Ink Cartridge Yields

In accordance with the ISO standard for individual colour cartridges, colour yields are determined by taking an average yield, based on continuous printing, of all individual colour cartridges. Individual cartridges conveniently allow the user to replace just the colour of ink that has been expended. When using cartridges with combined colour cartridges, as do some competitive products, several colours of ink must be replaced when one colour has been expended, so ISO ratings are based on the first colour 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 colour. All ink colours are used for printing and printer/all-in-one maintenance, and all colours 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 Yield

The ISO/IEC 24711 and 24712 standard was created by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) with the support of national standards institutes throughout the world, independent experts and industry representatives. Representatives from Epson, Canon, HP, Brother and other industry-leading manufacturers worked extensively to achieve a standard that provides customers with a reasonable basis for comparing printer performance.

The following is a brief summary of Epson's yield testing, conducted in accordance with the ISO/IEC 24711 and 24712 standards.

• Tests are conducted with at least three printers, each using at least three cartridges of each model, not including the first set of installed cartridges.


• A suite of five patterns (shown below) is printed continuously, in consecutive order. 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 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 & 29103 standards for inkjet products. The following is a brief summary of Epson's cartridge photo yield testing, conducted with the ISO/IEC 29102 & 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 & will not print without replacing the cartridge.


• Testing is conducted at a controlled temperature in default Photo Mode on 4" x 6" paper with a border (if only border printing is allowed) with print commands from a 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 & reliability.

Print patterns used during photo yield testing