where to buy prints

[Blueeyes101817]

Okay, i just got a digital camera and i remember hearing other DISers talking about different places they order t heir prints from..
i used target the other day, but i was wondering if anyone uses any others and how do they compare in price and quality? Thanks!!

 

[PIRATEGIRL007]

I like to print my own at home, i have a photosmart 245 and i get better quality that anywhere locally. If I do have to print at a retailer, I like Ritz Camera (Wolf Camera) in some areas. I have never gotten distorted colors or blurry prints from them. I have also used Wal-Mart, CVS, Walgreens, and Snapfish. In order of best quality I have received on digitals:
1. ritz - $.29 each
2. walgreens $.19-29 each
3. snapfish $.15 each
4. cvs $.29 each
5. wal-mart (honestly, i wouldn't have pictures printed at WM again if they paid me) $.12-19 each

edited- forgot to add prices

 

[safetymom]

I print mine at home also. I have the Epson Picture Mate and the Picture Mate deluxe.

Cost per print is no more than 29 cents. It uses pigmented inks so they will last longer than traditionally printed photos. They are waterproof and smudge proof. You have a choice of matte or glossy paper.

If you run out of ink and you still have paper left Epson will buy the paper back from you.

They only print 4x6 but they do a beautiful job. It can be hooked up to your computer or you can print directly from your memory card.

 

[Alacrity]

I've had good luck with prints online from Snapfish.com and shutterfly.com. I also print some at home an an HP Deskjet. They come out very will with the heavy photo paper.

 

[joanchris]

I"ve been using Clarkcolor.com and have been very happy with the quality and the price. Just paid 11 cents per print (averaged 14 cents when I included the shipping charge and averaged it out).

 

[sandibeck]

Winkflash is another good site that I found out about via these boards!! They charge 12 cent per print (for 4X6), but their shipping rate is only 99 cents no matter how many prints you order.
There are lots of options out there, I think it's best to try a few out (by getting the same prints from several different places) and decide which prints you like best.
Good luck!!

 

[amid chaos]

I have used shutterfly.com for 5 years and have been disappointed only once, which they corrected for me.

 

[Beth]

I use Shutterfly and Walgreen's, primarily.

But I've also used mPix.com. They have a metallic paper that is REALLY cool - give it a try sometime.

I also use pictureframes.com when I want to have something printed and framed. For a wedding gift for a friend, recently, I took a picture that I took at their wedding, ran it through a filter to make it look more like a painted picture, then uploaded it to their site, told them to print it on canvas, and had it framed.

It was beautiful (I think!), and I'm sure that they didn't receive anything else like it as a wedding gift!

You can get your picture framed regardless of the size. You choose the color of the matting and whether you want a single or double mat, and you choose the frame - and there are LOTS of choices. ...I've just been really impressed with their work - great quality and reasonably priced. I've had one other picture printed on canvas, and a few photos just printed on paper - the colors have all been great.

 

[SStJean]

I usually print mine at home. I have the Epson R800 which produces magnificent prints with a 75 year life. I like to use a Pearl paper for my color photos and a heavy Matte for black & white.

Using this printer with Photoshop CS is not the easiest, but if you have the time, you can make some really nice prints up to 8x10. It also has a roll feeder so you can print panoramics.

 

[Blueeyes101817]

thanks guys--i have no idea about this stuff so i really appreciate all the help!

 

[madge]

I have used:

Shutterfly--like a lot. They were a lot higher than other developers, but I saw on the site yesterday that there's a sale going on right now. .12/print, which is very good.

Walgreens--hated it, will never use again. I suspect each store is different, though.

Wal-Mart--not bad. Occasionally, I'll get a bad pic, but for the most part they are cheap and consistently good.

Winkflash--my new favorite. I love that I can get matte prints with a white border. Very classic looking. In fact, I am seriously considering doing a B/W photo of my children for CHristmas cards and having them developed in that style. love. it. very cheap, too.

Kroger's--ick.

I would LOVE to get a picturemate....maybe Santa will bring one

 

[KaitlinsMom]

I have found that it really depends on who is working the machine - The walmart by me does a pretty good job - Costco has been great too - But they have great people working the machines - winkflash didn't work for me - the colors were too saturated - but that was over a year ago, so it's probably different now -

You just have to find one that prints to YOUR liking -

 

[Razor Roman]

I've had good luck with Shutterfly, also had good results with Fuji (I ordered them online and picked them up at my neighborhood Shoprite).

I do most of my printing on my Epson Stylus Photo R320, which I would heartily recomment to anyone interested in a photo printer. It's a regular 8.5x11 printer, but it has memory card readers and an LCD screen so it can be used without a computer, and it prints borderless 8x10, 5x7 and 4x6 photos.

 

[safetymom]

The R320 is a wonderful photo printer but the prints are not considered archival. The R320 uses dye based inks. The longest life you will get is 27 years on a matte paper. That is about the same life as traditionally developed photos. Pigmented inks will last much longer.

 

[jenny2]

Winkflash will occassionally have codes too where you can get 4x6 for .06 each.

 

[bscs]

snapfish and kodak are great!

 

[MICKEY88]

I would LOVE to get a picturemate....maybe Santa will bring one

they are nice, but for a few dollars more you could get a full size photo printer and be able to print 5x7s and 8x10s

 

[MICKEY88]

But I've also used mPix.com. They have a metallic paper that is REALLY cool - give it a try sometime.

I

I use mpix a lot, the metallic paper is awesome, I have yet to show anyone a print done on the metallic paper, without them being amazed

 

[safetymom]

Picturemates are great for those people that don't want to do a lot of tinkering with their photos. It also will print not hooked up to a computer. It also is great because lots of people don't want to print 5x7 or 8x10.

You also can't beat the feature of the Deluxe version with the battery so you can print just about anywhere. You could take it to a party and print photos right there for everyone or have it on your picnic table. I packed mine in my suitcase to print vacation photos. You can't do that with a larger printer.

I do own several large printers but use the Picturemate quite often too.

 

[MICKEY88]

Picturemates are great for those people that don't want to do a lot of tinkering with their photos. It also will print not hooked up to a computer. It also is great because lots of people don't want to print 5x7 or 8x10.

You also can't beat the feature of the Deluxe version with the battery so you can print just about anywhere. You could take it to a party and print photos right there for everyone or have it on your picnic table. I packed mine in my suitcase to print vacation photos. You can't do that with a larger printer.

I do own several large printers but use the Picturemate quite often too.

the newer photo printers by epson and HP, aren't all that big, as far as party printing my hp does that as well, and I can take it to car shows and run it off of my power inverter in my car,

I'm sure the picturemate has it's place for people that want multiple printers, but for those that don't want more than one photo printer , due to cost or available space a full size printer is a better investment..

you've piqued my curiosity, I've never heard of anyone printing pics on vacation...rather than waiting 'till they got home...

as far as packing a printer for vacation, you just need a bigger suitcase to pack a full size printer...LOL