Digital BW, The Print

Hello Eugene (and group),

My name is Gary, and I think this is my first reply to this group
(I've been greedily lurking and learning for a couple of months now).

I have an R2400, and do need to remove the PK or the PM cartridge from
time to time.  I have sealed the cartridge I'm not using in two snak
size zip lock bags with all the air possible squeezed out.  I've
gotten the PK to work fine after storage of around 9 months that way.
 Maybe that's not what Epson reccommends, but so far it's worked O.K.
for me.

I'm new to showing and selling prints, and ink cost was an important
factor for me to determine, so I've asked similar questions to yours.
 I decided the real question wasn't "how many prints", but "how many
square inches per cartridge" since I print several sizes.  But I was
suprised (this is obvious to me now) when I realized the image itself
dramatically changes this figure.  I have a friend (he's far more
established and successful than I am) who shoots a lot of flowers
against a jet black background with very beautiful results.  The black
background turns out to be way more expensive than if a white
background were used.  He happens to shoot color, and I am
increasingly interested in black and white.  But I've seen the same in
my photos.  Some images flat out use more ink than others, so the
style of image you seek to shoot dramatically influences the number of
square inches per cartridge.  I have a suspicion that each
photographer's style will result in a noticably different result.  For
me, the ultimate answer is to keep a Lotus or Excel file which keeps
track of when I change each cartridge, the total number of square
inches printed by each cartridge, and then running an average of all
the above.  Note that ABW does use color cartridges, so you can't
shortcut and keep track of only black, LT black, and LLT black, you
need data on them all.

My own results are on another computer that isn't on right now
(otherwise I'd share them), but I do recall I first calculated ink
usage based on an Epson 100% coverage estimate I found in the R2400
review on iPhoto.  The result I projected was around $10.00 to $15.00
per 12x18.  Happily, my spreadsheet corrected my thinking, and I now
know my own personal average is around $2.00 or $3.00 for ink per
12x18 print, using Epson's K3 inks.  As I said before, this info may
be worthless to any other R2400 users, since the real issue seems to
me whether your images are high or low key.  Hence the value in a
personal spreadsheet.

I sincerely hope this helps.  And thanks to the rest of the group on
your many helpful insights and ideas.

-Gary Gervin
http://midtown.net/gallerygervin
"Think globally, act (and photograph) locally"

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "eappert"
<appert@...> wrote:
>
> Hello, 
> 
> Would anybody be able to tell me about the longevity of Epson K3 inks
> (once opened),  and perhaps some rough notion of average number of 
> prints per cartridge.  I  am considering purchasing a 3800 but have 
> some doubts about being able to generate enough work to make it cost 
> effective. Also is there any way of temporarily sealing the cartridges 
> for long periods of inactivity?  
> 
> Thank you 
> 
> Eugene Appert
>