QotD: Digital Prints
Posted March 15th, 2005 @ 12:30pm by Erik J. Barzeski
Question: If you print your digital photos, where do you get them printed?
My Answer: Wal-Mart recently dropped their price to $.19/print, but I'm not sure where I'll go to get 8x10s and 5x7s and things. A local photo store? iPhoto? I don't know… The only prints I've ever had done I ordered through iPhoto. Some pictures of Flint. And I never saw much value in buying a dedicated photo printer.
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Posted 15 Mar 2005 at 1:37pm #
Sending photos to Wal-Mart via their online service seems to work pretty well. I have tryed it a couple times and the photos were ready when I got to the store. If you use a credit card online you can even have them paid for before you go pick them up.
Posted 15 Mar 2005 at 2:04pm #
My opinion has always been of getting a photo place that you like and having them do it. I guess this comes from the fact, that I like to deal with the person who is printing the photos.
I had a place, in Manhattan, when I was living in Jersey, and I have a local place in Berkeley, who print my pictures. They run a little more expensive than say Wal-Mart, but reprints of things I feel were badly printed are free. On prints that I want them to do so, they'll do color correction and spotting for free. All in all, it's about developing a relationship with your local photo guys.
Since I don't print a whole lot of my digital pictures (I have printed 10 or 11 to date), it's harder to say, but both of the the places I go to, will do digital prints. And I'm sure provide the same quality of service. So I prefer the local shop (if they're good).
Posted 15 Mar 2005 at 3:02pm #
I don't have many photos printed, so I just used iPhoto to do it. I find it really easy to pick out the photos and have it all done electronically from one place. Right now, I don't see the need to use anything else. I would eventually like to get a photo printer of my own, but I just don't see the point right now. Getting one would be an over-indulgent luxury rather than a need at this point.
Posted 15 Mar 2005 at 5:41pm #
I'm very happy with the prints from Shutterfly. Though the little books that come with iPhoto 5 are pretty tempting. And, as you know, I wouldn't go to Wal-mart!
Posted 15 Mar 2005 at 6:50pm #
I normally get my prints at Ritz Camera, and I haven't been let down. You can upload your pics and go pick them up in an hour for $.29 per glossy 4x6 with white border. If there isn't a store close to you, you can get them shipped.
I will never go back to Wal-Mart after getting several rolls of film developed there and having the worst prints I've ever seen. I'm also not a fan of their default matte finish. Luckily the negatives themselves weren't a total waste and I could get them reprinted elsewhere.
Posted 15 Mar 2005 at 7:04pm #
yes Wal-Mart isn't always ideal. Our photo lab is one of the most profitable in the company. The boss runs a tight ship, and doesn't hire standard Wal-Mart reject fare. Of course that explains why they are always understaffed too. I hope I get my new job. Anyways thats all off subject.
As far as photo printers are concerned, it is nice to print from home but from a cost standpoint I think it is cheaper to have someone print the photo for you for .20 to .30 cents.
Posted 15 Mar 2005 at 7:58pm #
I have actually used Wal-Mart for printing 5x7s and 8x10s. They look great. I use Costco now, because Wal-Mart is the Great Satan (according to my wife).