takes two cartridges, a tri-color and a black. The black lasts much, much longer. The tri-color cartridge costs about $35, and I'm not really sure how many prints I can get out of one. I do think it's rather expensive compared to some of the other photo printers (such as Canon) that are available.
As far as quality, it really depends on the printer & paper you use. I've tried both my Photosmart and a Canon i9900 (I think that's the right model) and the Canon is better by far, and comparable to Sam's. Between my printer and Sam's as far as quality, I would probably choose Sam's.
I use my HP for the convenience of printing at home, or for printing "memory shots" that don't have to be exceptional quality. When I wanted to enter a contest last year, I took my shots to Sam's for printing.
As a side note, I recently tried Epson high gloss photo paper and have been more than pleased with it. It's more expensive than the HP photo paper, but I would never go back.
Hope this helps.
:o) |
|
|
|
07/21/2005 11:37:18 PM · #8 |
|
|
|
07/22/2005 12:02:39 AM · #9 |
Super info. Thanks, it appears that the printer option at home for test and evaluation is fine but even Sam's is preferred for lower cost and quality to sell. Thanks ya'll.
|
|
|
|
07/22/2005 12:09:29 AM · #10 |
Don't forget to add in the cost of the printer, over it's expected lifetime, in this comparison.
Printers don't last forever. My Epson 1200 made it only 2 years and it cost $500. That's shorter than one would expect though. During those two years, I didn't do a lot of printing, making each print I did make VERY expensive.
Besides breaking and wearing out, they also just become obsolete, relative to the current state of technology. So when comparing to the cost of outside printing, it's only "fair" to include some adjustment for the cost of the printer.
|
|
Home -
Challenges -
Community -
League -
Photos -
Cameras -
Lenses -
Learn -
Help -
Terms of Use -
Privacy -
Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2025 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 09/17/2025 06:42:12 PM EDT.
