Ask any given expert in the consumer printer industry about what printer to buy when you’re on a budget and they’ll tell you that beauty is only MSRP-deep. That’s because in the long-run, you also need to account for ink and toner costs over the life of your printer. As a result, seasoned consumers calculate cost per page for consumables to supplement a simple MSRP comparison among different printers. Here’s how you can calculate it for yourself, using the Okidata C5650dn Color Laser Printer as an example:

1. Getting the figures you need: When it comes to color printers, remember that you’re calculating cost per page in Color and in Black and White. First, you need to find out which cartridges the printer uses, their prices, and their Page Yields (i.e. how many pages each cartridge can help print before it runs out). According to the product page, the Okidata C5650dn Color Laser Printer uses 4 toner cartridges: Black, Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow. In this case, each toner cartridge has a Page Yield of 5000 pages. The black cartridge costs $59.99 while each of the 3 color cartridges costs $98.99.

2. Calculating Cost Per Page:

• Black and White Pages: To calculate cost per black and white page (i.e. text documents), you take the price of the black cartridge and divide it by the black cartridge’s page yield. A compatible Okidata C5650dn Color Laser Printer High-Yield Black Toner Cartridge costs $59.99 and has a page yield of 5000 pages. $59.99 divided by 5000 pages comes out to a cost per page of 1.2 cents.
• Color Pages: To print a color page, the printer typically uses all its cartridges, including the black one. So we calculate cost per page for each of the color cartridges, add them all together, then combine that number with the black and white cost per page to get the final cost per color page. Compatible High Yield Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow Toner Cartridges for the Okidata C5650dn Color Laser Printer cost $98.99 each and last for about 5000 pages each. Based on those figures, here’s the final cost per color page calculation:

  (98.99/5000) + (98.99/5000) + (98.99/5000) + (59.99/5000) = 0.071392 = 7.1 cents per page

And that’s really all there is to it. Try calculating cost per page for your current printer and compare it to other machines and cartridges on the market. It may take a little extra calculator work, but the end results can help you save big in the long run.

(Photo via FreePhotosBank)

So I was lying in bed the other night, thinking about the printer industry (as I often do), when I suddenly wondered if readers understand the terms I casually throw around in this blog. Sometimes they’re acronyms, sometimes they’re abbreviations, and sometimes they’re seemingly random words. Whatever they are, I’ve gotten increasingly familiar with them because I read about printers on a regular basis, so I take it for granted that you know what I’m talking about. Then again, maybe you don’t. Anyway, just to make sure you do, I’ve compiled a list of terms I regularly use along with my definitions for them.

MFP: This common acronym stands for Multi-Function Printer. Besides printing, these machines can scan and copy. More expensive models can also fax, and some MFPs even have built-in telephones. These jacks-of-all-trades come in handy in offices where space is at a premium and you want to get everything done in one place. All-in-One is a synonym for MFP. Examples: Canon imageCLASS MF6540 Laser MFP, Canon PIXMA MX850 Inkjet MFP

W, d, or n: You often find any one or combination of these three letters at the end of a printer’s name, usually right after the model number in either uppercase or lowercase (e.g. Okidata C5650dn Color Laser Printer or Brother HL-2170W Laser Printer). W generally stands for wireless network connectivity (i.e. Wi-Fi), which means you can connect your printer to a network without having to plug in an Ethernet cable. d stands for auto-duplex, a feature that helps you save paper by printing on both sides of a sheet. This is generally more convenient than manual duplex, where you have to print on one side, then flip the page over and load it back into the paper tray to print on the other side. Last but not least, n stands for network connectivity, which usually refers to connecting to a network with an Ethernet cable. When you see any combination of these letters at the end of the printer name, expect the associated features to come standard.

OEM: This stands for Original Equipment Manufacturer. OEMs (aka the Evil Empire to disgruntled consumers) are companies like Canon, Dell, Epson, HP, Lexmark and others who make printers as well as the ink and toner that go into those printers. The high prices for OEM cartridges have opened the door for lower-priced compatible ink and toner cartridges (see below), leading to debates over whether OEM cartridges are really that much better than compatibles and even litigation from consumers angry over allegedly anti-competitive practices by OEMs.

Compatible Cartridge: This is basically an ink or toner cartridge made by someone other than an OEM that typically costs a lot less than an OEM cartridge. OEMs say that their own cartridges make higher quality prints and work better with their printers than compatibles. On the other hand, third party manufacturers will tell you that compatibles offer similar quality at significant savings. As we mentioned in our article on OEM versus Compatible ink and toner cartridges, the final verdict often depends on the paper you use, the environment in which you put your printout, and your own personal preferences.

Remanufactured and Refurbished Cartridges: These are special kinds of compatible cartridges often made by third parties out of OEM or non-OEM ink and toner cartridges. Remanufactured and refurbished cartridges start out as used empty cartridges that are refilled with ink and refitted with new parts to make a new recycled cartridge (think RoboCop). I think a lot of people use these two terms interchangeably, so all you really need to know is that they’re enhanced and eco-friendly cartridges usually sold by third parties at a lower price than OEM cartridges.

That’s all I have for now. Hopefully this glossary provides some insight into the terms and mysterious letters that pop up in this blog from time to time. If there are any other terms you think we should mention or if you have any feedback, feel free to contact us.

For many photographers, the choice between dye-based and pigment-based inks is the printing equivalent of paper or plastic. We touched on the topic in our coverage of the Epson Stylus Photo R1900 Inkjet Printer and it deserves some elaboration, especially for beginners who may not even have known the choice existed. Let’s begin with a quick description of the physical differences between the two kinds of ink and then compare their general benefits and drawbacks.

Pigment-based inks consist of tiny particles suspended in liquid that hit the paper and stick to it. Think of it like the particles in a shaken up snowglobe that settle to the bottom and form a visually vivid coating. On the other hand, Dye-based inks feature liquid particles that actually get absorbed into the paper.

When it comes to choosing between the two, experts generally agree that pigment-based ink prints last longer and often cost more while dye-based inks produce a wider, more vivid range of colors that fade more quickly. Earthbound Light’s article Dye versus Pigment Ink Printers explains that dyes come from organic compounds that don’t hold up as well under UV light and other conditions, while pigment inks use “inert” particles that typically do better in more adverse conditions. Recently printed side-by-side photo comparisons can give you a good visual idea of the contrast in fade resistance over time. In fact, Rick LePage of Macworld reports that pigment-based ink prints can last over 200 years in museum-like conditions, while dye-based prints can last anywhere from 25 to 100 years. But keep in mind that both periods may suit you just fine if you’re not too concerned about passing down perfect photos to future generations.

LePage also notes that paper plays an important role in fade resistance, with glossy and artificially whitened paper providing brighter, slicker prints that can fade faster over time. Overall, he recommends printing with pigment-based ink if you plan to sell your photos so that your customers won’t come back and complain that the color faded too fast. And if the Epson Stylus Photo R1900 Inkjet Printer provides any indication of things to come, we may soon find that pigment-based inks can consistently hold their own against their dye-based counterparts in color and image quality.

(Photo courtesy of bigfoto.com)

OEMs sell you ink cartridges at higher prices based on claims of higher print quality and optimal compatibility with the same printers they manufacture. On the other hand, third party companies sell you Compatible ink cartridges that claim to provide similar quality prints at much lower prices. So who should you believe? TrustedReviews started an Inkjet Investigation a year ago to see how well compatible ink cartridges fared against their heralded OEM counterparts. And in the end, it turns out that both parties were right, in their own way.

Using the Canon PIXMA MP600, Epson Stylus Photo RX640, HP Officejet 6310, Lexmark X5470, and an assortment of different OEM and Compatible inks and papers, TrustedReviews’ test took place in two main phases: initial print quality and fade resistance over time. At the end of phase one, OEM and Compatible ink cartridges came out relatively even. The testers then took the prints, cut them into thirds, and put each third in one of three environments: in a lab window exposed to sunlight, on an inside wall with no direct sunlight, and inside a dark drawer. Twelve months passed and TrustedReviews came to two conclusions:

1. If you store your prints in an album or hang them up in your home for an extended period, OEM and Compatible ink cartridges both provide good quality prints that won’t noticeably fade.
2. If you display your prints outside or in a store window exposed to sunlight for an extended period, go with an OEM ink cartridge.

Either way, it’s important to figure out where you’re storing or displaying your prints and whether the difference in cost per page exceeds any potential differences in print quality and fade resistance.

(Photo courtesy of FreePhotosBank.com)