Adoramapix Photobooks

I started a smugmug site to start selling pics to models/ clients, and after more than thousand hits in 2 weeks, not one print purchase lol. Everyone said they wanted digital copies (not prints) for Facebook or to email to grandma. They also wanted photobooks. Did a search and Adoramapix got good reviews for their "lay flat" photobooks:

http://www.digitalhome​thoughts.com …the-best-photo-books.html

Link, make a 12x9 photobook of my portfolio to see how it comes before I offer to clients. Anyone order from Adoramapix?

http://www.adoramapix.​com …er-nguyen-portfolio-final

addendum:

my Adoramapix photo book review:
http://www.youtube.com​/watch?v=8wnvyI13AOY

screenshot:

This is a timely thread. Jared Polin recommends them and uses their books for his work.

http://froknowsphoto.c​om …tography-tips-portfolios/

I'm just a hobbyist, but I order from AdoramaPix every so often and love their prints. I ordered an 8x8 book in the past, and it came out great. Arranging multi-photo page layouts was a pain in the butt, but the final product gets complimented all around when I show it off.

BTW, your portfolio looks great!

I made a book of all my panoramic shots and it came out extremely well (way better than the two Blurb books I tried previously). The colors pop, the paper is first grade and the binding really allows for all pages to lay flat - so panoramas look excellent. I am now in the process of designing a 12x12 coffee table book.

One word of caution. The cover of those books is a metallic type of paper and the ICC profile provided for the inside pages does not work for the cover - my cover was really blown out. After I talked to the folks at Adorama, I found out that they do have a separate ICC profile just for the cover. It is NOT on their website - you have to call them to have them send it to you - or if you want, just email me and I will forward it to you.

Also, their design tool is a little clumsy and time consuming, but I don't mind. The finished product is more important for me than the effort it takes to get it done right.

I have ordered about 4 books. I noticed the same about the cover . Nice if them to tell you
Anyway the book are very nice. I use as a low cost alternative for customers on budgets.

I have ordered approximately 20 books since the spring of 2009. In 4x6, 8x8, 8x10, and 9x12 sizes.

Their photobooks are good quality until you start looking at and comparing them to other companies such as Collages, White House Custom Color and others. Of Course Adorama's are much much much cheaper.

Speaking of prices, Adorama's prices have been raised several times in one year. The first 8x8 26 page book I ordered in spring 2009 was $26.99, now they are $36.95. I have orders inbetween then and now that are different prices including one at 29.99 and 33.99. Yeah its still cheap compared to other companies but now they are now almost 40% more expensive compared to last year...


The print quality is great, the pages kind of lay flat (compare it to other companies and you will see what a true lay flat design is). Their covers are not remotely close to being scratch or scuff resistance. I have had countless issues with their covers being scratched with very lite use, and the corners getting worn very easily. I was told that this should not happen and during the spring of this year Adorama, thanks to Helen one of their reps that checks this board, reprinted several of the books. That was nice but one of the reprinted books arrived with worn edges... The rest are already worn and scratched, and the only time they are touched is when I take them to meetings with potential clients, they are transported wrapped up in styrofoam and are left in a soft bag when not in use. Thankfully I have not had any clients complain to me yet about their edges or covers getting worn or scratched but I expect it to happen eventually.


I do like their books for personal use but I think that if you are selling to clients it may be wise to look into other companies.

We have six around the house with another in the way plus two more for our parents. They're nice books. I like them but my side loves them.

wow, a wealth of information. thx everyone for sharing your experiences.

5Dmaniac wrote in post #11213958
I made a book of all my panoramic shots and it came out extremely well (way better than the two Blurb books I tried previously). The colors pop, the paper is first grade and the binding really allows for all pages to lay flat - so panoramas look excellent. I am now in the process of designing a 12x12 coffee table book.

One word of caution. The cover of those books is a metallic type of paper and the ICC profile provided for the inside pages does not work for the cover - my cover was really blown out. After I talked to the folks at Adorama, I found out that they do have a separate ICC profile just for the cover. It is NOT on their website - you have to call them to have them send it to you - or if you want, just email me and I will forward it to you.

I agree, wasn't very impressed with Blurb book I made.
It looks like Adoramapix uses actual, thick photo paper which is great.

I downloaded the "adoramapix_book" ICC printer profile and used it as a "proof setup" view so I hope the prints looks like what I saw in CS5. I also did NOT do auto correct photos which they offer as an option.

Thx for the headsup about the separate ICC profile for the cover.


JoeyBowman: sorry hear to about the worn edges with your books. Did you get the UV protection? I ordered mine with it. This reviewer got the protective coating it looks pretty thick:

http://www.photobookgi​rl.com …of-adoramapix-photobooks/

David Bergman made Jon Bon Jovi an Adoramapix photobook
skip to 10:55

http://www.youtube.com​/watch?v=X-mVEXvTvPg

pnmd wrote in post #11215294
JoeyBowman: sorry hear to about the worn edges with your books. Did you get the UV protection? I ordered mine with it. This reviewer got the protective coating it looks pretty thick:

http://www.photobookgi​rl.com …of-adoramapix-photobooks/

That would appear to be a new feature since the last time I ordered an album. It may help.

I have a full review of AdoramaPix photo books on my site. I write a blog on photo books and if you take a look there, you'll see I'm quite obsessed with them and trying books with different companies. Here's my AdoramaPix Review with photos and full review of the software. A couple things that really distinguish AdoramaPix from other photo book companies: they print on real photo paper, their lay flat spreads are actually single sheets folded in the middle - which means that you don't have any image loss in the gutter - ideal for full page spreads. If you stop by, I figure I'd share with you a $50 gift card giveaway I have for Picaboo - they also have a lay flat called the Madison.

PhotoBookGirl wrote in post #11215623
I have a full review of AdoramaPix photo books on my site. I write a blog on photo books and if you take a look there, you'll see I'm quite obsessed with them and trying books with different companies. Here's my AdoramaPix Review with photos and full review of the software. A couple things that really distinguish AdoramaPix from other photo book companies: they print on real photo paper, their lay flat spreads are actually single sheets folded in the middle - which means that you don't have any image loss in the gutter - ideal for full page spreads. If you stop by, I figure I'd share with you a $50 gift card giveaway I have for Picaboo - they also have a lay flat called the Madison.

thx for posting, I found your blog previously. The Madison looks really nice, leather cover etc but pricey at $156. How does the paper compare to Adoramapix? Worth the extra price?

JoeyBowman wrote in post #11214226
Their photobooks are good quality until you start looking at and comparing them to other companies such as Collages, White House Custom Color and others. Of Course Adorama's are much much much cheaper.

This is where I'm at. They are nice books and it's shocking how much less expensive they are than some other options (I use Zookbinders), but there really is a difference and Adororama Pix doesn't fit for the client that I target.

Peacefield wrote in post #11216623
This is where I'm at. They are nice books and it's shocking how much less expensive they are than some other options (I use Zookbinders), but there really is a difference and Adororama Pix doesn't fit for the client that I target.

100% true. For our purposes, and since my wife hadn't really ever seen one of the high-end books the AdoramaPix books come in as good enough.

-Fernando

A surprise contender recently is Walgreens books. Cover wrap (not dustcover), spine print, decent web-based layout system.

Print quality is 3/5

I'll definitely check out Adoramapix for that layflat setup and print quality.