Printing of Photos

[Merlyn]

Well let's see what we can get out of this thread.

Do you print your on photos? What brand of printer, paper, ink...etc?
( I don't print, but have been thinking about a printing setup. ) The price of good inks hurts.

Or do you use a print lab? Who and what is their quality of work? Do they deliver your order to you as a nice package? Who do the pros use to do their prints?
I have been sending prints around trying different labs. Prices vary a little, postage varies a lot, even from the same city and paper of choice seems to be Kodak or Fuji.

One more ?. Do you prefer matte or glossy photos?

Any info?

[SueB]

I have an Epson 2400 that I use to print with.
I use the Epson inks and prefer the luster paper for most of my prints.

Although, I do print 4x6 on glossy paper.

[Nicole]

Do you print your on photos?
Yes
What brand of printer, paper, ink...etc?
Printer: Canon Pixma iP4200 (Canon ink as well)... I really love my printer
Paper: Either Canon or Epson paper works the best for me.
Do you prefer matte or glossy photos?
I usually print glossy photos because I like how the colour pops, but sometimes I like matte prints.
Any info?
For a photo printer I really like having one that has the separate ink tanks and is a dedicated photo printer rather than a multi-function printer. I prefer the separate ink tanks because I tend to run out of some colours faster than others, and it's cheaper to replace the colours I need as I go.

[testmonkey]

I print so infrequently that I just send them out for processing. I'd love to have a home setup for instant gratification but it's just not a cost effective way to go.

I use Kodak's service via iPhoto because it's just so spankin' convenient. They come glossy and the grandparents (the major recipients of prints) just don't seem to mind either way. If I had my druthers, though, I'd take matte any day.

Nicole, I'd love to know some of the hard costs you encounter with you home printing setup.

[Fraggleroxer]

my favorite thing to do is to find a local place that does good work. try a few places out..and if u can, get their printer profile for photoshop (they will know what ur talking about). that way your images will always have the right color once they get back from the printer

happy printing
zach

[Nicole]

Nicole, I'd love to know some of the hard costs you encounter with you home printing setup.

Even though my costs are in NZ dollars, I'll use US costings for this.

Ink for my Canon usually runs approx $13.99 per cartridge, but I know that at certain stores in the US (through I know that some stores in the US offer discounts if you return used ink cartridges, so this can bring your biggest cost down). There are 4 photo ink tanks, and a pigment black tank. The pigment black usually runs a few dollars more, but it doesn't run out too quickly for me.

Paper usually is between $5-10 depending on what I'm buying (5x7 is more than 4x6, etc) and is usually 50 sheets.

I tend to be able to get in the region of 150 prints per set of cartridges using paper appropriate settings, etc.

Based on these numbers, my cost per print is approx $0.54 per print. Here in NZ, I pay the equivalent of $0.70 US per print if I go to the local photo lab, so for me the at home approach pays off.

I've yet to try the online service here where they advertise 4x6 photos at $0.40 each, and 5x7 at $1.25 each. Then I also have to pay shipping and wait for the prints. Although the cost might wind up cheaper through an online service, I have more direct control over how my photos turn out, and can always reprint if I'm not happy.

Hope those were the sorts of numbers you were looking for, happy to answer any more questions if you've got them :)

[Bail]

I can't stand seeing my photos printed on a crappy printer. Why spend 1,000 on a DSLR and use a home printer to make the prints. I've used many "Photo" printers which do not satisfy me. And the ones that come out alright curl within a week or two.

I prefer to send mine out for printing. I use two serivces:

Shutterfly.com - For my personal/general prints. Great cheap prints. 4X6" is .19$ (Could be cheaper if you bulk up. 30$ Gets you 200 4X6", 96$ Gets you 800 4X6" photos)

Mpix.com - For my "Professional" prints. They use metallic paper which I like! But it's a lil expensive, but the client pays for that. For metallic prints a 4X6" is .59$ and 8X10" is 2.49

[smc1377]

If I need a lot of photos printed, I'll send it out. But it's handy to have something at home that can do the job. It is a bit pricier, but it's also nice to have complete control over the process.

Let's say that you wanted a certain look to your picture and so you manipulated it that way. Then you send it out to have it printed and it doesn't look like what you want it to look like at all. This is when having a home printer is handy in that you can keep messing with the colors until you get what you want.

I have tried printing the same photo with a few different services (all local photo places) and printing them out on my 3 photo printers (HP Photosmart 7150, Canon Selphy Dye Sub and my Sony Dye Sub). I then took all the prints and asked many others for their opinions and believe it or not, the HP Photosmart 7150 came out on top. This was a blind test of course.

And the cheapest I've found the ink to be was actually through HP's (USA) website where a they'll sell you both ink cartridges (regular color and photo color) plus 100 free 4x6 premium paper for $40 and free next day shipping.

So depending on the situation, I'll either use either Sam's Club (for large batches), my HP (hi-quality singles) or one of the dye sublimation printers (low quality singles).

[RainPacket]

I've tried different services.

Flickr's own print service with 1-hour pickup through Target isn't /bad/, but they keep trying to crop and color-correct my images... which is a real pain on my night shots. Grar. However, if I need an image really fast, Target's not far away, so...

From in Aperture, I can order pictures directly from Kodak with a similar service to iPhoto (slightly more print options)... and up to some really ludicrous sizes, too. (I ordered a 20x16" print which came out amazingly well... a friend immediately snapped it up from me.) They send 'em out and they arrive in about 5-6 days, in my experience. The quality is good, the price isn't /bad/, and it's sure CONVENIENT to just click 'get prints' in Aperture. But it lacks the instant gratification method.

The best 1-hour service I've found is Costco, amazingly. They will give you their color profile, and when you pick up the pictures, if the color is off, they'll sit down with you to correct the profile. They will print at 8x12, which none of the others will (and which is the size ratio I shoot at), and they print both glossy and 'lustre' (matte) finish paper, your choice.

The absolutely best service locally is Ivey Imaging; they're a professional print shop, image design place and studio... but they do also handle print requests. They're pricier, but not /hugely/ much more so... and they will move heaven and earth to make your order turn out well. But they are definitely geared towards professionals and serious hobbyists, not consumers. They're also pretty much a local shop, albeit a very large one.

There's my experience, anyway. :)

[desi]

For me, I have found printing at home now to be my last choice and only if I need a print immediately. Ink is expensive and I think my printer is probably old compared to the latest printers. ( I have a Canon i900D).

I have used the following labs and have been pleased with the service:
1- Costco online - the least expensive, the fastest and good vibrant color.
2- SmugMug - great customer service, they know their business & the prints are beautiful. The cost is great too if you have a SmugMug pro account.
3- Mpix - great prints and service
4- Adorama - great prints and service

Enjoy!
desi

[Joshua Schroeder]

Mpix.com - For my "Professional" prints. They use metallic paper which I like! But it's a lil expensive, but the client pays for that. For metallic prints a 4X6" is .59$ and 8X10" is 2.49

Do you know of anywhere else that does the metallic paper? It costs a fair bit more to ship orders to Canada with Mpix, so I'm waiting until I have a big order to minimize the per unit shipping cost. I got the little sampler pack that you can request from them and that metallic paper really gives a vivid look to your prints. Can't wait to see what some of my shots turn out like when I finally get around to it.

For my typical prints, I go with Costco. The only other one I've really used is Wal-Mart and their photo paper is very thin and flimsy. You get what you pay for, I guess.

[volleybum]

Hello all! I would like to offer a few thoughts that can make your trip to the lab much less painful. I work at a pro lab and, thanks to technology, a large chunk of my time is now spent on digital processing. I understand the hesitation to use a lab, so here are some tips.

My print doesn't match the digital image I dropped off. What gives?

Generally, one of two things has happened here: Whoever printed your image "color corrected" them either manually or by using an auto-correcting program, or nobody changed a thing and your monitor simply isn't calibrated to match the particular paper processor that was used when your prints were made. As a discalimer, I personally believe that no self-respecting lab should use any form of auto-correcting for color or density. The best tool is still the human eye. That said, this problem can usually be solved by doing the following:

a) If you don't want your images corrected before printing, MAKE SURE whoever takes in your order physically makes a notation on your order bag to make no color corrections. Your order will most likely change hands several times during processing and unless your request is visible in ink somewhere for all to see, chances are good that communication can break down and someone will color correct your images despite your wishes. (Just a note here: the reason printers color correct everything unless requested not to is because for every one photographer out there who can manipulate an image to their liking in Photoshop, there are fifty people who can't, don't, and probably never will. Make no mistake, we LOVE people like you because you're essentially doing our job for us. All we do is provide the paper processor.)

b) Correct your image at home, have your lab make a print for you with no corrections, and then take your print home and calibrate your monitor until it matches your print. Is this a reliable method? Yes. No seriously, yes. Here's why. A pro lab should be testing and calibrating AT LEAST these two vital qualities of their photographic paper's emulsion's relationship to the paper processor every day: uniformity of the silver gelatine, and exposure gamma. Then, they should be adjusting the chemistry and exposure unit settings to match the paper's emulsion to ensure that what's sent to the printer is actually printed, in terms of color and density. Usually these adjustments are done automatically during daily testing. "But what if a new roll of paper is loaded into the processor and the emulsion is different than the previous roll?" Doesn't matter. The lab employees should note the new emulsion and run a gamma test, adjusting the exposure unit and chemistry yet again. To be concise: printing nowadays is extremely accurate. Count on this simple method to ensure a good match between your monitor and the lab's paper processor.

It also helps to establish a relationship with the people at the lab you use. We have a few "regulars" who don't even need to indicate their preferences anymore because they bring images in for printing so frequently. Everybody knows them.

I'd really love to hear any other thoughts or concerns about using labs for printing. It isn't a topic that seems to be discussed much in this forum.

[Nicole]

I work at a pro lab and, thanks to technology, a large chunk of my time is now spent on digital processing. I understand the hesitation to use a lab, so here are some tips.

Thanks for those tips :) They do seem really helpful. If I could find a good lab in my area I would probably be more willing to use it, unfortunately most of them are chains where I'm not sure they know more about cameras than the fact that they take pictures, which makes me doubt some of their processing skills since they cater to snapshots. Probably mean of me to pre-judge places that I've only been to a couple of, but that happens. If I do find a more pro lab, then I'm sure it will be very possible to change my mind on the subject. For now, I'm not doing enough printing that it matters.

Thanks though for putting forward more info on the subject :)

[RandomConnections]

I had been fairly happy to get my prints from one of our local shops, such as Wolf Camera. That is, until my wife gave me a Canon i9900 printer for Christmas. Using the glossy paper, it does a fantastic job and will print up to 13X19 inch images.

[Morca007]

I wish I owned my own high quality printer, and had enough money to keep it stocked with ink, but I don't.
I currently am doing my printing through Mpix. So far, everything I've gotten from them is of superior quality, with good service, and shipping.

[dkchac]

Epson R1800 for in house prints -- customer pays in cash or by check. Then I set up a gallery for them on Smugmug.com. They can pay via credit card and have more prints done. Smugmug has done a wonderful job printing my photos for customers. I have a pro account there. They care as much for my customers as I do... and my customers have always been happy!

Also, I don't have to carry a merchant account and have the hassles of taking credit cards in my home studio. They will do it. If people want a photo at my house, they can do it for cash or check.

I print all proofs on matte paper. Matte photos are SO beautiful. Most customers who put their photos under glass frame, like the matte finish best, too.

Inksell.com -- good source for quality ink at lower prices.

Debbie

[OldSgtCookie]

I used to print at home using an all-in-one printer. Wasn't bad for the quick print to show something off. One day i had several great pictures that I wanted to have printed professionally. I found a well recommended processing lab (local owned and operated) that did all the processing in house. What I got back was just stunning. And as a bonus they had converted them to film negatives before printing. That right there sealed the deal for me. And it was the same price as dropping a roll of film off.

Digital photos turned into negatives and then printed from the negatives looked better than anything that I have seen yet. Plus I get to keep the negatives for future printing.

I have to agree with a couple of the other posters here. Make sure that you tell the technician that the photos are already digitally processed and are ready for printing.

Just my $0.02. :)