Mpix Pro - Looks Good!

http://www.mpixpro.com​/Default.aspx

Greater product selection! A product catalog twice the size of Mpix
Simplified ordering! Order using the popular ROES software
Reduced shipping! All orders ship via FedEx Overnight at only $4.00 per order... orders over $100 ship for free!


Finally a price point for shipping I love. The only thing you seem to lose is color correction which I can live with. Waiting for approval now!

This looks like a Miller's spin off. Maybe just re-branded? If so, I'll have to pass. My sales don't justify the price increase for the pro level service.

Is it related to mpix ?

Yes it is a new service from Mpix

How do you know the prices, I havent seen them yet.

eigga wrote in post #8326888
How do you know the prices, I havent seen them yet.

I have a good feeling this is just a re-brand from Miller's Lab which is "currently" the pro version of Mpix.. If it is, the print prices are a lot more than regular Mpix prices. I'm told you get a lot better service with a Miller's account, plus I think you get free shipping or something like that.

I dont think that. I think its an upgraded service from Mpix geared toward the pro's or semi-pro that uses mpix already for the pricing difference you mention.

Will wait to see the pricing. Currently I use Millers and Mpix depending on the product and event. Would be nice if this melds the parts of the two I need!

If that's the case, then I'm in!

I'll pass.

Marketing trickery. Nothing more than a rebranded MPIX with a few extras. But I'll hand it to them - they'll suck a lot of people in with the marketing.

As far as I'm concerned, no service is a true pro service unless they offer fine art printing services. M-pro doesn't. As I read it, they offer ONE fine art paper. They don't even tell you what it is, whether matte or gloss, or even if it is archival or not. Not "professional" by any stretch.

Other than a new look, a new domain name, and a few minor twists, I see nothing really different than MPIX - except for the marketing trickery.

Seems Like a narrow view of a pro lab but if fine art paper is your need then it may not fit.

I think its geared towards people without studios and even more for the semi pro.

Since I submit 1000+ orders through mpix each year its a welcome change if the pricing is similar. The shipping change alone is worth it for me since I direct ship ALL my orders.. $2 cheaper and overnight

What if I told you about a professional lab that offered what they called "Professional Fine Art Printing" on a fine art paper, but did not offer a profile to use. And instead, offered a profile for another paper that "should be close enough."

Would you call that a "professional" workflow? Maybe my opinions are different, but I certainly would not.

I emailed mpixpro about the paper/service and asked for a profile. This is the reply:

The Fine Art paper is: Hahnemuhle Fine Art. You can use our E-Surface printer profile for this paper. It will not be an exact match but should be close. I have attached it above for you.

MPIX can't afford to get or create a custom profile for a single paper? ? ?

If I print on my epson 3800 letting the printer control the colors that should be "close enough" but I doubt any serious printer - professional printer - in this forum would say that is the proper way to print.

eigga wrote in post #8329599
Seems Like a narrow view of a pro lab

eigga, I will grant you that. It's my personal need and because of that, my opinion may be narrowed.

Nonetheless, offering lower shipping costs does not make them a professional lab. It makes them a lab with lower shipping costs.

But a lab that supplies you with "makeshift profiles" is not very professional. At least IMHO.

I understand, if you need all that you mention then I would think you would deal with a higher end lab. I doubt fine art prints is a big part of their customer base.

Discussing what is pro or not is silly. I was just arguing against your blanket statement of rebranding. Seems harsh a judgment for a lab that produces very high quality products.

Anyway, what lab do you use. Other than Millers I wouldnt even know where to start for higher end stuff.

eigga wrote in post #8331725
Discussing what is pro or not is silly.

I appreciate your point of view, but I would disagree.

There is a lot of talk in this forum about proper color management and using printer profiles to make the monitor match the print. In fact, the subject of color management and print color-matching is probably one of the top 3 repeating subjects.

I believe it is very relevant to point out a lab that does not provide a profile for pros who use them (perhaps you don't) and instructs the customer to use another profile for another paper that "should be close."

Sorta' makes the whole color management battle irrelevant.

CannedHeat wrote in post #8332307
I appreciate your point of view, but I would disagree.

There is a lot of talk in this forum about proper color management and using printer profiles to make the monitor match the print. In fact, the subject of color management and print color-matching is probably one of the top 3 repeating subjects.

I believe it is very relevant to point out a lab that does not provide a profile for pros who use them (perhaps you don't) and instructs the customer to use another profile for another paper that "should be close."

Sorta' makes the whole color management battle irrelevant.

Is there an online lab you would recommend?

So is Sharpness and Noise both of which I find pretty usless. I for one have had very little with colors, but its not overly important to ME. I do understand why it is for YOU and many others...all of which would not be interested in Mpix Pro.

Not sure exactly why this turned so negative... but I was actually wondering your recomendations as well for a good online pro lab. Not being rude really would like to learn.

I deal with very high volume slaes and need a high quality place that has great product selection fast turn around and great shipping option... all of which make Mpix great for my business. The free Mpix Pro order I submitted this morning at 10:00 shipped today and will be delivered tomorrow. That makes my clients very happy and is a big part of my business model since I rarley even see my clients or meet them. Fast service is one of the few things I count on!

eigga wrote in post #8333816
Not sure exactly why this turned so negative... but I was actually wondering your recomendations as well for a good online pro lab. Not being rude really would like to learn.

Not rude at all, glad to help.

Can't really speak of high volume resources other than to repeat what is usually recommended in this forum: Costco, Mpix, WHCC, etc. Costco for the fastest turnaround, simply because using a retailer in your neighborhood avoids mail-time delays. However, as has been pointed out before, for some reason quality differs at some Costcos. I believe they all still get their machines custom-profiled by Dry Creek (downloadable), but some just don't do a good job. Mine doesn't, but I have heard others say the costco in their area is as good as any pro lab.

As for quality, my best find so far is Center Photography. I believe that John, who is a member of this forum, is the owner. Our passion is photography, his passion is printing. He does an excellent job at a very good price and also has excellent turnaround and customer service.

I wasn't specifically picking on MPIXpro. I was just trying to point out that any lab, labeled as pro or not, that incorporates a color management workflow that "should be close" is not using a professional color management workflow. I guess you could call that a "close enough" workflow.

I used to use MPIX quite a bit in the past. MPIX has their place. My personal evaluation of them is that they are a step above the quick labs such as costco, walgreens or walmart, but do not offer the higher-end quality of custom processing labs such as CP.