Prints

Anyone got suggestions for a UK lab to use for high quality colour prints ?

Costco are excellent and also excellent value.

Always had mine done here.. Never had any complaints...

http://dscolourlabs.co.uk/

Or here...

http://peak-imaging.com/

The Costco prices and diversity of services look quite good, but while it seems one can place an order online, it appears the prints have to be collected from one of their branches. Seems they're City Centric, so OK if they're close to you but for me the nearest would be a 140 mile round trip! Hope it works better for others if they require the service (unless they would post them out.)

We've got a Max Spielman locally but their prices are at least double those of Costco and they don't offer such a broad range of services. Boots also provide a service with prices closer to Costco. I can't vouch for the quality of any of them as I just use my Pixma.

I was about to buy a Ricoh Aficio printer as it uses gel inks or dye sub inks only to discover they've recently discontinued it so can't 'do' brand loyalty. While I could probably find one in stock somewhere I feel it might shortly become a white elephant when the ink supply literally dries up. In any event, they're not really photo printers so results may be inconsistent. Notwithstanding, if it wasn't discontinued I would no doubt have bit the bullet and got one.

Jak. Both DSCL and Peak will post images back to you... Collection is available if your in a hurry.... Never actually collected any of mine...

http://dscolourlabs.co.uk/about/printing.info

Useful to know thanks.

Thanks. I had already found DSCL on a google search so have given them a go. We shall see !!

Great stuff.....Let us know how you get on Peter....?

Proam Imaging in Bradford is another well respected online printer.

I usually collect mine from the old DSCL shop in Didsbury. Works well, I just give them a ring a day or so after I get the 'order ready' email and someone rummages through the pile of finished orders in the shop to see if mine are there. Saves on postage. Their lab in Reddish is well hidden and a bit less accessible.

DSCL are a friendly and a clued-up lot. Printing yourself is just not worth it these days.

Proam are also who I used before I started printing my own. I always had a very good, and fast, service from them.

Phil

I always use DSCL. If you get your order in before mid day they will arrive first class post the next day, unless of course you have some speciality requirements.
David

I can also recommend Aldi photo, ive had amazing prints from them and are so cheap too.

Prints were a topic of conversation at yesterdays camera club Digi night. I've not used there services, but DSCL was recommended by a regular international Salon entrant/winner and ProAm Imaging by a professional photographer.
The professional preferred ProAm because they provided a profile related to their printing system that could be loaded on to his editing software, so that the monitor image would be closer to that of the final printed version. Not all but some, that had used DSCL,thought their prints came back darker than their monitor image.

There was also a feeling among those who had prints professionally done that there was an intangible difference in the quality between inkjet prints and the light reactive paper system, used in these photo labs. (I'd always assumed the labs just used a better quality ink jet system, so that was news to me.) They related it back to dark room chemical printing and the feeling the image was part of the paper rather than deposited on top of the paper.

Well cannot fault DSCL on service. my prints were with me this lunchtime. i went for Lustre finish and am very hapy with the quality.

Mine are slightly darker than monitor, but this is a common problem if you don't calibrate and profile your screen. A Spyder colorometer has been ordered.

Profiles for DSCL printer/paper combo's are available for download from their site. I will have to do some research as I am not sure if I can use them with Photoshop Elements which doesn't have a soft-proofing menu.