Photo Printer

[NguuMuu]

I can get a 4 x 6 digital photo printed (fine quality) for 4 baht at the photo shop just down the street. Bring them 100 photos and they'll have them ready the next day. That seems quite cheap when standard photo printers such as Epson Picturemate or Kodak EasyShare would cost about 8 or 9 baht per print according to several online sources.

So my questions:

1. How do they get it so cheap? I'm assuming they are using a much more expensive, faster machine built for heavy use, but I would still expect it to cost more than 4 baht per print.

2. Is ink or photo paper generally cheaper in Thailand?

3. Would it be cost effective for me to purchase one of those photo printers?

Right now I have about 500 photos I need to get printed. At the shop this would cost me 2000 baht. If I could buy my own personal photo printer for a few 1000 baht more maybe it would be worth it for the convenience? I understand 1 pack of ink and paper generally lasts for 100 prints, but would it still only be at 4 or 5 baht per print?

Thanks!

[dominique355]

Just a word of warning with color printers: Some ink jet printer seem to be quite cheap, but the ink cartridges are so expensive that sometimes it's cheaper to buy a new printer than the 3, 4 or 5 ink cartridges.

I would believe that you are better off bringing your files to the print shop and have them print your 500 photos.

[Guest Reimar]

The Brother DPC330C is a quite good solution. Take a look at the Brother Website.

It's a Mutli Function Printer/Scanner/Copy with an draw for Photopaper 4"x6" as well! Using Inktanks which are quite cheap and even cangeable to refillable Tanks which make the printing very cheap!

I use one of them already and I'm ver happy with it. Print photos in very good quality, printer is for normal printing very fast and the Scanner is very fast as well! Driver for Vista at download site and works without any problems!

[thedi]

Check the quality of the shops printer first.

The shop in our village has horrible colors.

Regards

Thedi

[Rice_King]

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?s=...t&p=1444793

[lopburi3]

"The Brother DPC330C is a quite good solution." But very slow from report I read (8 minutes for a 4x6 print). That would require more tha a week and a-half of full time work to print his backlog of 500 prints. Are the prints as good as from Canon IP series? I do understand if ink is cheap there would be savings.

But agree with others that for quantity you should probably use a photo finisher rather than doing it yourself. But a test run would be in order.

[geoffphuket]

The enormous laser printing machines used in most shops, cost hundreds of thousands of Baht. There's no way a home printer can compete with the quality or print cost per photo. Additionally I've found that colour prints I've made myself at home with a Canon printer, faded dramatically after a year or so.

geoffphuket

[lopburi3]

With the new Canon inks? I know they will all fade; and suspect that a great deal of the "real" ink sold here is not really that real but seem to have much less fade with Canon than I was getting with Epson previously.

[geoffphuket]

With the new Canon inks? I know they will all fade; and suspect that a great deal of the "real" ink sold here is not really that real but seem to have much less fade with Canon than I was getting with Epson previously.

I've tried various makes of ink, from the cheap and cheerful ones, to those branded as being Canon. The genuine stuff gives by far the best results colour wise, but their longevity doesn't seem much better. Shop printed photos however, especially if you want to frame the pictures and hang them on the wall, last much longer.

geoffphuket

[Tywais]

I've tried various makes of ink, from the cheap and cheerful ones, to those branded as being Canon. The genuine stuff gives by far the best results colour wise, but their longevity doesn't seem much better. Shop printed photos however, especially if you want to frame the pictures and hang them on the wall, last much longer.

geoffphuket

Pictures that I plan to hang on the wall for long periods I spray with a clear lacquer. I have some over 10 years old hanging up and still good color and contrast. The key is not letting moisture penetrate, which is what the lacquer does. Also, not in direct sunlight where the UVs will damage it.

[Guest Reimar]

"The Brother DPC330C is a quite good solution." But very slow from report I read (8 minutes for a 4x6 print). That would require more tha a week and a-half of full time work to print his backlog of 500 prints. Are the prints as good as from Canon IP series? I do understand if ink is cheap there would be savings.

But agree with others that for quantity you should probably use a photo finisher rather than doing it yourself. But a test run would be in order.

You're wrong: Just below 1 min. for a 6 x 4 photo! I use this printer now 2 month and the speed is really good! Even a very liitle bit faster than the Epson R310 for photo printing!

Edited October 27, 2007 by Reimar

[BKKWebDesign]

I would also consider the finishes available at your local photo shop - such as matte and bordered. Its true some of the home machines offer these, but make sure the one you look at does.

I purchased an Epson some time back and whilst the image quality was actually very impressive, the actual feel of the paper in ones hand was not comparable to a photo printed on "real" photographic paper.

I used mine for a while but it just seemed less convenient, satisfying and more expensive than uploading to a photo printing website that I used when I was in the UK.

[NguuMuu]

<a href="http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?s=...t&p=1444793" target="_blank">http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/index.php?s=...t&p=1444793</a>

Rice King, I checked that post and that's exactly the kind of printer I was talking about (the cheaper ones) as I would pretty much only need 4 x 6 size. Anything bigger I could bring to the shop.

I have used an Epson PictureMate (I believe this is an ink jet?) a bit before and never had any problem with the print quality or fading.

But the real question here is are these dye-sublimination printers cost-effective in thailand? Is the ink and paper easy to find for a good price?

Edited October 27, 2007 by NguuMuu

[Firefoxx]

There are many grades of photo printers. Just being an inkjet printer does not make it a good photo printer. Many professional photographers (the ones who exhibit their prints and ask thousands of dollars for each print) love photo inkjets. But they don't use the same inkjets that you would buy for 3,000 baht. They use specialty inkjets, which cost at least 20,000 baht, have at least 6 color pigment inks, use specialty paper, and are archival grade (will last for many, many years). The principle is the same in that they're still inkjets, but they're different grades.

Having said that, the typical 3,000 baht inkjet will give you satisfactory quality, as long as you use good paper and genuine inks (with inkjets, paper matters A LOT). It will be comparable to that of a shop, but not that great. The reason that it's cheap is because the manufacturer want to sell you ink, which is where the real profit is. Cheap inkjets usually have tiny ink cartridges, and if you print in any kind of volume, you'll have to shell out a lot for ink. The larger, more expensive inkjets will usually cost less in the long run (same thing goes for lasers).

I don't really see fading as an issue. We're in the digital age. If a picture fades, print another, and it'll look like new.

Dye-sub is not inkjet. Wax transfer is also not inkjet. They're both specialty products which never gained any real popularity.

If it's a one-off job, and you'll never print again, and the shop's quality is good enough, then let the shop do it.

If you actually want a printer for something other than just this batch of photos, then get a decent inkjet. People buy them for their general use, not just printing photos.

[Tywais]

(with inkjets, paper matters A LOT).

I'll 2nd that comment. Had a lot of problems finding a good quality paper in Chiangmai. Finally came across the Konica brand glossy paper with "water resistant" shown on the label. Well my experience with other papers saying the same was not very good. Printed out a photo on it and let it sit several hours. Dropped some water on it, rubbed my fingers across it, and nothing happened. Hard to find that paper again.

[grahamhc]

OP says he pays 4 Baht a print. Here is Toursit City Pattaya I pay 6 Baht for a 4x6".

I also have Canon ip4200 which does everything (CD/Duplex/photos) Full set of 5 cartridges is over 2,600 Baht.

Yes, I still use the Fuji shop down the road. With the cost of ink and photo quaility paper I still think he is the best deal.

I crop and tweak them with Photoshop and give him my memory stick. They are ready in a hour or so.

Now if you need an urgent photo, like when you friends say "Oh, lovely photo. Can I have copy?", home printing is OK.

On the other hand, if you are printing photos you do not want him to see....Yes, do them at home.

[lopburi3]

"The Brother DPC330C is a quite good solution." But very slow from report I read (8 minutes for a 4x6 print). That would require more tha a week and a-half of full time work to print his backlog of 500 prints. Are the prints as good as from Canon IP series? I do understand if ink is cheap there would be savings.

But agree with others that for quantity you should probably use a photo finisher rather than doing it yourself. But a test run would be in order.

You're wrong: Just below 1 min. for a 6 x 4 photo! I use this printer now 2 month and the speed is really good! Even a very liitle bit faster than the Epson R310 for photo printing!

Your right my time was for A4 size not 4x6. Although CNET review does not get close to your under one minute (4R snaps, on the other hand, took about 2 minutes 20 seconds). The model number is DCP-330C.

[Guest Reimar]

"The Brother DPC330C is a quite good solution." But very slow from report I read (8 minutes for a 4x6 print). That would require more tha a week and a-half of full time work to print his backlog of 500 prints. Are the prints as good as from Canon IP series? I do understand if ink is cheap there would be savings.

But agree with others that for quantity you should probably use a photo finisher rather than doing it yourself. But a test run would be in order.

You're wrong: Just below 1 min. for a 6 x 4 photo! I use this printer now 2 month and the speed is really good! Even a very liitle bit faster than the Epson R310 for photo printing!

Your right my time was for A4 size not 4x6. Although CNET review does not get close to your under one minute (4R snaps, on the other hand, took about 2 minutes 20 seconds). The model number is DCP-330C.

Just printed a few photos from my son: 55-57 sec each photo! Papaer: Photo paper 10 x 15 cm (4"x6")! And my Model is DCP-330 C!

By the way: The best machine you can get for this price: THB 2,990 at IT City!

[NguuMuu]

Just printed a few photos from my son: 55-57 sec each photo! Papaer: Photo paper 10 x 15 cm (4"x6")! And my Model is DCP-330 C!

By the way: The best machine you can get for this price: THB 2,990 at IT City!

So I think I'll probably stop by IT city soon and end up getting one of those DCP-330C printers.

How much is that 4" x 6" paper you recommend?

What ink do you recommend and how much does a set of inks cost for one of these?

(will I be using the same ink for photos as well as normal printouts?)

Thanks!

Edited November 13, 2007 by NguuMuu

[Smithson]

I have an Epson CX2800 with those big ink cartridges at the side. The total price was B4,700, including heaps of ink. Since then I haven't had to spend a single Baht on ink, with the amount of ink I was given I'd say it will outlast the printer.

The print quality for photos is very good (for the price), but it slow.

Some ppl don't like these units as you need to print almost everyday otherwise the heads will block, which is a major hassle. But if you're doing a lot of printing I would recommend one

[Firefoxx]

Again, the less you pay up front, the more (MUCH MORE) you will pay in the end. You will also be getting inferior prints to the more expensive inkjets. Personally, I wouldn't buy an inkjet printer to print *photos* unless it has a minimum of 6 different colors, in separate cartridges.

Two big problems with third-party external ink cartridges: First is, as already mentioned, head clogging if you don't use it daily. Second is that the ink is not as good as the original, and you'll end up with prints that don't look as good and will fade quicker. If you're ok with these two issues, then go for it. Frankly, I don't see the use of having that much ink unless you've opened a photo printing shop.

I bought my Canon inkjet around 4 years ago. I've printed a lot on it (thousands of photos), but I've only had to change the inks a total of 3 (yes, three) times. Each *original* cartridge costs only 300 baht, so it's not been that much. Of course, I paid quite a bit for the printer itself, but quality and ink cost were the reason. These days you can get something similar, but *not* for just 3,000 baht. And, if you get a multifunction printer, be VERY aware that the reason that they're so cheap is that they while can do everything, they fail to do ANYTHING well. I stay far, far, far away from multifunctions, as they've given me (and my clients) nothing but grief.

[NguuMuu]

Again, the less you pay up front, the more (MUCH MORE) you will pay in the end. You will also be getting inferior prints to the more expensive inkjets. Personally, I wouldn't buy an inkjet printer to print *photos* unless it has a minimum of 6 different colors, in separate cartridges.

Two big problems with third-party external ink cartridges: First is, as already mentioned, head clogging if you don't use it daily. Second is that the ink is not as good as the original, and you'll end up with prints that don't look as good and will fade quicker. If you're ok with these two issues, then go for it. Frankly, I don't see the use of having that much ink unless you've opened a photo printing shop.

I bought my Canon inkjet around 4 years ago. I've printed a lot on it (thousands of photos), but I've only had to change the inks a total of 3 (yes, three) times. Each *original* cartridge costs only 300 baht, so it's not been that much. Of course, I paid quite a bit for the printer itself, but quality and ink cost were the reason. These days you can get something similar, but *not* for just 3,000 baht. And, if you get a multifunction printer, be VERY aware that the reason that they're so cheap is that they while can do everything, they fail to do ANYTHING well. I stay far, far, far away from multifunctions, as they've given me (and my clients) nothing but grief.

What Canon do you have and how much would you expect a similar machine to cost these days? 300 baht for an original cartridge sounds like a pretty good deal.

[nikster]

What Canon do you have and how much would you expect a similar machine to cost these days? 300 baht for an original cartridge sounds like a pretty good deal.

I want to know that too. I had the cheapest cheapest Canon & ink cartriges cost 90 Baht (?) and would last for 10 photos which was ridiculous. It was OK for me as I use it maybe 1 - 2 times a year but if I had a printer that can print photos for a reasonable price, I'd probably print a lot more.

Also, isn't the photo paper to print on pretty expensive? I am not going to print photos on normal paper, that looks like s***.

[Firefoxx]

I have the i905 photo printer. It uses the "6" family of cartridges, with 6 colors total. Current Canons (at least the non-rock-bottom ones) use one of three families, the "6" (cheapest), the "3" (also cheap), and the "8". The 8's cost around 500 baht, but they're bigger and last longer. A similar model, but of course much improved, would be the IP6700D, which is sold for less than 10k baht. If you really want "pro" type prints, you can buy the Pro9500, which has 10 inks and can print A3. These printers use an optical ink detection system, so when it says the ink's depleted, it's actually depleted. If you just *have* to get a multifunction, then get the MP970, which is a photo multifunction.

Another thing about this printer: I've left it off and unused for months at a time. It doesn't have a single clogged head.

For inkjets, to get a good print you need both good ink and good paper. That's a reason why when printing sharp text, lasers are much cheaper, since they can make sharp prints even on regular paper.

[kash]

You have to bargain, don't pay rack rate ... in CM the going rate for 4x6 is 4 baht, more than a hundred; 3 baht, and the Kodak shops does it for 2.75 a piece. 8x10 for 8 baht for more than 20 at the Fuji shops.

[Smithson]

I bought my Canon inkjet around 4 years ago. I've printed a lot on it (thousands of photos), but I've only had to change the inks a total of 3 (yes, three) times. Each *original* cartridge costs only 300 baht, so it's not been that much. Of course, I paid quite a bit for the printer itself, but quality and ink cost were the reason. These days you can get something similar, but *not* for just 3,000 baht. And, if you get a multifunction printer, be VERY aware that the reason that they're so cheap is that they while can do everything, they fail to do ANYTHING well. I stay far, far, far away from multifunctions, as they've given me (and my clients) nothing but grief.

I'd be interested to know how many other posters got similar rates from their cartridges. The price of cartridges meant that ink was more expensive than top quality champagne, although I think prices have dropped a little.

I've had the Epson now for about 6 months. All I've had to do is top up the black ink cartridge once. We do heaps of printing everyday, mostly black, so the printer gets plenty of use. .

Besides the cost of the cartridges, there's also the hassle of buying and replacing them. To get them at a decent price I have to go to Pantip. Replacing is also a hassle, I've taught my staff but they always forget.

While it may not print real photo quality it does a good enough job. If you want photo quality I'd recommend the photo shop, you can usually strike a deal with them and I'd be surprised if a printer could be more economical.

Our computer guy also doesn't like the multi-functions either, I'm on my 3rd one now in as many years and think they're great, especially for small businesses. I can copy, print and scan. The Canon was B4,700 it's been going for 6 months without a single problem, if it last 12 months it will prove extremely economical.

If I was to have a separate printer, scanner and copier what sort of price would range would I be looking at?

Edited November 14, 2007 by Smithson

[NguuMuu]

I'd be interested to know how many other posters got similar rates from their cartridges. The price of cartridges meant that ink was more expensive than top quality champagne, although I think prices have dropped a little.

I've had the Epson now for about 6 months. All I've had to do is top up the black ink cartridge once. We do heaps of printing everyday, mostly black, so the printer gets plenty of use. .

Besides the cost of the cartridges, there's also the hassle of buying and replacing them. To get them at a decent price I have to go to Pantip. Replacing is also a hassle, I've taught my staff but they always forget.

While it may not print real photo quality it does a good enough job. If you want photo quality I'd recommend the photo shop, you can usually strike a deal with them and I'd be surprised if a printer could be more economical.

Our computer guy also doesn't like the multi-functions either, I'm on my 3rd one now in as many years and think they're great, especially for small businesses. I can copy, print and scan. The Canon was B4,700 it's been going for 6 months without a single problem, if it last 12 months it will prove extremely economical.

If I was to have a separate printer, scanner and copier what sort of price would range would I be looking at?

Which Canon do you have?

I am still curious about cartridge prices as well.

And of course, now with all the input, I have no idea what printer I might purchase this weekend. Not sure if I should go for a multifunction or not. Maybe the Canon iP4300?

Here is a decent list to give you guys an idea of printer prices in Thailand - not all printers, but a good amount. Just select printer in the DIY section then click the button. (http://www.hwhinter.com/price.php)

[Guest Reimar]

I'm happy with now 3 DCP-330C from Brother. Cost at IT-City 2,990 and they came with 2 years Warranty!

I spend additional THB 1,000 for re-fillable ink tanks (full with ink) per printer.

The original ink from Brother cost for color 3 x 390 nd black 1 x 690

Scanning speed is fast as well as copy and printing too. 1 photo print below 1 min on 6"x4" photo glossy paper borderless.

The paper draw hold A4 Paper and 6"x4" too at same load!

Compared the printed photos with same photo printed with Epson R310 you can't see the difference in quality! And this while the DCP-330C uses 4 color but the Epson use 6 color!

[Smithson]

Which Canon do you have?

Sorry it's an Epson, typing mistake

[Tywais]

I have a Canon iP5300 I just recently bought and am impressed with the features and quality. It has top loader and front loader cassettes, a USB port to plug cameras or phone into for direct print, a tray to allow printing color labels on CDs/DVDs. Print quality is excellent in color saturation and contrast even on the cheaper Jet line photo glossy paper. It uses 5 tanks, CYMK dye inks and a larger Black pigment tank for black and white such as printing text. Cartridges cost 300 baht each and from review estimates of 1400 pages, depending on what you are printing, capacity. Haven't had it long enough to say how many prints, but again review sites indicate a lot.