Printing out digital pictures

[bvandiver]

We just returned from a week at the Contemporary and took loads of pictures with our Canon digital camera. The pictures look great when viewing them on the tv or on the computer but when we try to print some, they look aweful (grainy, fuzzy, etc....).
Does anyone have any suggestions? We have a Dell Inkjet printer. Should we buy another printer? What software should we be using?

Any help is appreciated!!!

 

[4407mark]

Make sure when you print that you select "Best" under print quality. When you click on print and a printer dialog box opens, click on properties and under quality, select "Best". You didn't way whether you were printing on regular paper or photo paper but photo paper can make a big difference!

If you are planning on printing a lot of photos at home, you might want to consider a photo quality printer. I have an HP 7550 (part of their photosmart line) and it does a great job!

 

[safetymom]

What quality did you take the pictures at? What size are you trying to print at?

 

[sperk99]

Try going to Target or Walmart/CVS to get them printed out...maybe with a professional printing, they would look better. Also, what was the camera set at for taking pictures. If it wasn't the most powerful resolution, they might not have the best print quality

 

[DizGeek]

First off, you need to have a good "Photo" printer. After that, you'd have to get good paper....some people assume buying Kodak paper is the way to go, but it really depends on the printer. I have a Canon Photo printer and use Canon Photo Paper Pro...expensive but excellant results. But, I also agree with having them done at Walmart etc. as they have great equipment and they will last as long as a regular picture whereas most "home" prints can fade after a short time.

 

[safetymom]

There are quite a few home printers that will last longer than traditional prints.

 

[DisneyPhD]

We have a printer that works fine (Canon i850) but when it comes to printing out more then 5 pictures at a time I normally get them printed somewhere else. (it is cheaper in the long run and the prints last long, not to mention the quailty of paper better for scrap book croping.)

I used to do Wallmart, but I found it much easier and the quailty better at winkflash.com (and cheaper) 18 cents a print and free shipping (for now, normally 99center per order) They ship it right away and if I order it on a monday or tuesday I normally get it by friday in the mail. I find it eaiser then going to walmart and waiting in line, going through all my pictures (as the person behind me glars at me since I have 200 WDW shots) and then waiting for them to be develped.

Hope this helps.

Mary

 

[safetymom]

Just keep in mind that many photo developing places do not use acid free paper and the inks or chemicals don't last as long as some inkjet printers.

A great source of information on archival issues can be found at
www.wilhelm-research.com

I use Epson printers and paper and the ink is acid free as well as several of their papers. They also have a selection of archival scrapbooking papers.

 

[bvandiver]

So when you take your pictures somewhere else to be developed, do you just give them the memory (flash) card and they develop everything on it?

 

[DisneyPhD]

Originally posted by bvandiver
So when you take your pictures somewhere else to be developed, do you just give them the memory (flash) card and they develop everything on it?

You can do it that way, if all the pictures are just they way you want them and you want one copy of each one. Many places now a days have a set up where you pick what pictures you want, can crop and fix red eye and pick the size and amount of copies you want and download them to their system. The on line programs you can upload them to their program and then order prints, or you can send a CD in for copies. I find it faster to do it a home then standing around at Walmart searching through my 258 magabit card. Plus this way I can "fix" them the way I want them 1st.

 

[Zoesmama03]

What is the mega pixel on the camara?


Walgreens usually does some good prints but if the mega pixels aren't high enough or the quality you have set on the camra is lower the pictures won't be as good.


At Walgreens you put the card in yourself and go through a computer software and pick the ones you want or you can get them all on cd too. Which I would recommend in case you loose you computer files.