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09-04-2011, 03:37 PM   #1
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Metallic Prints

I got to the point a few years ago disliking inkjet printers because of the cost of ink/paper etc.

I am now getting back into my photography hobby, and am trying out a couple print services on-line.

As an experiment, I had one of my favorite flower photos from this past summer printed - had 3 copies printed - one regular matte, one with a luster coating, and one metallic print. Now that I have them, I studied the three side by side for a while.

I had been a fan of glossy prints from my days of doing my own B&W printing years ago, but usually went with the standard matte finish lately. The metallic print is definitely a glossy, but I just love it.

It's hard to explain without looking at the examples, but the metallic print seems to have more depth to it, and the colors just pop! Looking at the metallic print along side the matte print, the matte print just looks so dull and lifeless. The cost of the metallic is a little more (~25%) but I am hooked now.

I did a forum search and didn't find any posts about these metallic prints - anyone else use them?

09-04-2011, 03:49 PM   #2
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Its funny, I too recently got a lot of prints done in metallic for the first time and am very impressed with them. I got colour and b+w shots done, for that little bit extra in price I think I will do all printing in metallic for now on.
09-04-2011, 06:01 PM   #3
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Where did you get Metalic prints done?

09-04-2011, 07:38 PM   #4
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This has to be my fav thread recently as I want to try metal prints but have no idea how they appear, or what subjects are most suitable, compared to matte and glossy. Thanks guys for sharing experience. Looks like I will have to try some this week.

09-04-2011, 08:08 PM   #5
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I ordered my first two metallic prints about a year and a half ago. Greens and blues explode from the print. I've never tried a portrait on it though, I'd be curious how that turns out.
I normally use Mpix for my prints, and it's the only place I've tried metallic.
09-05-2011, 06:08 AM   #6
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I had my set done at ezprints, but will be trying mpix for the next round. The prints from ezprints are great, and each print was packaged in its own cardboard envelope and the print protected inside the envelope (I had 8x10's done). But, I felt they were a little slow taking 7 days before they shipped from Georgia.

I'd be curious how portraits look also, but since all my shooting right now is wildlife/flora/landscape, I will be getting all mine done in metallic from now on also.
09-05-2011, 06:46 PM   #7
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I just got a metallic print done by adorama and it looks fantastic. The colors really pop. I'll definitely be using metallic prints more often for landscape photos. It's well worth the extra buck or two if you ask me.

12-01-2011, 12:16 AM   #8
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Are you guys talking about printing onto metal or is this some other process like Metallic Paper?
12-01-2011, 05:47 AM   #9
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QuoteOriginally posted by bossa Quote
Are you guys talking about printing onto metal or is this some other process like Metallic Paper?
It is still paper - feels like paper and looks like paper - maybe just a slight bit stiffer. There is a slight difference to the look of the photos however - hard to explain without actually seeing them. In my view the colors seem to "pop" a little more and the image has a little more depth to it. Since the cost isn't much more than a standard print, I would suggest you try a couple the next time you send some images off to be printed. What I did was chose 2 prints that I liked, and had them printed on both standard paper and the metallic paper. When you view the exact same image on both papers side by side you can see the difference.

Here is the best description of the paper I could find from Kodak:

KODAK PROFESSIONAL ENDURA Metallic VC Digital Paper
12-01-2011, 07:19 AM   #10
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Interesting, I'll have to have something printed on this. I initially thought you were talking printing on metal (also an option but a fair bit more than +25%
I've looked at samples of various metal prints at a local shop. sometimes it works well other times not so much IMO (I wasn't impressed with the colour portrait i saw on Metal for instance but the B/W looked really good. Best were the landscapes.)
for those of you in the US Bay Photo was an early pioneer in the process

Metal Prints, Photographs Printed on Aluminum ? Bay Photo Lab

Cheaper than my local guy but shipping to Canada wipes out any savings plus+
12-01-2011, 02:02 PM   #11
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Thanks for that link but I ended up finding it myself. It certainly looks worth a go. I know my old Cibachrome prinits have a kind of a metallic sparkle to them... I suppose this would be the same but a magnified effect.
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