Photo Lab to use?

[DepthOfField]

Which photo lab do you recommand for easy to use and great quality at a decent price for prints? Thanks for the advice! :)

[PhotosByCynthia]

You'll probably want to find some in the state you live in or at least a neighboring state. I currently use The Camera Shop (www.thecamerashop.com), which is in MN. I get my prints pretty fast from them, but they are only 4 hours from me. :) If you use a proofing program (such as Photoreflect.com), they will likely have labs they work with that you can choose from. Good luck! :)

[sevillafox]

I've used WHCC (http://www.whcc.com), ProLabExpress (http://www.prolabexpress.com), and Mpix (http://www.mpix.com) and been happy with them all.

[aranthe]

I *heart* whcc.com - they are the best.

plus lollipops. sometimes.

~Alli

[Mike R]

Mpix does great work. If your looking to sell prints on line, give Exposure Manager a try. I have used them since August and the quality is excellent along with their customer support.

[PhotosGuy]

Anyone ever have print quality issues with small shops ? (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=325056)

[arrgeebee]

I swear by Mpix for prints. Their quality is excellent and they are very fast

[sochigetto]

Yep - MPIX has been great for me - yuo know it was done right when a new client gasps when she sees the prints. I send in the files like a Wednesday and the pictures are in my hands by Friday. andy.

[crystalizedvisions]

I've been using myPhotoPipe.com and have nothing but positive experiences.

[laurielozano]

Winkflash and Snapfish have done pretty good and are fairly cheap. Target has done a decent job too.

[sevillafox]

Winkflash and Snapfish have done pretty good and are fairly cheap. Target has done a decent job too.

Just be aware that these companies (and Shutterfly as well) put THEIR name and oftern website on the back of all the pictures they print. So, you charge someone $20 for an 8x10 and they go online and see you paid maybe $2 for it. How do you think they are going to feel? Pro labs cost a bit more but they put YOUR name on the back of the picture, use PRO papers, and also put YOUR do not copy on the back.

[PhotosGuy]

Pro labs cost a bit more but they put YOUR name on the back of the picture, use PRO papers, and also put YOUR do not copy on the back. Costco has an option to do that & they don't put their name on the print.

[sevillafox]

Costco has an option to do that & they don't put their name on the print.

Sorry, I guess I was referring to Winkflash, Snapfish, and shutterfly. I've never even seen a Costco. We don't have them in our area.

[jongobongo]

We use WHCC for our prints. Once someone from their office called us to verify if an image we submitted for enlargement had some color problems. It just just heavily cross-processed. We really appreciated them on double checking.

I've found that the local smaller print shops aren't consistent with their prints results (CVS, Costco).
We tried once using Winkflash once, but like Sevillafox pointed out, their name is printed on the back.

[PhotosGuy]

I've found that the local smaller print shops aren't consistent with their prints results (CVS, Costco). Some are. Some aren't. My Costco is always dead on, even with matching a print made months ago. Especially with matching a 4X6 proof with the final 12X18" final print.

[amccomis]

Speaking of online print shops, you can usually see who the underlying technology is... for example, snapfish is behind meijer, ritz/wolf uses LifePics. Look closely for identifying logos or wordings that might tip you off as to what technology is behind it. It might make a difference, but might not -- in terms of what equipment will actually be printing your prints.

Be careful - - you should send a test order through to see how their color reproduction is before you upload a big order.

Also, watch out for shipping & taxes. Even if you're a pro with a state tax exempt vendor's license, there's no way to get that taken off on the online retail sites. I got burned by this because I took advantage of a great prints sale, but got dinged by having to pay tax and shipping on it... and the prints were only average. Not an expensive lesson, but a lesson still the same. Besides, as a consumer, I hate paying sales tax for anything mail order. That's a deal breaker to me. :)


My best advice is: find one that works for you and stick with them. My "stick with" is MPIX for now.

[SoundsGood]

Just be aware that these companies (and Shutterfly as well) put THEIR name and oftern website on the back of all the pictures they print. So, you charge someone $20 for an 8x10 and they go online and see you paid maybe $2 for it. How do you think they are going to feel? Pro labs cost a bit more but they put YOUR name on the back of the picture, use PRO papers, and also put YOUR do not copy on the back.
Good point. Does Mpix allow you to put your name on the back of the prints?