Costco Processing?

[PoohJen]

I've seen mentions in threads re: preferred processing places, and a thread reviewing all online processors, but I'm wondering specifically about Costco.

They have the best pricing for extra-large prints (20x30 is only $10!), but will my quality suffer? Anyone swear by Costco?

Walgreens is also easy to use, but I haven't printed enough there to notice quality. I've been happy with my Shutterfly prints in the past.

I think I've read here that either Walmart or Costco (or both?) use the same processing machines as some of the better online providers, but can't find that thread; any insights?

Thanks y'all!

 

[Lachesis00]

LOVE LOVE LOVE COSTCO except you need to resize your photos or put boarders on them. I have a Canon 20d) because they never fail to cut heads off.

The prints come out amazing!!

 

[fitzperry]

I've never printed anything larger than a 5x7 with Costco. As far as those are concerned, I've found the quality to be comparable to what I get from Shutterfly or Kodakgallery, which is pretty good. My favorite is Mpix, and I've been using them lately for anything I want to frame. I'm not enough of a propeller-head to understand the technical aspects of it, but the colors on the prints I get from Mpix, especially wrt skin tones, are consistently better.

ETA: I always turn off the auto-corrections, so that can't explain the difference.

 

[extreme8]

I just started using Costco for my enlargements and I'm absolutley satisfied with the results. Giddy actually, low cost, fast, high quality.

I was always an Mpix guy but I needed a print in a hurry and figured Costco was worth a shot. I went online to download their printer profiles and I use them to soft proof my images in photoshop after correcting and before resizing.
I turn off the autocorrect feature on their website before submitting the order and the colors are dead solid perfect.
I have never been able to find Mpixs' color profiles on their website.

I acutally have a Costco 12x18 right here at my desk I've been showing off to my photo enthusiast coworkers all morning.

One thing to remember - I don't know what camera you have but if you want a 20x30 print your file will need to have a native resolution of 6400 x 9600 dpi unless you want their equipment to do the resizing for you.
Take a shot and have one printed, what do you have to lose?

 

[spoon2003]

I mostly do 4x6 printing but have done 5x7 and 8x12 with Costco. I love their everyday quality. Before I started using Costco, I remember doing a compare with them, shutterfly and snapfish and I likde Costco's quality and convience the best. I recently tried snapfish again because you can pick up at local Walgreen's but the quality was horrible.

Oh, for special prints, I use Mpix.

Sue

 

[Marinerbaby]

Costco's prices are great but I did a comparison and printed the exact same print (20x30) from Costco and one from Shutterfly. The difference was HUGE. Yes, the price was a lot less but side by side, one looked to be printed on a home printer in comparison. The Costco one was dark and not as "crisp". The detail on Shutterfly was amazing and I sent the exact same file to both Costco and Shutterfly. As I said, I love the price of Costco but I can’t do it with such a quality difference.

 

[PoohJen]

One thing to remember - I don't know what camera you have but if you want a 20x30 print your file will need to have a native resolution of 6400 x 9600 dpi unless you want their equipment to do the resizing for you.
Take a shot and have one printed, what do you have to lose?

Yikes! I have a Canon Rebel XT. The info for the image I want blown up says: width 3164 pixels, height 2000 pixels, 250 dpi.

so...huh?

Ruth: re: poster quality b/t Shutterfly and Costco, that's what i'm concerned about. These are gifts, so I'd rather spend more to get it right. hmmm....

 

[OurDogCisco]

I find some people get great results with Costco but our Costco develops poor pictures. They just aren't as crisp as Kodakgallery can do. I would just try your costco out and if it works for you then, great if not move on.

 

[cryssi]

I like costco. They've always exchanged prints with me if I wasn't happy. Try them out...you always have the option of refusing them (when picking them up, that is). Largest I've printed was 8x12. I want to try poster prints, though.

 

[RadioNate]

I love my costco - I use them in store not online.

Costco's online store is Snapfish.

 

[Anewman]

I use Costco at least weekly, more during high school spring sports.

I Upload and pick up in store.
I turn off auto corrections
I send in file rezolution exactly as will be printed, so 4x6@320 or 12x18@320, etc...

Only time I was every not satisfied was when a worker with long nails scratched my prints as she was trimming them, they were reprinted for free and she no longer touches prints.

 

[captaincrash]

I've used several printers including Costco with the following results:

Dotphoto... Recent prints were gorgous (sharp, balanced color, properly cropped), extensivly used. Years ago I had mixed results though. They had great service reprinting to correct various complaints of mine.

Mpix... a few months back I tried a few, very nice but cost a bit more, minimal use.

ProPixExpress... Framed Kodak Endura Supreme Paper mounted to canvas boards. I've mmade a couple hundred enlargements - most for fund raisers at schools, as gifts, and a few dozen for personal use. Generally good results and I think it's fairly cheap. Use code 101 in comments for 10% off.

Walgrens ... recently tried with the free 8x10 deal. Horrible color and FOCUS. I made a direct comparison against Dotphoto enlargements (I was making AYSO Soccor team enlargements to give away to m daughters' team). Either the machine was way out of calibration with bad chemicals or?????

Costco.... varies in quality. It's the champ for low cost and speed with "get it now" value for me since they are just 2-3 miles away and few competitors are within that distance to me. Oddly enough the enlargements from 8x10 through 12x18 have always been gorgous on color and focus. However the 4x6 prints have drawn cocked eyebrows from me ocassionally. I suspected the chemicals were in need of replenishment at times ... but in recent memory the 4x6s were all first rate - with the exception of the most recent batch where I compared directly against Walgrens and Dotphoto with AYSO Soccor team 8x10 and 4x6 prints. Costco was a bit off compared to the Dotphoto images which poped. And COSTCO was WAY AHEAD of Walgrens.