My pics are being printed on the best printer in the WORLD

[DocFrankenstein]

apparently...

I come into blacks. It's my first time.

The girl doesn't know the maximum dpi of the printer. She doesn't know if I can do anything with my pics before I bring them in. She doesn't know if the software resamples my image before printing. She's the lab technician.

She: I just print the pictures. You don't need to do anything. We also color correct your pictures.
Me: I'd prefer if you didn't :shock: .... What printer do you use?
She: We have the best printer in the world. It costs a million dollars
Me: :shock: What printer is that? :lol:
She: Fuji Frontier 370
Me: and you have it in your back room?
She: yes

Then I invited myself. The best printer in the world is about 8 feet tall and processes both film and digital.

I am getting the prints tomorrow. We'll see what it's like.

[Scottes]

http://www.drycreekphoto.com/Frontier/FrontierDatabase.htm

This company provides free "generic" profiles for Frontiers. (Or full profiles for a small fee.) They have detailed instructions on how to use them, and on how to get the best results from Fuji Frontiers.

By the time you're done reading all this you'll know more about how to print digital files than she does. And you can tell her exactly what settings to use to make sure she doesn't do *anything* to your photos...


Don't worry, though - you'll be very happy with what you get I'm sure. But for a bit more work and a few more bucks you could be ecstatic with what you get. But that depends on how picky you are.

[DocFrankenstein]

OOOOHhhh

This is what I've been afraid of. Now I have an excuse to buy a GOOD monitor and COLOR calibrate it. :shock:

I've read a 800 page book on making your scan match your print - although it was more book publishing related, I still got a nice understanding of color spaces and profiles.

It will take a LOOONG time to explain that stuff to the "lab technician" at that location.

[Scottes]

It will take a LOOONG time to explain that stuff to the "lab technician" at that location.

That's the beauty of profiles. You tell them not to do anything but simply print it.


From DryCreek:

Instruct the print operators not to apply any of the automated image enhancement or adjustments to your files. Something along the lines of "send the files straight to the printer" usually works. If the lab operator is more technically savvy, request one of the following:

* Frontier: No Corrections. A few labs use the PIC Pro module which allows printing in the "Import No Convert" mode. This gives a greater color range in saturated cyan tones. If the lab does not know what this is, or tells you that the mode is disabled, don't worry.

[DocFrankenstein]

Scottes - thanks for the advice.

I'm curious. Where do you print your pics? Why? What printer do they use?

I am also gonna try out the Futureshop's photolab. Kinda like Best Buy, only in canada.

The thing is they're 3 times cheaper than Blacks. :shock:

[Scottes]

I did Ritz for some tests, but I have a pretty decent printer, but the color comes too dark and I don't have a calibrator. So when I care I take them to Ritz.

Just about all of the Ritz Cameras use the Fuji Frontier. The prices aren't too bad if you buy into their Ritz Card program. Think about it to make sure it's worth the price to you - it really hasn't been for me.

[Conk]

Hey Doc, where are you from? There are Photo labs that use Kodak imaging software and equipment and you can purchase the icc profiling software to calibrate to their systems.
http://www.kodak.com/global/en/professional/products/software/colorFlow/colorFlowApps.jhtml?id=0.1.18.24.3.4&lc=en

I have considered buying it myself as I like to use a local place called Photo Expert that uses the same software.

[DocFrankenstein]

I'm in Toronto.

I am not sure I am at a point of purchasing any profiles, cause I have to deal with my monitor first. It's bleak and non-calibrated...

But once I deal with that, I will definitely get it a profile for the lab of my choice.

[4walls]

The Fuji Frontier system pics look funny to me when they are color corrected. I saw a couple of pics from a pro photographer who had some shots color corrected by the Fuji system.... yuk!

Try Costco if you have one close to you. I find that their Noritsu printers do quite well. I NEVER upsample my shots and print up to 12x18 there with little or no corrections (depends if I forget to tell them or not).

The Noritsu can print up to 300dpi, but will upsample the photos itself if they are less than that.

Future Shop pics tend to look a little oversaturated in my opinion. London Drugs (don't think you have that out east) is about the same.

[DocFrankenstein]

Well, I got the pictures. It's a very nice quality. Excellent colours and truly photo feel.

The actual resolution turned out to be around 220 dpi, so you can't tell if that's was a digital at some point...

Colors seem to be excellent, considering that I did NO color corrections at all. Except my bro seems like a zombie in one picture, because his skin is blueish. But he's pale by himself, so that's not a big flaw.

[randallwade]

Photo Craft Labs out of Boulder uses Light Jet printer as their top-o-the-line with the Frontier as their economy print. Light Jet is more expensive, but not too bad if you submit digital files that are all setu up.

http://www.pcraft.com/table_of_contents.html#PrintingServices

[randallwade]

check the level 2 pricing if you can set up your own files

http://www.pcraft.com/services/lightjet_direct_digital_photographic_printing.html

[DocFrankenstein]

Umm...

I'm not sure about the pricing. It says 8*10 is 15 bucks first print. What about additionals?

[randallwade]

look to the left 2-9 additionals $10, 10-19 $8

[DocFrankenstein]

DOH again

I should sleep more. night job !@#$s me up :wink: