Please weigh in: Prints

[WeLoveNemo]

I am sure this has been done before, but my internet and/or computer are so dreadfully slow I cannot bear the thought of using the search engine to look.

So, please, if you might, present me with your thoughts on which is better, printing at home vs. an online company like snapfish or kodak gallery. And, if you have a preference, what is your favorite printer or developer?

Thanks so much!

 

[Michele]

Just my opinion, but I prefer Shutterfly for prints, unless I need them 1 hour, then I upload to Walgreens. I haven't found paper to print at home that matches up to professional prints.

I do the prepaid print plans with Shutterfly, you can prepay $60 for 600 prints, 10 cents a print. Then through the year as I need prints, I just order them and only have to pay shipping.

 

[Anewman]

I am sure this has been done before, but my internet and/or computer are so dreadfully slow I cannot bear the thought of using the search engine to look.

So, please, if you might, present me with your thoughts on which is better, printing at home vs. an online company like snapfish or kodak gallery. And, if you have a preference, what is your favorite printer or developer?

Thanks so much!

I like costco...

13 cents a print
Upload and pick up in about an hour.
able to turn off any auto corrections.
Printer profiles available
Hot dog and a soda for $1.50 at the snack bar

 

[KarenAylwood]

I HATE (I mean HATE) Walgreens for prints. I was so disappointed by them. 4x6's aren't as easy to notice, but I had some 8x10's printed and wanted to just throw them out. (Of course it could have been the operator, machine, etc).

I printed on an Epson printer at school and the prints were so professional looking it makes me want a printer so bad!

I had a few printed at Snapfish that turned out well (4x6's again) but still not the best. I need to find a way to print without autocorrections, etc.

I tended to notice that the students that chose not to print in class didn't have as nice of prints as those who printed in class. A few who had printers at home looked nice (one I remember is a student with a Canon Pixma something). I have been looking at the Canon Pixma Pro9000 but it's ~$400 (was $370 around xmas time). It will probably be a while before I buy one.

I'd also like to know somewhere that does good work. A friend of mine mentioned someone but it ended up being for professionals and I'm just not there in the volume they want. I want to be able to print a few prints here and there as I want them.

 

[annnewjerz]

If you are looking to order online, I have now ordered from Mpix, Adorama and through SmugMug and have been really pleased with all of them. I have actually had two 8x10's printed at our local Walgreens (a little while ago when they were giving them away for free) and was pretty happy with the quality. They were on glossy paper, I would have preferred matte, but other than that...the colors were nice, the quality was nice and the price (free!) was nicer.

 

[boBQuincy]

If you are looking for the best prints, look no further than your own home. *However*, be prepared to spend a lot of time and $$$ to get there. A calibrated monitor, good printer, correct profiles, proper settings, and good paper is only the start.
Still, the best home prints are probably better than anything else.

Now then, for those of us who don't want to go through all that, there is MPix.

 

[wdwwishes]

I've used Shutterfly and Snapfish and have been happy with results from both. I do print a few prints here are home on an HP and for being able to print a quick photo to include in a thank you note or something thats fine. I used to print regularily from a Canon i900 and was happy with the results. But with home printing, one color tends to run quicker than the rest. I have a Mac and have ordered prints through iPhoto which uses Kodak processing and have been disappointed. I have friends who use Costco and are very happy. For the most part, I think digital developing whether you do it on line or at Walgreen's etc. is acceptable. I'm not sure that friends or family who you send a print to or those who look at them in an album are going to split hairs over the developing. There are the exceptions to the rule though. I'd choose a photo or two and get them printed through a couple of sources for comparison and go with what you like best. Don't forget that most of the better local camera shops offer uploading and printing services. There's always the recommendations of local photographers who shoot digital.

 

[DVC Jen]

I love MPix - they have fantastic customer service.

The only thing I am not crazy about is when I forget to click the box that says do NOT die cut wallets.

I forgot on one of my orders and the very top of my DDs head was clipped. My fault - not theres.

 

[MICKEY88]

I love MPix - they have fantastic customer service.

The only thing I am not crazy about is when I forget to click the box that says do NOT die cut wallets.

I forgot on one of my orders and the very top of my DDs head was clipped. My fault - not theres.

the solution to that problem is to always shoot a little wider than you think neccessary , that way you have room for cropping or diecutting

 

[WeLoveNemo]

Thanks so much for all of your replies. I have always used Kodak Gallery (formerly O-foto) with very nice results. But, I was in Staples yesterday and there were 4 or 5 rows dedicated to home printers and ink. Things were much more affordable than I recall so it got me thinking about this as an option.

But, moving back to the chopped off heads. I recently printed pictures,
8x10s & 4x6s, of some children through Kodak. The overall quality was beautiful. I had left the cropping setting in PSE at "aspect ratio" or some similar wording, instead of the usual 4"x6" setting I use because I wanted to print in both sizes. There was a lot of lost hair and ears as a result. How should I have set the crop setting when I don't know which size prints I will want to make?

Thanks!

 

[MICKEY88]

Thanks so much for all of your replies. I have always used Kodak Gallery (formerly O-foto) with very nice results. But, I was in Staples yesterday and there were 4 or 5 rows dedicated to home printers and ink. Things were much more affordable than I recall so it got me thinking about this as an option.

But, moving back to the chopped off heads. I recently printed pictures,
8x10s & 4x6s, of some children through Kodak. The overall quality was beautiful. I had left the cropping setting in PSE at "aspect ratio" or some similar wording, instead of the usual 4"x6" setting I use because I wanted to print in both sizes. There was a lot of lost hair and ears as a result. How should I have set the crop setting when I don't know which size prints I will want to make?

Thanks!

the best thing to do is leave extra room when shooting the picture, people get caught up in the concept of filling the frame, and shoot too tightly, leave extra room, then crop to size before uploading... that way you are sure to get the look you want...

 

[Anewman]

the best thing to do is leave extra room when shooting the picture, people get caught up in the concept of filling the frame, and shoot too tightly, leave extra room, then crop to size before uploading... that way you are sure to get the look you want...

I am a get closer type of shooter, and if possible I get even CLOSER.

But if possible I try to get a shot for both a non-crop print, and a shot that would require a crop like 8x10.

 

[MICKEY88]

I am a get closer type of shooter, and if possible I get even CLOSER.

But if possible I try to get a shot for both a non-crop print, and a shot that would require a crop like 8x10.

I'm not suggesting shooting wide,

just allowing a little wiggle room..

I've just developed the habbit of composing the way I want the shot, then backing off just a little bit to allow for cropping, shooting a lot of action it's not always possible to get 2 shots

 

[tinkbutt]

I like Mpix they have great quality and they are fast and cheap!!! and now they will add boutique packaging ( fancy envelopes and boxes ) I am excited about that!

 

[jann1033]

mpix user here, never been disappointed with them and they come fast. adorama is a close second, i've used snapfish for up to 5x7 shots and never had a problem with them but never got a large print from them. shutterfly i've had good and bad results from. walgreens by me is horrendous and i don't belong to costco so can't get the soda and dog while i wait for my prints

 

[baybemama]

I absolutely love smugmug! I find the quality excellent and really enjoy the paper choices.

 

[sherry7]

I like Adoramapix. They print on Kodak Royal paper (nice and thick), the quality is good, and the packaging could survive a war. On the downside, you can't choose 2 different kinds of paper (matte, glossy, metallic, Ilford, etc) on the same order.

They run specials occasionally where you can get pre-paid prints at a special price. I recently pre-purchased 4x6's for 8 cents each, and 8x10's for 99 cents each.