best photosharing site?

[havoc315]

Looking for the best photo sharing site, specifically with:

-- Price-- preferably a free site.
-- Accessibility -- Preferably something with a good ipad app for sharing.
-- Easy photo links for this message board, etc.
-- Maintains the quality of the original photo!!!

I've used photo bucket. But realized it is compressing my photos.
I tried minus, which is great for allowing huge files without compression. The website is nice, but the ipad app doesn't provide quick and easy links for message boards.

I've noticed a lot of people using flickr.. does it compress at all? Do most people pay the upgrade fee? And while the website is nicely usable, even on an ipad, is there an app for it?

Any other services I should know about?

 

[honeylove]

I use Flickr and actually prefer it more than other websites. There is an upgrade fee, if you need to use it a lot. I don't upload all that much so I left it at the free status. Nothing honestly beats hosting your own website....

As for apps, the iPhone app stinks, they haven't even updated it and so far no iPad app made from them, only 3rd party ones.

 

[photo_chick]

Maintains quality of the original photo... that's the tough one. Every photo hosting site out there will optimize your image to a degree. Some just do it a whole lot better than others and some will keep your file at it's original resolution, only optimizing colors slightly. To keep the original file exactly as it is you want file sharing, not photo hosting. You're going to have to pay if you want good photo hosting.

I like Smugmug. Zenfolio is also good. Flickr Pro isn't my personal favorite, but a lot of people like it.

 

[BogFam5]

I love shutterfly. Unlimited free storage, great iPhone app. Beautiful photobooks (always make one after out trips) Used to use Flickr when it was free but, I upload a lot of pics and Flickr did not offer enough free space.

 

[BuzzLiteyear]

Maintains quality of the original photo... that's the tough one. Every photo hosting site out there will optimize your image to a degree. Some just do it a whole lot better than others and some will keep your file at it's original resolution, only optimizing colors slightly. To keep the original file exactly as it is you want file sharing, not photo hosting. You're going to have to pay if you want good photo hosting.

I like Smugmug. Zenfolio is also good. Flickr Pro isn't my personal favorite, but a lot of people like it.

Another vote for Smugmug . Decent photo-hosting can be free. If you want good/great hosting it will cost you a little. Smugmug, in my opinion, qualifies as great.

 

[alloyd1170]

I use Smugmug. I had a pro account for awhile, but downgraded to the mid level to save money. They have an iphone ap (not sure about other platforms), and you can protect your images (something that Shutterfly doesn't do, unless that's changed since I used them). I can lock down a gallery so only people that have a password can view the photos. They also have printing services should someone want to order a photo. At the pro level, you can set your own prices to make a profit.

 

[Hockeyman]

With Flick pro they will store your original photo for you to access whenever you wish and also as long as you have that photo public anyone else can view the original and download it. Im not too sure about any of the other sites since this is really all I use and looked into it before hand since I had similar needs and concerns that you have.

I pay $6.95 every 3 months for Flick Pro and isnt break the bank bad at all lol.

This link may help, shows you a break down comparison of all the top online photo site. Interesting thing with Smugmug that i never knew was the option to allow people to purchase your photos or items with your pictures on them, that is pretty cool.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/259730/top_cloud_services_for_storing_and_sharing_photos.html

 

[Renysmom]

I never liked Smugmug. I think it is the least user friendly out there for the view of photos.

I have used Flick'r for years.

 

[alloyd1170]

With Smugmug Pro you can set your own prices for prints, downloads, etc (so you can make some money), add watermarks and other perks. At the mid level, if you mark the photos as printable, anyone can buy prints, but you won't get a dime. You can also protect your photos so that others can't download or copy them (at the mid and pro levels; not sure at the basic level if you can do this). Of course, there are always ways around that, so anything you put online can be stolen/used without your permission. I suspect many don't know they can protect their images because I can go online and copy images from many sites. Smugmug users will usually have them protected, and a few Flickr people do too. I also like the fact that I can lock a gallery. I do this for the sports teams I shoot, and my family if I don't want the photos being viewed by everyone out there.

As for user friendliness, I don't have any issues with Smugmug. My friends and family have no problem navigating my site. I have set up galleries based on the type of shots they are (animals, birds, landscapes, travel, soccer, etc). If a photo falls into several catagories, I can easily collect the photo and have it display in multiple galleries. If you see a photo you like on the homepage slideshow, click it and it will take you right to it. There are several ways to set up your site, and if you understand basic CSS, you can add your own twist to things (or pay someone to do it for you, which Smugmug has references for). Customer service is great-the few times I've had an issue or question, they respond with a day or less. Plus you can usually Google an issue and find a solution. Smugmug can also link with Lightroom 4 (not sure about past versions) and have your photos automatically upload to your site.

 

[havoc315]

So looking at the suggested sites...
Please correct me if I'm wrong:
shutterfly -- I do use for online storage and ordering prints. But it seems there is no way (or no easy way) to hyperlink pics for use on message boards, etc.
Smugmug looks quite nice, but obviously not free, and no *good* ipad app.
flikr -- good for storage and linking, but no good ipad app, plus need to pay extra for a decent amount of stoage.

I may end up sticking to photobucket for things like message board sharing... I hate the photo compression, but it allows a lot of storage, and has probably the best ipad app for hyperlinking, etc.

I may also use minus which allows a huge amount of uncompressed storage. The ipad app is decent for uploading. The website is well laid out with hyperlinking available. The downside is that their website doesn't translate well to the ipad, and can't hyperlink pics easily with their app. (Outside of the office, I mostly use my ipad instead of a traditional computer).

 

[BuzzLiteyear]

I never liked Smugmug. I think it is the least user friendly out there for the view of photos.

I have used Flick'r for years.

Wow, I've had the opposite experience. I find their CS to be top of the line. In addition to that they have an active online forum where a lot of questions and problems are solved.

 

[SrisonS]

Since Flickr has a decent Free account, why not give it a shot?!?! They also have a great community feel, which can't be beat.

But the site won't negatively affect your pictures. And they have great tools for linking/sharing your photos.

 

[Hockeyman]

flikr -- good for storage and linking, but no good ipad app, plus need to pay extra for a decent amount of storage.

I use Flickr pro and im paying 3 months for $6.95, which isn't bad at all and for the price I find it a really great value and includes unlimited everything. I also have the iphone app and use it mostly to view and comment on pictures but don't do much uploading from it. It does lack the ability to grab the hyperlink but found the few times I have needed to do that I just go on Safari and log onto Flickr and get it there. Would be nice if they added that feature though. Also not sure if anyone put out a third party Flickr App that may work well.

 

[Hockeyman]

They also have a great community feel, which can't be beat.

I totally agree with this also Its nice meeting others who share the same interests and passion for photography that you do.

 

[photo_chick]

With Flick pro they will store your original photo for you to access whenever you wish and also as long as you have that photo public anyone else can view the original and download it. Im not too sure about any of the other sites since this is really all I use and looked into it before hand since I had similar needs and concerns that you have.

I pay $6.95 every 3 months for Flick Pro and isnt break the bank bad at all lol.

This link may help, shows you a break down comparison of all the top online photo site. Interesting thing with Smugmug that i never knew was the option to allow people to purchase your photos or items with your pictures on them, that is pretty cool.

http://www.pcworld.com/article/259730/top_cloud_services_for_storing_and_sharing_photos.html

Flickr Pro only promises your original resolution. They are very clear on that. It is not your original image and has been optimized some. There is a really great article pointing out how every photo hosting site does optimize that I read a while back. The writer went in and analyzed the actual data as well as visually examined the images. I'll post a link later if I can find it. This is why photo hosting sites are great for sharing but not for a backup.

 

[Hockeyman]

Flickr Pro only promises your original resolution. They are very clear on that. It is not your original image and has been optimized some. There is a really great article pointing out how every photo hosting site does optimize that I read a while back. The writer went in and analyzed the actual data as well as visually examined the images. I'll post a link later if I can find it. This is why photo hosting sites are great for sharing but not for a backup.

I saw an article yesterday that had a guy analyze his original photo and then compared it to that same photo in Flickr and byte for byte was the same exact thing. I think in his case he uploaded it and then downloaded a copy of the original in Flickr and was the exact same after he analyzed it. Who knows They come out good enough for me on Flickr so im happy lol