Printing Services

When I'm printing volumes or large formats, I use a web-based printing service. I upload the pictures and they send the prints a few days later. I've been pretty happy with it - until recently.

The two services I've used are www.dlab7.com and www.foto.com.

The problem with dlab7 is it appears to be run as a hobby. The site is down for extended periods sometimes and, when it is up, it only works about half of the time. If you do manage to upload and place and order, the service is good and I've been happy with the results.

However, I fear the day I have a complaint. As far as I can tell, dlab7.com is run by 7dayshop.com who have an appalling reputation for customer service - and rightly so.

A 10"x8" print costs around 70p which is expensive by comparison with other services

foto.com offer a large range of sizes - going right up to nearly 30"x20" but I've had annoying colour casts (which I've not investigated yet), their web site is multilingual (one page will have bits in different languages!) and their upload process is much less slick than dlab7's. This last issue isn't a bother unless you're uploading large numbers of prints.

I was surprised to find foto.com prints only at 300dpi. I was expecting it to be at least double that.

I've just ordered a 23"x15" poster from foto.com so I'll let you know what that come out like. (It's a composite of 3 shots from my K10D.)

I notice someone here recommends ProAm but they don't seem to offer an upload service so rules them out for me.

Any other recommended services?

Why does it rule them out?
The whole point of their service is that you upload the image at 100% size - so you can end up with a whopping great JPG for a large print! The cost of a CD and post is negligible, especially when you have a 100% colour controlled system where they guarantee they do nothing to your image - no correction, no scaling, nada, nowt.

Still, if you really, really want to upload, then www.Photobox.co.uk is my choice
Matt

I've had a few prints each from photobox and snapfish (run by HP?)

Hi all,

I've used BonusPrint a couple of times, and they offer a very good service. The prints were exactly as I wanted them, the price isn't bad.. 5+ 12x8s at £1.10 each (IIRC), and if you upload them now, you'll get them in the post tomorrow morning. I don't think they guarantee any more than a couple of working days, but it's been next working day both times for me.

For uploading they provide a couple of options, one of which is a little dedicated app you can download. You then sort out your order, pay your money securely, and just let the upload run in the background, whilst you do something else.

They do (again IIRC) an ICC (?) colour profile as well.

Anyway.. off to golf in a bit.

Cheers

Liam

Here in Holland I use my local supermarket I upload to them and a couple of days later collect the prints from my local shop when I do my shopping there. Cheap fast and very good as far as I can see. Certainly as good as (if not better than) my local photorgphic shop which charges more and has a tendency to make there own "improvements" to my photos

On another forum I've just read of a guy in Australia who last year took a photo in to have printed and hang on his wall. Imagine his shock when he returned to the shop this year to see his photograph in the window, offered for sale, under the shop photographers name!!!! He is currently negotiating with them about it, and threatening a copyright lawsuit if they don't compensate him.

It's simply a matter of convenience. If I have to write a CD, put it in an envelope and get to a postbox, I know it's going to be another week before I get around to it.

That's a significant worry if you plan to sell your prints. And using remote web-based services makes it just about impossible to check or verify.

I have used COLAB in Coventry over a period of 20 years with no complaints ever. Last month they changed their name to Onevision. I've just had over four hundred prints delivered - all perfect. They will set you up with an ftp account where you can upload directly to their servers or you can use their downloadable software and I suspect they also have a letterbox. Great prices and a fantastic communication eg. they phone you checking details etc.

Ken

Photobox get my vote too. I've always been pleased with the results, they do next day service on orders placed by 4 o' clock, they'll send you a calibration print if requested, and they don't compress your files as some other online printlabs do (snapfish, I think, though maybe someone else can confirm this?)

Jonathan

That is a much better approach. FTP is ideal for this.

They sound good. I'll certainly try these guys. Thanks.