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Ink Consumption In Epson Inkjet Desktop Printers
-- Part 1 of 3: Epson's Specifications --
We've compared Epson's specifications with our own tests (spending hundreds of dollars on actual ink consumption) to produce "real life" ink coverage and consumption charts (coming in parts I & II). However, before we get into actual figures, let's cover some background.
Dual Ink Cartridge System For Desktop Models: Except for Epson's aging Stylus 3000 inkjet printer and their new Stylus C80 inkjet printer (which both use separate ink cartridges for each ink color), Epson combines their color inks into one cartridge (as do most of the HP, Lexmark and Canon desktop inkjet printers). Epson uses a "tri-color" cartridge (cyan, magenta, and yellow) for their 4-ink printers and a 5-ink color cartridge (cyan, light cyan, magenta, light magenta, and yellow) for their "photo" printers. While this dual cartridge system keeps down the cost of the printer, it leads to greater ink consumption in the long run. This is because colors are never used equally, and one color always runs out before the others, requiring the cartridge to be replaced. The unused colors in the other cells of the cartridge are simple tossed away with the cartridge.
Epson uses separate and larger ink cartridges in their 3000, 5500 and wide-format printers for much greater ink economy. Third party companies have also stepped in to produce continuous inking systems for the smaller Epson desktop printers, allowing them to use separate bulk ink tanks that continuously feed through the printer's two small ink cartridges!
 Understanding Epson's Ink Consumption Specs: Epson rates most of their desktop inkjet printers based on a 5% coverage for each ink color, including the black ink. Their specifications for each printer gives the number of text pages (using an ISO/IEC 10561 letter pattern) that can be printed with the black ink cartridge. Epson then gives the number of pages that can be printed with the black cartridge ("black ink life") based on a graphic with 5% coverage and the number of color pages ("color ink life") that can be printed with 5% coverage for each color (CMY). This 5% coverage is on A4, or 8.27" x 11.69" pages. This test is based on a printing resolution of 360 dpi (it should be noted that 720 dpi and 1440 dpi resolutions consume more ink than 360 dpi resolutions). The image on the left is what this test pattern might look like if we were to place all four ink colors (at 100% density for each color and black) on an A4 sheet, with 5% coverage allotted for each ink.
5% coverage on a page for each color (20% total coverage) is somewhat normal if you're printing out a report with some black text and a color pie chart taking up 15% of the page. However, "5% coverage" at "360 dpi" is far from real life coverage if you're using your printer to print full page, quality images, i.e. full color photographs or fine art! Epson's standard rating of 5% coverage per color would apply to only a very few photographic images and illustrations. Examples might be a winter scene with heavy snow coverage or a bride in her wedding gown against a white background!
 Real Life Ink Coverage: Photographic images and full color illustrations typically consume a much greater amount of ink because the ink coverage for these images is also much higher. For instance, the ink coverages for this PhotoDisc test image are 32% for the cyan, 36% for the magenta, 39% for the yellow and 22% for the black. With an average of 35.7% coverage for each color (CMY), that's more than 7 times greater ink coverage for the three colors and more than 4 times greater ink coverage for the black (compared to the Epson standard 5% coverage for each color)! Images of people consume a lot of ink. That's because even fair-complexion flesh tones can average over 50% yellow and over 50% magenta coverage. The four "people" images at the bottom of the PhotoDisc test target have an average coverage of over 34% per color (CMY), despite less cyan coverage (27%) and the white background behind their heads.
In part II we'll analyze over 80 "real life" images and compare ink consumptions for Epson desktop printers, and we'll show you how to analyse your own images for CMYK consumption. In part III we'll do the same for Epson wide-format printers.
Epson "Ink Life" Charts:
Until we get to parts I & II, we'll use Epson's own specifications to compare the ink consumption. Although Epson's "ink life" specifications mimic what might be more typical of an office use environment than a real life photo or other art use, these specifications are still useful in comparing printers with the same consumption value.
| BASED ON EPSON'S SPECS (5% coverage per CMYK color on A4 pages @ 360 dpi): |
| Model # | MSRP for
black cart. | MSRP for
color cart. | # black pgs.
@ 5% cvrg. | Cost per
black page | # color pgs.
@ 5% cvrg. | Cost per
color page |
| C80 (New) | $29.99 | $11.99 x 3* | 870 pages | $0.034 | 420 pages* | $0.086* |
| 777 | $29.95 | $29.95 | 420 pages | $0.071 | 300 pages | $0.100 |
| 880 | $29.95 | $29.95 | 630 pages | $0.048 | 300 pages | $0.100 |
| 980 / 900 | $32.99 | $39.99 | 840 pages | $0.039 | 570 pages | $0.070 |
| 870 / 780 / 790 | $24.95 | $19.95 | 378 pages | $0.066 | 220 pages | $0.091 |
| 1270 / 1280 | $24.95 | $29.95 | 378 pages | $0.066 | 330 pages | $0.091 |
| 2000P | $32.95 | $37.95 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| 1520 | $29.95 | $29.95 | 630 pages | $0.048 | 300 pages | $0.100 |
*The C80 uses 3 separate color cartridges (one for each CMY color). It takes 3 cartridges (@ $11.99 each) to produce the 420 color pages. Although this may not appear to be as cost effective as the 980 / 900 models, one must consider that with individual cartridges there is no waste when one color is used faster than another. Not having to throw away wasted ink, often produces a 25% or greater savings over the "combination" type cartridges that are used in the 980 / 900 printers.
CONCLUSION: The 777 is the least cost efficient of printer in this group (maybe that's why it's the cheapest printer to buy ;-). The C80 and 980 / 900 models are the most cost effective (due to their larger capacity cartridges), while these printers costs only about a $100 more than the 777. The model 880 is also a winner in the black ink category, and it costs only a about $30 more than the 777). With 3rd party Epson compatible inks (at 1/2 to 1/3 the price), these two printers (the 980 and 880) can be even more cost effective. NOTE: Just after writing this article, we noticed that the 777 price dropped from $99 to $59, and the 880 dropped from $129 to $79.
The Epson 980, 880 and 1520 models are the only three desktop printers still being produced by Epson that used non-chipped cartridges, which make the use of Epson compatible ink cartridges more difficult and costly to produce and compete with Epson brand cartridges. Using Epson compatible ink cartridges, like the Inkjetart Solutions inkjet cartridges can reduce the cost per page costs to 1/2 or even 1/3 the figures in the above chart. The purchase of an 880 or 980 printer for "office" type use may be wise before they are phased out by Epson. Epson's recent reduction in price (from $129 to $79) for the 880 and warnings of from our Epson distributors indicates that this printer is on the way out, just like the very popular model 740 was phased out at this time last year. Similarly, Epson executives have told us that the C80 will soon replace the model 980. Although the C80's individual tanks offer great savings, these tanks are still "chipped" cartridges, and the 980's massive (compared to other desktop printers) cartridges are not.
Compatible ink cartridges offer savings and convenience in an office environment, however, in a high-production photo or art reproduction environment, a Continuous Inking System (CIS) might be a better solution, which also allows for the use of third party archival bulk inks.
Parts II & III: Stay "tuned" to our free newsletter (subscribe now, if you're not currently receiving it), where we'll analyze over 80 "real life" images and compare ink consumptions for Epson desktop printers, and we'll show you how to analyse your own images for CMYK consumption. In part III we'll do the same for Epson wide-format printers.
Your Feedback: Until then, we invite you to tell us about long production runs you've done and your ink consumption experience. In other words, if you've printed one image over and over again, and kept track of the number of prints you were able to make before your cartridges went dry, we'd like to hear from you. Please respond with your printer model, the number of prints you were able to make per cartridge, and a small JPEG image attachment of the image you were using. Send your feedback to info@inkjetart.com
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