teiladay
Member
I think it's worth the outlay if one's selling prints still today. Even the straight line math is still good. Say you've a new Canon 4100 series printer; 24inch. The initial investment is other than the printer (comes with enough ink to generate hundreds of 20x30in color prints. The largest ink carts are roughly $300 USD each and you can mix-and-match cart sizes, so if you print a lot of black and white/gray scale prints, and you're selling your work -- you've probably paid for the printer before the cart(s) runs out.
If you sell 20x30in prints at $150 and upward, then 25 prints x $3750 USD, which is basically a monetary return that includes the initial price of the printer (currently $2800/ BH Photo), a $250 roll of premium paper, and $700 in residual to cover taxes, shipping, etc., of the initial purchase. So at the end of your first year, you basically have stock in a printer (potential money maker) that has already more than paid for itself.
I've found the Canon 4100 series to be very a relatively low-maintenance asset. For those not selling their work, or printing for others, the cost benefit ratio will hinge mostly on how much self fulfillment you get from seeing your printed work come into fruition. That alone is very satisfying to many photographers/artists.
The benefit that I enjoy - Able to print work at any time without having to consider whether or not some irresponsible, immature worker at some print shop is copying or making prints for themselves of my photographs of other people in compromising situations and or state of undress. For me, able to have full control of my prints was like going from using film to digital photography... no longer did I have to worry about paying a middle-person to deal with developing/edit/print/enlargements a hefty sum or having to undertake that task myself (I still do not like the dark room).
...FedEx affiliated print shops offer roughly 30x40in. canvas prints $170'ish for the stretched over frame stuff and about $400 for 30x40in. acrylic prints, so I don't see it as a hard nut to crack in so far as getting a printer paid for, even if one doesn't print much over the course of a year - especially if a photographer/artist can offer what the mainstream printers cannot.
At the end of the day, owning your own printer gives you a level of freedom over using print bureau services.. and that to many is worth a more than just peace of mind.
If you sell 20x30in prints at $150 and upward, then 25 prints x $3750 USD, which is basically a monetary return that includes the initial price of the printer (currently $2800/ BH Photo), a $250 roll of premium paper, and $700 in residual to cover taxes, shipping, etc., of the initial purchase. So at the end of your first year, you basically have stock in a printer (potential money maker) that has already more than paid for itself.
I've found the Canon 4100 series to be very a relatively low-maintenance asset. For those not selling their work, or printing for others, the cost benefit ratio will hinge mostly on how much self fulfillment you get from seeing your printed work come into fruition. That alone is very satisfying to many photographers/artists.
The benefit that I enjoy - Able to print work at any time without having to consider whether or not some irresponsible, immature worker at some print shop is copying or making prints for themselves of my photographs of other people in compromising situations and or state of undress. For me, able to have full control of my prints was like going from using film to digital photography... no longer did I have to worry about paying a middle-person to deal with developing/edit/print/enlargements a hefty sum or having to undertake that task myself (I still do not like the dark room).
...FedEx affiliated print shops offer roughly 30x40in. canvas prints $170'ish for the stretched over frame stuff and about $400 for 30x40in. acrylic prints, so I don't see it as a hard nut to crack in so far as getting a printer paid for, even if one doesn't print much over the course of a year - especially if a photographer/artist can offer what the mainstream printers cannot.
At the end of the day, owning your own printer gives you a level of freedom over using print bureau services.. and that to many is worth a more than just peace of mind.
