jmhennig

Just got one locally on Craigslist new in the box for under $150...good deal but concerned about the ancillary costs of paper and ink and the number of prints to expect before a big ink expense...

4 questions:

1) what does a typical "stock-up" of photo paper cost for 8x10, 11x14, etc?
2) any ideas on what a full 8 pack of ink costs?
3) How many pictures should one expect from a fresh unit since all inks are full and fresh from the factory.
4) How can I convince my wife this was a good investment?? She thinks prints at Walgreens or Walmart would be a better idea over time, but since I'm unfamiliar with the output and costs, I don't know how to frame the conversation. I like this for the borderless prints and color adjustments, and convenience of printing at home, but she's worried about the dough.

Any help is appreciated! Thanks!
Justin

hangman45 Loc: Hueytown Alabama

I have found over time that it is cheaper to use Walgreens if you are going to print more than just a few

steve40 Loc: Asheville/Canton, NC, USA

I have a Pixma ix6520 wide carriage printer, I can tell you it aint the cheapest hobby you ever had. :) One of the biggest problems is, you need to print something on them once a week at least. I have a color test print, that I print on plain paper to save photo paper. And any page of text, will keep your document ink tank clear.

I've only had mine for a few months, and printed only a few 4x6's on it. I have three tanks 1/2 empty, mostly because you have to use it or loose it. So its good to take a lot of pictures, and print regularly, at least you wont loose ink just to exercises to keep the heads clear. DON'T EVEN THINK about running head cleaning, its a lot cheaper and better, to print two 8.5x11's than to do that.

snowbear

This is why I have no desire to get a photo printer - as seldom as I need prints, I just outsource it.

steve40 Loc: Asheville/Canton, NC, USA

Oh, I missed the paper question. I got 100 sheets 0f 4x6 glossy, 100 sheets 8.5x11 glossy, 100 sheets 8.5x11 matte, and 20 sheets 13x20 glossy, for $70.85.

Check B&H photo for ink prices, 5 tanks for my ix6520 runs $56.

renomike Loc: Reno, Nevada

Glossy 8.5" x 11" photo paper at Costco, is 150 sheets, for $18.00. Very good heavy paper. I've been using it for number of years. My 13" x 19" Matte, Pearl, and a couple others I bought of Ebay, and was very happy with all of them.

Mike

Danilo Loc: Las Vegas

Hi JM,
I've been using the Pixma Pro9000 for about 4 years, totally pleased in every respect. I've shopped ink & paper from many sources, finally settled on B&H Photo...they're the best!
The ink tanks supplied with your printer are most likely just partial tanks, as you replace them it will be with tanks filled to capacity, and they will last longer. Ink life is hard to calculate because you won't always be printing photos with equal amounts of red, green, cyan, magenta, etc. But you may as well know that photos, as compared to a text document, are very "ink intensive".
I find myself replacing the black, photo-cyan, and photo-magenta the most, so I keep a full 8-pak plus 1 ea. extra of PC, PM, and BLK.
It's just so hard to estimate, but I guess I find myself replacing 1 ink tank about every three weeks or so, with medium printing volume. Single tanks are about $16.
Do Not try to cheat by using some off-brand, or refilled tanks. You WILL be disappointed and grow to hate your printer.
I've tried lots of different papers: Kodak, Canon, Fuji, Ink Press, Ilford, HP, Epson. I've settled in on Kodak and Ink Press, the Ink Press papers having a whiter base, or brilliance. Some of the others tend to smear a little in the printer because in ink doesn't dry into the surface quickly enough.
I've also printed on vinyl-adhesive (stickers), transparency, canvas, and back-light "Duratrans" materials...all with great results.
I hope you'll be happy with your new printer, I'm sure you will be!
And no, you probably won't be saving money over Costco, or Walgreens. But you can get better quality, and the satisfaction of doing it yourself. Plus, while the kids are still having their birthday party, you can slip away and make prints for them to take home after the party! Yay!

blue64 Loc: Washington, Pa. USA

Ink runs between 12.95 - 14.95 a tank. At staples the package of 8 colors cost around 125+ . SAMs club use to sell very good paper but now sell junk. A very good photo paper is the IlFord brand. I like it better than Canon, HP or Kodak... If you're going to Print alot of pictures, use a photo lab. It's way cheaper than buying the ink.. Do not use cheap ink! Stick with the canon brand ink...

RacerDan Loc: Virden Illinois

i have the same printer setting in a box, saving as a backup for the epson photo 1400 i bought 18 months ago. the epson seems to use a lot of ink at $22 per cartridge for epson ink. used up alot of cheaper printers using off brand ink. anyone saving any money doing their own refills ect?

there was a $400 rebate on the canon printer when bought with a canon 60d camera that is why there are a bunch around for sale

George H Loc: Brooklyn, New York

Justin,
All of your questions are not easily answered, first off are you buying high quality paper, if so you are looking at somewhere around $50 or more for the paper. You will not be buying all eight cartridges, you will more than likely start buying individual colors, I have this unit and never have bought a full pack of colors. Well the number of shots you get will also vary, expect at least somewhere in the vicinity of a hundred, this all depends on what you shoot. I have found the yellow cartridge to go first. This is a great printer and I use it a lot, but not for bulk processing. If I need more than 5 prints I go to COSTCO, far cheaper to use them then using this printer. You also have to figure in travel costs using an outside source. Bang for the buck is not in this printer, just convenience, wish I could say it pays.

Have a Very Merry Christmas.

George

bee7474 Loc: Selah, Wa

Check Ebay for Canon ink, around 72.00 for 8, I have two of the Canon 9000 Mark II, I used the cheap ink cartridges in the first one and finally got poor pictures, now I use it for black & white and the other one I only use Canon ink for photo's. These are great. I agree that the ink is too expensive, but the quality is worth it. Enjoy

lenslover

The little cartridges on the PP9000 don't go very far. Photo cyan, photo magenta and yellow run out twice as fast as cyan and magenta, red, green and black usually last the longest. Using the Canon cartridges is the most trouble free but also 5-6 times as expensive as buying bottles of ink and refilling your carts. It's a hassle at first, but you get used to it.
The cost of paper varies a LOT, but so does the quality. Canon makes some good papers, B&H is a great source.
Since you are using dye-based inks instead of pigment-based, you won't have nearly the clogging problems the pigment people do, which is nice, and you can print on matte paper or glossy with the same black ink. Hard to beat your little printer!

harmon1 Loc: Balto., Md.

Have a 9000, ink really lasts a long time. Pics are excellent. Well worth it. If you don't use it. Go to a lab , not Wal-Mart.

George H Loc: Brooklyn, New York

Harmon,
Why are you recommending a lab, what is the difference if they are using the same commercial printer?

George

billybob40

I print on a Epson 1100 with CISS systam (ink). I print 8.5 X 11 and cut out small one, but can go up to 13x19.
Just printed a job 3oo pcs. of paper for about $75. cost and over 1000 photos. I like in house because I do it my way. What ever you do, do it your way. MARRY CHRISTMAS anGODbless