Best On Line Photo Print Service?

**germar** · 06-13-2013, 05:19 PM

Hi,

I've had my share of "better" consumer level photo printers and while output is nice, I don't print often enough to keep the printer from needing many cleanings and wasting ink. Before I try again, I'd like to give on line print services a try.

Anyone care to recommend an on line service that can do really nice prints, especially black and white work? I'm looking for a place that puts image quality first. I'm not going to be printing really huge images, but a range of sizes and papers would be nice.

Let me know who your favorite is.... and thanks for your opinions

germar

**jatrax** · 06-13-2013, 05:29 PM

I generally use Mpix and I've been satisfied with the work. But I don't do any black & white so no info there. Many people have reported elsewhere that they use Costco and find the results on par with others. I've never tried them but the Costco here has a huge photo section and they do quite large sizes.

**LaurenOE** · 06-13-2013, 06:47 PM

I have an order out at Zazzle right now. I have never done business with them before. I should get my poster print sometime next week.

hoovs · 06-13-2013, 06:51 PM

I really like ezprints.com. They do very good print work with a variety of different paper choices. Also their pano printing is great. The one downside is they do take a while to process your stuff.

GvilleRick · 06-13-2013, 06:52 PM

I've been pleased with Adorama. I bought several prepaid packages for 8x10, 11x14, and 16x20 and use them when I have several photos to print so the shipping is reasonable. Haven't printed any black and white though.

**darylk** · 06-13-2013, 07:01 PM

Costco has been good for me. They have printer profiles available for their in-store printers which are fairly regularly updated that you can download. If you go that route, and if you carefully post process your photos, be sure to turn "auto correct" off. If you don't their system will automatically make changes to contrast, color balance, etc., negating all your post processing efforts. Prints are pretty cheap. A 12x18 is around $3 . 16x20 is around $6. They use archival quality paper and ink, at least so I've been told. Also, within half a day after uploading a photo, I can be at the store picking it up.

**Aristophanes** · 06-13-2013, 07:21 PM

Are you using a Mac?

I had stunning results from their built-in ordering system and found out they used optical printing on dye sensitive paper and NOT dry ink jets. Apparently the former is still faster and more economical and I believe it has higher quality.

If you want true b/w on silver paper...try The Darkroom at Film Developing at The Darkroom | Develop Film by Mail for $10

I had some very good b/w done by them.

Now, if you want digital files printed on the real stuff, there's really only one solution:

Digital Silver Imaging - Museum-quality black and white prints made from your digital files

stormtech · 06-13-2013, 07:51 PM

I've had good luck with Adorama Pix. I especially like that you can easily download and install their printer profiles to get everything just right.

Homo_erectus · 06-13-2013, 07:57 PM

If you want inexpensive, fast and pretty good, try your local costco (if you have a membership).

You can download profiles for their printers here Digital photo lab profiles

A 12x18 print is 2.99. It usually takes less than 24 hours and you can pick them up at your local store.

reivax · 06-13-2013, 08:10 PM

Mpix is top notch. Everything I've ever ordered from them has been great. A friend of mine swears by Shutterfly, but I think printing from Wal-Mart is better than Shutterfly (My local Wal-Mart is actually pretty good). Costco, at least in my area, is terrible. Probably the worst printing I've ever seen. The colors are never right. I really wanted to love Costco because their prices are the best I've seen, but it's too much work on my end to get the Costco prints to look right. Try out the lab profiles that Homo_erectus linked to above, maybe your Costco is better.

abmj · 06-13-2013, 10:17 PM

Mpix does a fine job on B&W as well as color at very reasonable prices.

**darylk** · 06-14-2013, 09:02 PM

Originally posted by reivax

Mpix is top notch. Everything I've ever ordered from them has been great. A friend of mine swears by Shutterfly, but I think printing from Wal-Mart is better than Shutterfly (My local Wal-Mart is actually pretty good). Costco, at least in my area, is terrible. Probably the worst printing I've ever seen. The colors are never right. I really wanted to love Costco because their prices are the best I've seen, but it's too much work on my end to get the Costco prints to look right. Try out the lab profiles that Homo_erectus linked to above, maybe your Costco is better.

Did you have "auto correct" option switched off when you ordered photos from Costco? If not, that was probably a major contributor to the colors being off.
Regards,
Daryl

dmfw · 06-14-2013, 10:35 PM

I have used Sams and Costco,

Also, are these prints for fun, personal, sale, a contest, etc. If I were earning $ for the print, I would use MPIX or another PRO option. For fun, why spend the cash for the print + shipping?

reivax · 06-14-2013, 11:58 PM

Originally posted by darylk

Did you have "auto correct" option switched off when you ordered photos from Costco? If not, that was probably a major contributor to the colors being off.
Regards,
Daryl

It was off. I haven't tried the profiles from any other Costco, but the one near me just did not work for me. Real shame. They have such great variety and prices.

**LaurenOE** · 06-19-2013, 06:19 AM

Originally posted by LaurenOE

I have an order out at Zazzle right now. I have never done business with them before. I should get my poster print sometime next week.

Well my Zazzle order came in, and I must admit, I am impressed that everything came and was framed very nicely.

I will definitely be using them again for more poster sized images.

For my first order I did a 300dpi 48"x32" value poster paper, with a custom acrylic black frame with a 1 1/4" matte.

Everything including shipping was $209.59

It is now hanging in my foyer!

Plus, it's on Zazzle, so anyone can buy it too as I made it a public project!

I would put a link to it, but I think that would violate something about selling.

06-13-2013, 05:19 PM	#1
germar Site Supporter Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: North Palm Beach, Florida Photos: Gallery Posts: 728	Best On Line Photo Print Service? Hi, I've had my share of "better" consumer level photo printers and while output is nice, I don't print often enough to keep the printer from needing many cleanings and wasting ink. Before I try again, I'd like to give on line print services a try. Anyone care to recommend an on line service that can do really nice prints, especially black and white work? I'm looking for a place that puts image quality first. I'm not going to be printing really huge images, but a range of sizes and papers would be nice. Let me know who your favorite is.... and thanks for your opinions germar

06-19-2013, 06:19 AM	#15
LaurenOE Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Back in Florida, but worldwide gigs! Photos: Albums Posts: 3,690	Originally posted by LaurenOE I have an order out at Zazzle right now. I have never done business with them before. I should get my poster print sometime next week. Well my Zazzle order came in, and I must admit, I am impressed that everything came and was framed very nicely. I will definitely be using them again for more poster sized images. For my first order I did a 300dpi 48"x32" value poster paper, with a custom acrylic black frame with a 1 1/4" matte. Everything including shipping was $209.59 It is now hanging in my foyer! Plus, it's on Zazzle, so anyone can buy it too as I made it a public project! I would put a link to it, but I think that would violate something about selling. Last edited by LaurenOE; 06-19-2013 at 08:12 AM.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Recommendations for pro printer or print service	navcom	Digital Processing, Software, and Printing	5	09-21-2008 07:15 AM
Suggestions on various ways to print this photo.	jbrowning	Photographic Technique	5	03-13-2008 12:30 PM
Adorama print service	regken	Photographic Technique	3	12-06-2007 08:35 PM
Good photo magazines. and on line courses	dudlew	General Talk	8	11-29-2007 07:37 PM
best FREE photo hosting web service?	slip	Photographic Technique	11	12-18-2006 05:10 PM

06-13-2013, 05:29 PM	#2
jatrax Site Supporter Join Date: May 2010 Location: Washington Cascades Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 12,991	I generally use Mpix and I've been satisfied with the work. But I don't do any black & white so no info there. Many people have reported elsewhere that they use Costco and find the results on par with others. I've never tried them but the Costco here has a huge photo section and they do quite large sizes.

06-13-2013, 06:47 PM	#3
LaurenOE Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Back in Florida, but worldwide gigs! Photos: Albums Posts: 3,690	I have an order out at Zazzle right now. I have never done business with them before. I should get my poster print sometime next week.

06-13-2013, 06:51 PM	#4
hoovs Junior Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 29	I really like ezprints.com. They do very good print work with a variety of different paper choices. Also their pano printing is great. The one downside is they do take a while to process your stuff.

06-13-2013, 06:52 PM	#5
GvilleRick Pentaxian Join Date: Dec 2011 Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 1,689	I've been pleased with Adorama. I bought several prepaid packages for 8x10, 11x14, and 16x20 and use them when I have several photos to print so the shipping is reasonable. Haven't printed any black and white though.

06-13-2013, 07:01 PM	#6
darylk Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Blue Hill, Nebraska Photos: Gallery Posts: 494	Costco has been good for me. They have printer profiles available for their in-store printers which are fairly regularly updated that you can download. If you go that route, and if you carefully post process your photos, be sure to turn "auto correct" off. If you don't their system will automatically make changes to contrast, color balance, etc., negating all your post processing efforts. Prints are pretty cheap. A 12x18 is around $3 . 16x20 is around $6. They use archival quality paper and ink, at least so I've been told. Also, within half a day after uploading a photo, I can be at the store picking it up.

06-13-2013, 07:21 PM	#7
Aristophanes Site Supporter Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: Rankin Inlet, Nunavut Photos: Albums Posts: 3,948	Are you using a Mac? I had stunning results from their built-in ordering system and found out they used optical printing on dye sensitive paper and NOT dry ink jets. Apparently the former is still faster and more economical and I believe it has higher quality. If you want true b/w on silver paper...try The Darkroom at Film Developing at The Darkroom \| Develop Film by Mail for $10 I had some very good b/w done by them. Now, if you want digital files printed on the real stuff, there's really only one solution: Digital Silver Imaging - Museum-quality black and white prints made from your digital files

06-13-2013, 07:51 PM	#8
stormtech Veteran Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: In the boonies (NW Penna) Photos: Gallery \| Albums Posts: 5,744	I've had good luck with Adorama Pix. I especially like that you can easily download and install their printer profiles to get everything just right.

06-13-2013, 07:57 PM	#9
Homo_erectus Veteran Member Join Date: Sep 2012 Posts: 410	If you want inexpensive, fast and pretty good, try your local costco (if you have a membership). You can download profiles for their printers here Digital photo lab profiles A 12x18 print is 2.99. It usually takes less than 24 hours and you can pick them up at your local store.

06-13-2013, 08:10 PM	#10
reivax Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: California Posts: 826	Mpix is top notch. Everything I've ever ordered from them has been great. A friend of mine swears by Shutterfly, but I think printing from Wal-Mart is better than Shutterfly (My local Wal-Mart is actually pretty good). Costco, at least in my area, is terrible. Probably the worst printing I've ever seen. The colors are never right. I really wanted to love Costco because their prices are the best I've seen, but it's too much work on my end to get the Costco prints to look right. Try out the lab profiles that Homo_erectus linked to above, maybe your Costco is better.

06-13-2013, 10:17 PM	#11
abmj Veteran Member Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Central California Posts: 600	Mpix does a fine job on B&W as well as color at very reasonable prices.

06-14-2013, 09:02 PM	#12
darylk Site Supporter Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Blue Hill, Nebraska Photos: Gallery Posts: 494	Originally posted by reivax Mpix is top notch. Everything I've ever ordered from them has been great. A friend of mine swears by Shutterfly, but I think printing from Wal-Mart is better than Shutterfly (My local Wal-Mart is actually pretty good). Costco, at least in my area, is terrible. Probably the worst printing I've ever seen. The colors are never right. I really wanted to love Costco because their prices are the best I've seen, but it's too much work on my end to get the Costco prints to look right. Try out the lab profiles that Homo_erectus linked to above, maybe your Costco is better. Did you have "auto correct" option switched off when you ordered photos from Costco? If not, that was probably a major contributor to the colors being off. Regards, Daryl

06-14-2013, 10:35 PM	#13
dmfw Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Dallas, Tx Photos: Albums Posts: 159	I have used Sams and Costco, Also, are these prints for fun, personal, sale, a contest, etc. If I were earning $ for the print, I would use MPIX or another PRO option. For fun, why spend the cash for the print + shipping?

06-14-2013, 11:58 PM	#14
reivax Veteran Member Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: California Posts: 826	Originally posted by darylk Did you have "auto correct" option switched off when you ordered photos from Costco? If not, that was probably a major contributor to the colors being off. Regards, Daryl It was off. I haven't tried the profiles from any other Costco, but the one near me just did not work for me. Real shame. They have such great variety and prices.