Note to Self (and Everybody Else): Target Photo Kiosks

[ncbcymtechie]

So I went on a camping trip last weekend with two families, one of which is moving to Korea come next Tuesday, so I thought I'd be generous and take headshots of their four children on the shores of Lake Tahoe and print them up as a gift. Unfortunately, the last chance I'll have to see them (for certain) is this Sunday, so I didn't really want to make prints online for lack of time. So last night I drove over to Target and put all my photos (four 5x7 headshots and ten 4x6 "snapshots", you could say) through the one-hour basic service through the Kodak kiosk. Then I noticed that they had an instant prints Kodak kiosk, and to try it out I printed two of my prints (one headshot and one "snapshot"). The results were... well, awful. Unexpected blowouts and dark, seemingly underexposed areas. I spent my night worrying whether the one-hour processed photos were going to be as bad.

Thus, my NOTE TO SELF:
When going to Target for quick prints, do not use the instant prints kiosk machines by Kodak. They automatically apply some sort of post-processing (I think it increases the contrast) which you may not like for its unintended effects. Not to mention each instant 4x6 is four cents more expensive than their one-hour counterparts. Do use their one-hour basic service. The older lady [wo]manning the photo station said that the one-hour basic service offered by their Kodak kiosk uses "chemicals"—I guess implying that there is some sort of lab setup involved, as opposed to a simple inkjet printer—and I could see indeed see that it was hooked up to some sort of lab setup rather than a small, self-contained kiosk-y printer unit. Most importantly, there is no automatic post-processing involved with one hour basic, so there will be no annoying and frustrating changes to your photos done without your knowledge and permission.

So, for quick, decent prints that you just plan to give away or sell at a sub-professional price... go to Costco. (I didn't do this because I don't have a membership card.) From what I've read on DPS, their prices are cheap and their printing is done in a lab by knowledgeable staff.

If, however, your most reasonable choice is Target, go for a one-hour basic print, not instant. The quality is decent enough; no annoying, unapproved tweaks will be made; and your photographic efforts will be rewarded.

[OsmosisStudios]

Just for reference: how big was this "lab setup"? If it was about the size of a loveseat, that's a inkjet printer. If it was the size of a sofa, then it's a wetlab. Wetlabs are preferred.

[IABoomer]

If you're using the kiosks, chances are most of the prints have the Kodak "enhancement" applied to them automatically. If you choose something like "edits and enhancements" you should be able to dial down/off the Kodak processing that gets applied. Or, like you said, use the one-hour.

[ncbcymtechie]

OsmosisStudios,

I don't remember how large the setup was. But I'll keep that in mind for the next time I go there.

[BigVinnie]

The kiosk gives you the option of instant print, which you discovered is crap. Depending on the age it is either dye transfer or inkjet.

If the store has an in store lab you have the option to have it printed there. Most of the time it is around an hour or so. That service is pretty decent. I've used it a couple of times and it was really close to what I expected.

What you heard about Costco is true. They have good staff and provide ICC profiles for their processors. What I see on my screen is what I get on my print. It is worth getting a membership for that and other things. They also have the cheapest gasoline where I'm at.