Printing Services Recommendations?

[dschwartz69]

How about it? Which printing services would your or would you not recommend and why?

I've used Ofoto and the results were pretty good. I also took same shots to a local drugstore (Eckerds) and the colors were not impressive at all.

I'm willing to try other online services and/or mail order and would appreciate if others would share experiences and possible save myself (and potentially a lot of others) time and money.

If you are not printing at home, where are you printing?

thanks,

[cmM]

I have used ofoto.com before and was happy with the results. Only downside is that they won't take anything except jpeg fies.

I recently used ezprints.com for a 13x19 and it looks great (oh, and I uploaded a 30MB tif file for that print).

[Skids]

Here in the UK I use Jessops Print@net and I am happy with them. You upload the pictures to them and they ae normally posted back to you within a week.

I have tried photobox as well as I had heard they were better quality but to be honest I couldn't really notice the difference.

[MrKickalot]

Shutterfly.com. I have developed everything from 4X6 to 20X30 through them and nothing but good results. The only thing is I was slightly unhappy with at first was the brightness of the prints I sent there. I guess my monitor displays the pictures a little brighter than they develope them. I bumped up the brightness a touch and haven't looked back!! I have also had very good results from Yorkphoto.com

[Kenski]

Shutterfly.com. I have developed everything from 4X6 to 20X30 through them and nothing but good results. The only thing is I was slightly unhappy with at first was the brightness of the prints I sent there. I guess my monitor displays the pictures a little brighter than they develope them. I bumped up the brightness a touch and haven't looked back!! I have also had very good results from Yorkphoto.com

Shutterfly.... Good.....
Ofoto.... Good.....
Clark.... Better.....
Snapfish..... EXCELLENT.....

I have a 50% coupon for snapfish.. I don't know if you have to be a member already to use it but they were having problems one day so they were giving out a code for 50% off an order and it had to be used by Sept 3rd so I'm putting together my order and I guess I'll order Sept 2nd :) lol

ALL of my orders thru them have been excellent.. I don't do alot of retouching or anything so I don't know alot of that aspect. I may do some croping, change to B&W or sepia and thats about it. I don't mess with brightness or anything like that so I just don't know. They do offer Kodak ULTRA paper for 5cents extra and I usually do this on my 5x7's and 8x10's because they turn out REALLY nice. They stock is alittle heavier if you don't know what it is. Anything then 5x7 takes alittle longer in shipping for some reason via USPS but 4x6's and 5x7's come in a day or two of shipping and I'm SEVERAL states away.... They process and print quick and I have used several online companies... Trust me.. I just had a baby born.. I couldn't tell you how many pictures I have had printed lately!!!!!

If anyone is intrested Please PM me with an EMAIL addy and I will send you an email with a link to them so you can get 10 free prints and I can too :) New baby and all, I can use the free prints! :) lol

[tracyh]

I've used Mpix (www.mpix.com) and Whitehouse Custom Color (www.whcc.com). Mpix gets good points on their user-friendly website and ordering process. WHCC is a bit more cumbersome for preparing your order and uses an FTP method for uploading, but their quality has been great and they offer some features and sizes that Mpix doesn't. I first went to them because I needed die-cut wallet prints and Mpix didn't offer it. However, Mpix has since added that feature (but I haven't gone back to try them out). Mpix charges a set (and a bit expensive) shipping and handling fee with every order, but WHCC has minimum order amount.

So... they both have their pros and cons. I use both with good success, though. Print quality has been very good with both.

[scubafly]

I've been using mpix.com and have been very happy with them. I've also heard good things about Whitehouse Custom Color(whcc). However, I believe whcc only accepts a level 10 jpeg. They claim there is no loss of quality in the prints but it feels weird to lower the quality to level 10 after being so careful (raw capture, 16 bit edit, etc) during the processing. I think ofoto is a step below either whcc or mpix.

[IndyJeff]

dotPhoto.com and Printroom.com have both been excellent in service, quality and price. Both were easy to use for me.

[im2postal]

If you're looking for quality, a local custom lab is the ticket. Wolf/Ritz does a pretty good job though in their send out lab (if you can wait a week or two for enlargements). If price is your concern photocheap.biz is definately the place to go. Photocheap.biz will make good quality 4x6' prints from 12-18 cents a print depending on the paper and quantity ordered.

Robbie

[BAD10DUSER]

I have just started using Pixaco ( www.pixaco.com) very good value, very good prints. They seem to be returned in about 5 working days. I'm a newcomer to all things digital so its also a learning curve for me trying to find a print service. Give them a try they will take lots of different types of file, I think prices start at 6 pence (UK of course) for a 6x4 print. Downside is postage at £2-90p for entire order.
Has anybody else used this company ?

Bryn

[PhotosGuy]

Some Walgreens drugstores use Frontier (550s?) They were going to install newer machines this month but backed out of the deal. :cry:
Or, try Costco next, then Sams.

[who10]

Shutterfly.com. I have developed everything from 4X6 to 20X30 through them and nothing but good results. The only thing is I was slightly unhappy with at first was the brightness of the prints I sent there. I guess my monitor displays the pictures a little brighter than they develope them. I bumped up the brightness a touch and haven't looked back!! I have also had very good results from Yorkphoto.com

Shutterfly: If you color correct your own pics, be sure to turn off the "vivid" processing default in the "effects" tab before submitting your order. My first experience with Shutterfly was disappointing (too bright, too saturated). After turning off their color enhancement system I compared a 16x20 Shutterfly print, 13x19 Epson 2200 and 16x20 Lightjet print (my printing benchmark). Image quality was Excellent for images below 16x20, and very acceptable for the larger prints (sRGB/jpeg limitations begin to show up slightly at 11x14).

Results: Color was perfect in all three prints (but fine highlight detail from the LightJet and Epson were notably better resolved likely due to sRGB/jpeg required by Shutterfly). My only real complaint for Shutterfly is their use of "shipping" tubes - I prefer my images shipped flat.

FYI: I plan to run the same test against MPIX when I get a chance - I'll provide my impressions when I the results come back.

[natalka]

I LUV www.whcc.com

Fast, great service, reasonable prices.

Natalka

[Dchemist]

I have tried Ofoto and Shutterfly and found them okay. My preference is to use a Ritz Camera shop (Southbury CT) locally. They are informed and will follow instructions (don't change anything...), fast and reasonably priced. The quality has been consistently superb. I have also been plesaed with www.photoaccess.com but it is a bit slow.

I have tried Costco and Walmart stores -- cheap and inconsistent and definetly not informed.