# Self printing vs buying prints



## selo (Apr 22, 2015)

I have searched for a answer to this for a while now. I still dont have a real good answer for it. Maybe someone did a calculation for it?

Is self printing worth it? I buy my prints from a site called profotonet they print at high quality and it looks great. A print of 21 to 29 cm (8to11 inch) costs 2.05 in euro's (2.20 usd ish). I think self printing will be cheaper but at how much and how will the quality be?

The printer i would like to buy for this is the Epson R3000 (costs eur599)
A paper (brand epson or fuji) costs about 1 euro per sheet

How much will 1 print cost? A cartridge has about 26ml in it. If you print full color pages after how many pages will 1 color be empty?

Did someone did a math about this? 

Will there be any investments needed like a new printing head after a X amount of prints? Is it worth investing in a printer just to save costs?


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## The_Traveler (Apr 22, 2015)

There are lots of articles evaluating cost/printed image in paper, ink, investment.
My experience is a bit slanted because I got a terrific deal on a printer and invested a bit of effort in using non-first party ink.
At the current rate of usage my cost for an 11 x 14 printed on high grade paper will be <$1 for paper and perhaps .30 cents for ink
I paid 18-27 dollars for equal prints at a good print shop and ~$3 + shipping at a bargain place with mediocre results.
Additionally, I get to see the results and correct them immediately and my prints are as good or better than the good print shop.

But this is not just a save-money effort.


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## selo (Apr 22, 2015)

Thank you for your response.

Yes it is not just saving money. It is also being flexible. U can correct prints and don't have to wait that long for prints to arrive. Also you dont have to pay a start-up fee and sending fees. I have google a lot to find good articles, can you give a few links?

A good non original brand inkt cost 130 euro for 32ml ink cartridge. All 9 colors are in this pack (4x black and 5x color). This looks like a good deal. Also the paper is like eur 1 a piece but if you buy in bulk u can get a better deal. 

How many prints in full color will a 32ml cartridge give me? Thats what i would like to know. If it more than 100, it is allready profitable.


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## The_Traveler (Apr 23, 2015)

Cost of Inkjet Printing Reports by Red River Paper

P300 is no longer made, P600 is replacement so estimates are made with that printer/ink set.
Their estimates are based on purchasing branded ink.
I believe one can cut the price of ink by 50-70% by buying non-brand ink and refilling cartridges oneself.
There are several outlets (with good reputation) to buy non-branded ink and supplies.
The box of materials are small and light thus shipping - even to the Netherlands - would not be too bad.
I use precisioncolors.com based in upper New York state and Canada and shipping is negligible.


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## bribrius (Apr 23, 2015)

i would rather do my own prints. I stopped when my last printer died and i realized it was going to cost me a grand to replace it. Then i remembered all the money i spent on ink cartridges and just stopped printing my own. I always stuck with the manufacturer ink on the more important photos, as i thought it to be higher quality.  After researching the printing costs i decided i would be better off just having it printed and sending it out. We still print occasionally off a cheaper epson, but nothing for high quality and a much lower level . The epson is limited to basically 11x14 sizes and lower paper weights. Good enough for most family photos but nothing you would want to hang. The costs of replicating sending the prints out though, i would be looking at buying that 1k+ maybe 2K printer. More choices in paper going that route, but also with things going metallic and the more options the labs are giving you would lose some options too me thinks. Really a tough call i dont know the answer either.


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## timor (Apr 23, 2015)

I am sure, guys, that you mistake forum. This one here is about real printing, in darkroom, on light sensitive materials, with chemical process to develop them. Not about hard copies of digital files.


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## bribrius (Apr 23, 2015)

timor said:


> I am sure, guys, that you mistake forum. This one here is about real printing, in darkroom, on light sensitive materials, with chemical process to develop them. Not about hard copies of digital files.


i'm still stuck on the film too. I had a old printer once that scanned 35mm and printed it. I don't even think they make that anymore. Now you buy the scanner and printer separate. I feel i got cheated. You can print of disc now. But i could care less about that or the wifi.


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## Big Mike (Apr 23, 2015)

I prefer to have my prints done at the lab.  They are top quality and they are consistent.  

I do have a photo printer at home, but I only use it for quick personal prints.  

I do think that printing at home can be cheaper, especially if you can find a way to use cheaper ink.  But it's not a huge difference.  Good quality photo paper is fairly expensive.


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## bribrius (Apr 23, 2015)

Big Mike said:


> I prefer to have my prints done at the lab.  They are top quality and they are consistent.
> 
> I do have a photo printer at home, but I only use it for quick personal prints.
> 
> I do think that printing at home can be cheaper, especially if you can find a way to use cheaper ink.  But it's not a huge difference.  Good quality photo paper is fairly expensive.


the lab prices change too. Limr mentioned a while back a special on 1$ 8x10's. I came across a 30% off prints sale a while back on another site. So it really is so hard to compare and i think they make it that way on purpose.


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## Gary A. (Apr 23, 2015)

If it about money, then send your images out for printing. If it is about photography, then purchase a high end printer. 

You will never break even with home printing as compared to commercial printing. The cost of ink for home printers is astronomical. Good commercial printing will always be cheaper than good home printing, especially when you factor in waste and your time. 

Then why print at home? Because you can. Home printing completes the photographic cycle from vision to final product. Home printing adds another educational element to helping you become a better photographer. For many of us, hands-on printing, is as important as capturing the image.


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## timor (Apr 23, 2015)

bribrius said:


> timor said:
> 
> 
> > I am sure, guys, that you mistake forum. This one here is about real printing, in darkroom, on light sensitive materials, with chemical process to develop them. Not about hard copies of digital files.
> ...


Nothing funny about my post. Or it is so sad, that it became funny. Mistaking darkroom printing with digital printing is a good example of hypocrisy we live in. Digital photography has nothing to do with normal, film photography. The only common thing is the lens otherwise everything is different. Final output to. I am not anti digital, I am amazed by the capabilities of this ANI machines and I am using them for common daily tasks. That for clarification. I am not starting any DI-AN war. I think it is just sad that we gone to the point, that people think digital printing is done in DARKROOMS.


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## bribrius (Apr 23, 2015)

timor said:


> bribrius said:
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> > timor said:
> ...


i agree whole heartedly. Just watching the machine spit out the images is oddly different. (seen one in a lab once). It isn't the same, sorry if you mistook my post.


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## timor (Apr 23, 2015)

bribrius said:


> timor said:
> 
> 
> > bribrius said:
> ...


Eh, no, nothing against you or anyone in particular. It is just general remark about world we live in now. There is deeper consideration, levels of hypocrisy historically were always growing before some big, man made disasters. I hope I am old enough to not to see it...


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## timor (Apr 23, 2015)

Now I look really funny. The thread was moved from darkroom forum to digital forum, so it looks, like I am venturing in wrong space. Oh my...


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## bribrius (Apr 23, 2015)

timor said:


> Now I look really funny. The thread was moved from darkroom forum to digital forum, so it looks, like I am venturing in wrong space. Oh my...


yeah, i was wondering what you were talking about.  But why worry about the details...


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## sm4him (Apr 23, 2015)

timor said:


> Now I look really funny. The thread was moved from darkroom forum to digital forum, so it looks, like I am venturing in wrong space. Oh my...



That's sorta my fault, I think. Evidently, at about the same time that you posted your comment, I had just "reported" the thread to have it moved to a more appropriate section.

It IS a good reminder though, that the "report" function is there NOT just to report people being ugly or inappropriate--it's also a great way to get a mod to zero in on a thread that needs to be moved, among other things.


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## timor (Apr 23, 2015)

sm4him said:


> timor said:
> 
> 
> > Now I look really funny. The thread was moved from darkroom forum to digital forum, so it looks, like I am venturing in wrong space. Oh my...
> ...


That's OK man. You did the right thing, it is a digital discussion. My last post was to ensure, that I am not seen as ranting in wrong place. So I did and enough. Next time it will be me pressing the report button to send the thread to the right place.


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## John_Olexa (Apr 23, 2015)

Gary A. said:


> Home printing completes the photographic cycle from vision to final product



This is why I print at home. I like to just do it all. I use a Canon printer with Canon ink, Epson paper 11mil. I have 8- 1/2 x 11's from 20 years ago still look great. If I want an image bigger than 8- 1/2 x 11 though than I do send it out.


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## table1349 (Apr 23, 2015)

Personally I do both.  If it is the everyday family snapshot, vacation, etc.  photo I send them out for printing.  If it is a rush job for someone else I will send them out for printing.  If it is for me for more special work I will print them myself so I get exactly the look I want.


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## selo (Apr 29, 2015)

Thank you for your answers. I think its not worth for me to get a r3000 like printer. We do printing on the spot sometimes but never greater than A4 which is 21x29cm (8to11 inch or so). When printing on the spot the quality of a standard photo printer is good enough. I might get a extra sub dye printer to make 4x6 inch prints though. Prints are little expensive but quality is (i think) better than a std photo printer?


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