Ink Cartridge Yields
In accordance with the ISO standard for individual color cartridges, color yields are determined by taking an average yield, based on continuous printing, of all individual color cartridges. Individual cartridges conveniently allow the user to replace just the color of ink that has been expended. When using cartridges with combined color tanks, as do some competitive products, several colors of ink must be replaced when one color has been expended, so ISO ratings are based on the first color to be expended.
Replacement cartridge yields are based on ISO tests in default mode printing continuously. Cartridge yields vary considerably for reasons including images printed, print settings, temperature and humidity. Yields may be lower when printing infrequently or predominantly with one ink color. All ink colors are used for printing and printer/all-in-one maintenance, and all colors have to be installed for printing. For print quality, part of the ink from the included cartridges is used for printer startup and a variable amount of ink remains in the cartridges after the "replace cartridge" signal. Epson recommends that customers choose an ink jet printer based on their expected printing needs, considering cartridge yields as just one factor of evaluation. Other important factors include image quality, fade resistance of prints, reliability and printer features.
ISO Ink Cartridge Page Yields
Epson provides ink cartridge page yields (the "page yield" means the number of document pages) based on the ISO/IEC 24711 and 24712 standards for ink jet products, which excludes the first installed cartridges. The following is a brief summary of Epson's ink cartridge page yield testing, conducted in accordance with the ISO/IEC 24711 and 24712 standards.
- A suite of five patterns (shown below) is printed continuously, in consecutive order, on at least three printers. Cartridges are replaced when the printer indicates cartridges are expended and will not print without replacing the cartridge.
- Testing is conducted at a controlled temperature in Default Mode on plain paper with print commands from a late model PC with a Microsoft Windows operating system.
- In recognition of various factors that can affect yields, declared yields are rounded down (not up) in amounts that are at least sufficient to fulfill the standard deviation formula built into the ISO standard to assure accuracy and reliability.
Print patterns used during page yield testing
ISO Ink Cartridge Photo Yields
Epson provides ink cartridge photo yields (the "photo yield" means the number of 4" x 6" photo prints) based on the ISO/IEC 29102 and 29103 standards for ink jet products. The following is a brief summary of Epson’s ink cartridge photo yield testing, conducted in accordance with the ISO/IEC 29102 and 29103 standards.
- A suite of six patterns (shown below) is printed continuously, in consecutive order, on at least three printers. Cartridges are replaced when the printer indicates cartridges are expended and will not print without replacing the cartridge.
- Testing is conducted at a controlled temperature in default Photo Mode on 4"x6" photo paper without border (if both border and borderless printing allowed) and with a border (if only border printing is allowed) with print commands from a late model PC with a Microsoft Windows operating system.
- In recognition of various factors that can affect yields, declared yields are rounded down (not up) in amounts that are at least sufficient to fulfill the standard deviation formula built into the ISO standard to assure accuracy and reliability.
