Ofoto UK; Prints Over Saturated

[colliewalker1]

Ofoto Uk has received some good reviews for the quality of it's online photo processing and fast service. I have used them three times - the first two batches of prints were fine and more to my liking than some from PhotoBox of the same subjects: Ofoto printed on Kodak Dura Life which is obviously a contrasty paper while PhotoBox used Fujicolor Crystal Archive which gives a rather softer looking print.

My recent and third batch of prints from Ofoto have colours which are much too saturated and they give an overall dark effect. I compared these with the corresponding images on my PC monitor which were 'just right'.

When ordering online prints is it not reasonable to assume that - for colour saturation for example - they will match what one sees on the PC ?

[Scottes]

Only if you tell them "no color adjustments" which is something you should always do if you process yourself.

These places get a lot of shots from Point & Shoot people who don't do any processing. Their pics could often use some contrast and saturation so the operators are used to making changes to make the shots look better in their eyes.

Take a look at the back of the prints - many/most of the "mini-lab" photo printers will print a string of numbers indicating things like contrast and saturation adjustments. This is used if the person ever wants reprints and the operator will key these numbers in to get the reprint to look just like the first. You want to see 0s which means that no adjustments were made. If you see things like +1-0+2+1 or even 1021 then they probably made adjustments. But the real meaning of the numbers depends on the printer used.

[colliewalker1]

Thanks for your reply Scottes.

I have had a look at the back of the prints - both oversaturated and where the saturation is OK and they have the same numbers i.e. '16051408161' and '#05'so this may not be a clue.
I sent an email to Ofoto yesterday querying the result of the printing but haven't heartd from them yet - its a bit early. As a matter of policy though they do offer to reprint orders which are not satisfactory so I may try that.

In a review of a large number of UK Online Photo Printing labs Ofoto were VERY highly rated - the only other Lab which was close is excessively expensive.

[neil_r]

Give Colab a try, I have had no problems at all

http://www.colab.co.uk (http://www.colab.co.uk/)

N

[Scottes]

That number does not really sound like a contrast/saturation number, but it's possible. I'd mention the number on the back and ask just for the heck of it. But from now on be sure to mention "no color adjustments" when you send stuff in.