Crappy prints from lab - the paper or printer?

[musicmaster]

I ordered a few prints from Economy Prints not because of low prices, but because they didn't rip off on shipping (for an order of 4x6's shipping was under $2, while other places will charge $5-7).

The prints I got were disappointing. The colors were dull and the pictures were all soft, when they looked fine on my PC.

They were printed on Kodak Royal paper. They had a slightly more expensive Kodak Supra. Would switching papers help?

[Alexajlex]

Can you post one of the pics you sent to them?

I assume that you ordered 4x6s, correct?

I don't think switching the paper fix the issue (there may be a very slight improvement but that is about it).

I'm guessing that they might have resized the pics or ran them through some proprietary noise removal bath process which ended up softening them up.

Is the system you viewed them on calibrated (even just for brightens)?

[musicmaster]

A few I posted on facebook which I printed (note facebook is not high res. I have the dvd with the original photos at home). They turned out fine when I reprinted them at costco

http://photos-c.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v252/238/37/1148820226/n1148820226_30495538_9279.jpg

http://photos-h.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v252/238/37/1148820226/n1148820226_30495527_6116.jpg

http://photos-f.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v252/238/37/1148820226/n1148820226_30495541_180.jpg

[Alexajlex]

The pics you posted look good (natural skin tones and overall colors).

Had to be the lab.

[aram535]

Crappy printer/link is a crappy printer/link, changing the paper won't help much.

Its like putting super duper gas with cleaning power instead of regular in a 1978 chevelle.

[tim]

What do you expect from economy prints? Pay for proper prints or use a different lab.

Remember when you're paying for shipping you're not just paying for the postage, you're paying for:
- The materials to package your order
- The time it takes someone to do the packaging
- The cost of postage

$2 is insanely cheap. $7 is cheap. I charge $15 shipping per order to cover materials, shipping, and my time.

[PhotosGuy]

They turned out fine when I reprinted them at costco Stick with what works?

[Sports_Dude]

I do 95% of my printing at Costco (well, until the updated their photo website...now it's junk). I adjust the colors at home and send the pictures to Costco with color correction turned off.

[scorpio_e]

Its the processing that stinks. NOT the paper :)
Some lab have BAD QC...

[aram535]

I do 95% of my printing at Costco (well, until the updated their photo website...now it's junk). I adjust the colors at home and send the pictures to Costco with color correction turned off.

I have had no issues with the new site. Damn good job for me, even on the large 20x30 prints that I got from them.

[musicmaster]

Well just for kicks and giggles, I ordered some for myself - half with the regular paper, half with the endura paper... and wow, what a difference. They must use a better printer for the more expensive prints because I couldn't tell a difference between those and the ones I got at costco (which I think are great)

[Sports_Dude]

I have had no issues with the new site. Damn good job for me, even on the large 20x30 prints that I got from them.

Finally got through to the Costco Photo Customer Service Phone Line. Appraently the issue that they are having is that any image files embeded with a specific printer profile is not completing the upload process. Files with sRGB profiles upload fine.

[aram535]

Where you include the Fugi printer profile they use or something else? It does say on their "support" site that you should color match the file to the screen profile and not the printer profile.

[Sports_Dude]

Where you include the Fugi printer profile they use or something else? It does say on their "support" site that you should color match the file to the screen profile and not the printer profile.

Check out dry creek photo:

http://www.drycreekphoto.com/icc/using_printer_profiles.htm