To print or not to print?

I'm trying to decided between two options and need some advice:

1. I have a Epson 1290s which I use to great effect and am totally happy with.

2. I am about to create a portfolio (the reason for which is too complicated to explain) of about 100 images but will include maybe only 20 unique images (i.e. 5x20 of each image).

3. I need as high quality as possible.

Do do I:

a) Spend hours printing them all myself?

b) Get an online company to do it for me?

I have been wondering this very same thing myself.

I am going to go to a horse show this coming weekend. And I anticipate selling at least a few photos (hopefully more). But I 1) want people to get a good quality product and B) make a dime.

The only service I have looked at so far was SnapFish. Does anyone have a good quality printer they can recommend? And before you say I am searching. That is how I found this thread. :P

Back to the search page for me.

- Digital Prophet -

I still use a HP 1000 for the simple non pro stuff but when it comes to my portfolio I use a pro printer. I'm just not ready yet to purchase a new home printer.

Get a nice printer from best buy, drain all the inks out and return it to the bastards.

Who do you use PoBoy?

I have Wolf here locally. And I guess they do an ok job. But frankly for the price it just doesn't seem that fantastic. Maybe I will just have a sit down conference with my yellow pages and make some calls. But who's going to say "Digital prints? Oh yeah we do those, but they come out like crap."

- Digital Prophet -

Local Printing a Shop here named 1hour photo shack, one owner & he prints everything.

Online printers I use Printroom.com & has had great results so far, I'm also going to send some out to Mpix to see how well they do.

DocFrankenstein wrote:
Get a nice printer from best buy, drain all the inks out and return it to the bastards.

Hmmm, I'm not sure that statement sits comfortably with me.

Damian,
I just had approx 88 4x6 photos printed at London drugs @ a special $0.39 each. It cost me $35.00. I thought that at a large quantity that was thee way to go. Ink and paper would have cost more. However, I am absolutely satisfied that individual prints from my i960 are sufficient. The people who have bought my prints never knew the difference and when told they are from my printer were wowed. The only way I would bother using a professional photo processor would be for larger prints or finish that I'm not able to print myself.

Ok! Now we are talking. Printroom looks like a pretty good place. At least thier site does. I think that I am going to send a few files out to them to see how they do.

Thanks for the information.

- Digital Prophet -

They're pretty decent & I like thier Pro studio design for online sales.