What is your true cost per print?
 

Add up the following, using best-guess numbers:

1. Cost of your home printer
2. Cost of ink
3. Cost of paper
4. Cost of color profiling equipment, if used
5. Cost of your time researching/learning/using your printing equipment
6. Cost of any other printing accessories, including printing software, ancillary costs, etc.

Divide that by the approximate number of prints you've done at home. Arrive at the actual cost of your prints.

My calc:

1. Printer: $800
2. Ink: $1200 (this figure will increase over time)
3. Paper: $900
4. Profiling: $1100
5. Time: $1400+
6. Accessories: $250

Total: $5,650
Approximate number of prints done: 400

Per-print cost so far: $14.13

Note: Many of these prints are smaller than 8x10. So my conclusion is that my per-print cost is absurd at this point. I'm paying a premium, I suppose, for control over the process.

To make matters worse: So you think my per-print cost will go down over time? Well, the printer used in the calculations above is now out of date, and I find myself wanting a new printer, which will really jack up the per-print cost.

How about you? Help make this thread really useful by giving us some numbers to talk about.

Re: What is your true cost per print?
 

I do not have a home printer. I use a lab to do all my prints.

My system is calibrated to their system so what I see on my screen is what I get in print.

So figuring the time I spend on a picture and then having the lab print it, my cost per 8 x 10 print is $5.00

Re: What is your true cost per print?
 

If you are calculating this for a real business you should only include..

1. Printer: $800
2. Ink: $1200 (this figure will increase over time)
3. Paper: $900

and then also add about 15 mins of your labor for retouching.* I think 400 prints per the life of your printer is low, personally.* If this is all you do then you should not be using it for sale of items to clients.* You can get it done alot cheaper by a pro lab.

I would calculate this a little differently.* *$800 for the printer over a five year life is $160 per year depreciation.
Calculate how many prints you do in a year and assign that number to the cost of the printer per print.

$900 for paper is misleading.* *If you print a 5x7, how much is the cost of that 5x7.* You can get professional paper at about 25 cents per 8.5x11 sheet.* That's about 13 cents per 5x7.

I calculate this out at

.13 for paper (5x7)
.10 for ink

Direct cost per print is about 26 cents for a 5x7.* *

Now add your labor...let's say $7.00 (standard lab cost per head for retouching)

That's $7.26 for your cost to produce that one print.* Multiply that by about 3x to get your price to the client.* The 3x covers depreciation and indirect costs.* Add additional factors based on market and what you want to sell.*

If you just want to compare the cost of producing the print yourself to the lab, then add the .23 to a depreciation factor.* If you are really using this to sell client prints you have to boost the number of prints per printer life to over 1,000 or 2,000 to try to make a profit.* At 2,000 prints you are at .40 per print depreciation cost.* You can do a 5x7 for .63 per print at that level.*

Re: What is your true cost per print?
 

I never put a total price on it. I figured it up once, and came to the conclusion that I lost a few pennies on a 4x6, broke even on a 5x7 and made money on an 8x10 over the lab costs.

I never figured labor, because I did it for fun, or I gouged (I mean charged) the client for the time elsewhere (in the photography portion).

I think the benefit is only in that you don't have to go somewhere to have it done, or you don't have to wait to get your prints (if online). However, for a "bulk" type deal, or a really get shot that has lasting value, or a large print, I do it all through my SmugMug account, whcih gives me more professional results. MPIx is another pro-level finisher.

Re: What is your true cost per print?
 

Using Albert's calculations (scary), my cost per print is coming out to "way too much" for a typical 8x10.

Guess I'd better stick with not looking at the cost.

Re: What is your true cost per print?
 

If you are trying to justify using a lab vrs. a printer at home, you need to look at the cost of using that lab. Even if you upload your images and they mail them to you, because of your low volumn, you are still going to be paying more per print than you would if you printed just at home. Because more than likely you would also print them at home to see how they looked before you sent them to the printer. If you didn't, then some percentage of prints would have to be redone because they didn't come out the way you thought they would by looking at the screen.

If printing at home, then you have to consider wasteage as well. I rarely just print the prints I need. In any given batch of prints, I mess up and forget to do something until I see the print being printed or I tried pushing one of the ink colors a bit further than I should so it comes out looking strange when I run out of that color. Or I want to try it with a different crop or a bit more saturation or any number of things that usually means I print off several prints to get one.

So charge at least $100 per 8x10 and you should break even.

;)

Mike

Re: What is your true cost per print?
 

If we go further into costs, how about the cost per mile of driving to the lab (not just gas) to get the prints done, or the postage? I personally don't count because I prefer to do it all myself sitting in my office here and it is fun working with PS8 and adding effects. One effect friends like is pushing the contrast way up near the max on portraits. Makes for an interesting Warhol effect! Converting to B&W also is much liked. No, I'll be the proverbial ostrich and keep my head down on this one. I get fun out of doing it and still come out in front on weddings.

Re: What is your true cost per print?
 

Well, you two bring up the good point of postage and driving. For any 8x10's or smaller for my own use, I print them at home. If they are a "paid" shoot, then I post on my SmugMug site, and folks can buy all they want from there. If I want a big print myself, then I go the online route....

Printing at home can be expensive, but you don't need a $1000 printer either. Printing at home certainly has advantages...to go with negatives. Seems the negatives are cost and possible print life.

Re: What is your true cost per print?
 

For most prints you're better off sending them out, but you have to look at inkjet printing at home/office the same way we used to look at time in the darkroom. You have complete control over the final product and may have to develop/print several copies before you get it right. In the darkroom days it wasn't so much about cost as it was final product. I think that's how you have to think of todays high end printers.

But, I agree for 4x6 and your basic snapshots, send them out. Save your time for your high end prints that you'll display or sell.

Just my .02cents.