colour printers -

[tim]

PLEASE - need help -  can't get it from the makers. There must be someone here who knows.

Colour Accuracy.
1. Laser or ink-jet?
2. Ink-jet.  Is a 'dedicated' machine truer than a 'combination' one, or is it merely the number of separate cartridges that is important.
Cost. Can anyone volunteer a cost, in terms of ink alone,  for an A4 colour copy of a photo, on 'BEST' setting, Without this as a start point, it's impossible to accept a commission. = Tim

[tim]

[rdak]

Tim,

I believe that laser jets are not very common for home use. They are most often used by business and where the speed of printing is very important.

Not sure about the merits of having 3 colour cartridges as opposed to having 1 combined colour cartridge, but would have thought that 1 combined cartridge would be cheaper to replace than 3 separates. I believe most inkjets have 1 colour cartridge and higher-end business laserjets have 3.

Make sure that the printer also has a black cartridge. Some only have a colour one and if black is needed, combine the colours to form a composite black- but this is never as good as true black.

I find these websites invaluable in providing reviews:

http://www.ciao.co.uk/
http://www.dooyoo.co.uk

Also, if you want to buy online, use these price comparison 'engines' -you won't believe how much you can save:

//www.dealtime.co.uk
//www.kelkoo.co.uk
http://uk.pricerunner.com

On some of the cheaper colour inkjets, it is actually more cost effective to replace the whole printer when the ink runs out because getting a new cartridge is about the same cost as buying the printer which comes with a free cartridge!
I got my printer from //www.freecolourprinter.com
Says a lot for our throw-away society though! (just like mobile phones)

[Hyacinth]

for buying cartridges, etc. online, I use Viking Direct - next day delivery, which is useful - so thanks rdak for the other addys; I'll check them out for price comparison. - Lishka

[tim]

- that'll keep me busy for a while! Thanks, rdak.

[Garden Manager]

Tim,

Whatever you do dont get an Epson inkjet. Replacement cartriges are amoung the most expensive of all, particularly those with a 'chip' built in which tells the printer the cartridge is empty long before it really is.  The printers themselves can be a touch cantankerous to use as well, and are not very user friendly.

Lexmark printers are better and the cartriges are a bit cheaper. It pays to shop around for cartridges and 'own brands' are better value than the printer manufacturers cartridges.

I would say all in one colour cartridges are better as they are more readily available than individuals.

Hope this helps

[rdak]

I would also recommend Lexmark. Am very happy with current printer, which I think is a Z33 (entry level colour model)

[tim]

- keep it coming!! = Tim

[Doris_Pinks]

Tim, I use an Epson colour photo printer. So far very pleased with the quality, but the cartridges are a bit pricey!! £20.75 for black, and £16.95 for the colour, or £36.70 for a dual pack!! (and that is ordering from http://www.systeminsight.co.uk/  who are next day delivery and fairly cheap compared to the highstreet!)Wish I had thought to compare ink prices when I bought it!! RATS! Will check out Lishkas and rdaks sites to compare prices,thanks you lot ;D!

[cleo]

Certainly the old Epson`s are a pain, my C40 is slow noisy and greedy. I have this very morn bought myself a Canon i560 bubble jet that takes four cartridges but it`s still in it`s box so cannot advise on quality yet-and YES,also a digital camera!!.

In mitigation for this wild flight of spending I should point out that a 15 yr savings plan matures next week ;D ;D

Stephan

[busy_lizzie]

Tim,  We have an Epson Stylus Color 680, which is very good, but it is true to say that the cartridges are very expensive.  However, we are lucky that a Cartridge Refill Shop has just opened in Whitley Bay, and we now can get our black and colour cartridges refilled for only £10 each, which is very good value.  They are just as good as buying new cartridges as the quality is excellent. busy_lizzie  :)

[tim]

All good stuff - although I just don't have the steam to search out the best prices. I just suffer Viking's 'cos I get all my 'office materials' there. Maybe I'll get a bit bolder!

But you notice that, whatever folk are paying for cartridges, noone knows what one high quality A4 print costs them in ink? So one can't accept a commission without the probability of being out of  pocket?

C'mon now - think!! = Tim

[Garden Manager]

Tim,  We have an Epson Stylus Color 680, which is very good, but it is true to say that the cartridges are very expensive.  

Well I never :o :o

Thats MY PRINTER lizzie!!

Id agree about the quality bit, but the rest NO WAY JOSE!  

I find the 680 very user unfriendly, compared to the Lexmark i had before. Sorry  :(  :(

[teresa]

I to have an Epson Photo 830 which is a dream to work get my inks from
WWW.designsbydebbie.co.uk
find them the cheepest around and good

[tim]

Great - we're still trying - but how much does it cost?? = Tim

[rdak]

tim,

I don't think you're going to find a cost per page comparison for printer models.

Firstly, it is not something I have seen the manufacturers advertise, presumably because the amount of ink used to print a page varies enormously depending on what is being printed and the manufacturers don't fix a price for the ink, that is up to the retailer.

Secondly, any website or magazine that undertook a price comparison would presumably only choose a couple of models to compare and would not be able to keep up with every new printer that comes out- due to the time, expense and the factors listed above.

I think the best you can hope for is to go on peoples' impressions from the review website links I posted above re: the cartridge life and then cross-reference that to typical cartridge costs.

[tim]

Frustrating, isn't it? But thanks hugely, rdak. = Tim

[Palustris]

Have a look at Futurform Office Supplies for cartridges. We find them the cheapest (www.go-fos.com). Our printer is an Epson C62 and works fine for us. The other printer we have is a Lexmark and the cartridges are definitely more expensive than the printer was. Used a laser printer at school when they first came out, very quick especially for repeat printings (parent letters etc). Photo quality paper is pricey from high street outlets as well.

[teresa]

Oh Eric
Friend of my dads collect old calunders and picks them us dead cheep and prints on the back of them. Get to know someone in a company who gets them free from suppliers advertising end of the year they all get thrown out lots of printable paper just have to know someone.
This chap also refills his own cartilages very saving?

[BikerBob]

I have an Epson 750 Photo Stylus which has been very good for printing and reproducing photographs and I don`t use Company cartridges but compatible ones which I get from ToneZone Uk in Worthing who charge £17.95 fpr 5 colour cartridges inc p@p, so it does`nt matter how much each page works out at these prices. Also this printer used 6 colours 5 and 1 black and his black cartridges are even cheaper. More or less next day delivery as well!! Trouble is there is rumour that refills of inks are to be banned in the future by the European Commission, so you`ll have to buy original cartridges.
Website is www.ToneZoneUK.com
Hope that helps Tim??!
 :o

[tim]

- you mean 5 of one colour, bb, or one of five colours?
Mine only takes a 3-colour thing, but you can replace the black with another 3-colour one = 6!
I tried for some time to keep track of how many copies I got from a £25 cartridge, but gave up. Too complicated, with different percentages of cover and different sizes. But I reckon it's fewer than one might wish. Hence my request for guide lines. = Tim