Cost for 8x12 printing

[popeye]

Hi...
Which one cheaper for printing 8x12 and above?
Print it using own printer (counting into account the paper and ink) or print it on colour lab?

[ckiang]

Quote: Originally posted by popeye Hi... Which one cheaper for printing 8x12 and above? Print it using own printer (counting into account the paper and ink) or print it on colour lab?

If you can get it right the 1st time, home printing is cheaper. If you need a few tries, a lab is cheaper.

For big prints, home printing costs less; for 4R, lab printing is cheaper.

Regards
CK

[glchua]

Quote: If you can get it right the 1st time, home printing is cheaper. If you need a few tries, a lab is cheaper.

I second that last comment.

I use an Epson 810, typical ink usage is about 50 pieces of A4 for 2 colour cartridges and 1 black (at 1440 dpi) which works out an ink cost of $1 to $2. Paper (matt heavy weight) cost about $0.5 a piece. The worst case scenario would lead to a cost of about $2.5 per piece, not counting hardware wear and tear. Usually, first try for a print is never right, it'll be lucky if you can get it right the second time, so a $5 or more per print is more realistic. If you ike glossy paper and you like good light-fastness, a piece of Premium Glossy alone would cost more than $1.50 (I think).

However, the prints are beautiful especially if you are shooting slides. There are more details than traditional prints and you get to control the printing, which is the final performance of your photo-taking.

I don't know about how the current Fuji Frontier machines in minilabs turn out though, you can send them a digital file to do a 8x12 to try. Frontier machines might beat our printer in terms of color fidelity (they are RGB) and their resolution is better than traditional prints and you are still in control of the output through your digital darkroom work.

[ckiang]

I sent an uncorrected, straight from camera D100 file to my Epson 890 after USM, sent the same file to Colour Lab to be printed on their Frontier, and the Epson still loses out in terms of colour fidelity and saturation. Viewed on its own, the Epson is excellent. But when you put the 2 prints side by side......

Regards
CK

[glchua]

Quote: I sent an uncorrected, straight from camera D100 file to my Epson 890 after USM, sent the same file to Colour Lab to be printed on their Frontier, and the Epson still loses out in terms of colour fidelity and saturation. Viewed on its own, the Epson is excellent. But when you put the 2 prints side by side......

Is the print from the 890 on Premium Glossy and the Frontier prints on Fuji Archival Glossy?

Wah! I think I should also give this a try. Thought of upgrading my printer but I think I may want to send to labs to do my colour prints now. I have very good experience giving them files from my Canon S45 but had never tried giving them TIFF files from my scanned slides.

BTW, how about B&W from digital B&W? Are they neutral?

[reflecx]

Quote: Originally posted by ckiang I sent an uncorrected, straight from camera D100 file to my Epson 890 after USM, sent the same file to Colour Lab to be printed on their Frontier, and the Epson still loses out in terms of colour fidelity and saturation. Viewed on its own, the Epson is excellent. But when you put the 2 prints side by side......

Can you take a picture of both prints side by side so that we can see the difference?

[ckiang]

Quote: Originally posted by reflecx Can you take a picture of both prints side by side so that we can see the difference?

I can try, no guarantee it will show up on the shot.

Regards
CK

[ckiang]

Quote: Originally posted by glchua Is the print from the 890 on Premium Glossy and the Frontier prints on Fuji Archival Glossy? Wah! I think I should also give this a try. Thought of upgrading my printer but I think I may want to send to labs to do my colour prints now. I have very good experience giving them files from my Canon S45 but had never tried giving them TIFF files from my scanned slides. BTW, how about B&W from digital B&W? Are they neutral?

Yes, the comparison is done on Epson Premium Glossy Photo Paper vs Fuji Crystal Archive Supreme glossy. Dun need to give them TIFF, save the thing as JPG, Level 10 more than enough. Haven't really tried B&W, but while the few I've tried on 4R looked neutral enough, they still lack that real B&W look.

Regards
CK

[glchua]

ckiang,

Thanks for the useful info!

[Azure]

Quote: Originally posted by ckiang Yes, the comparison is done on Epson Premium Glossy Photo Paper vs Fuji Crystal Archive Supreme glossy. Regards CK

I switched to sending for Frontier prints end of last year. Though I prefer lustre over glossy. Less fingerprints to worry about.

In any case, CA Supreme is very good paper, I was told. Supposedly gives superior color fidelity over the rest. That's what the boss of the shop I go to shared with me. He used to operate a Gretag, same as E-Color's.

[mpenza]

Colorlab has 50% discount for members I think for 8R prints... would be worthwhile ot check it out (Tweek's post):

http://forums.clubsnap.org/showthrea...threadid=30325

[ckiang]

Quote: Originally posted by Azure I switched to sending for Frontier prints end of last year. Though I prefer lustre over glossy. Less fingerprints to worry about. In any case, CA Supreme is very good paper, I was told. Supposedly gives superior color fidelity over the rest. That's what the boss of the shop I go to shared with me. He used to operate a Gretag, same as E-Color's.

What's "Lustre"? Is it what people normally called "Matte"?

Regards
CK

[Azure]

Quote: Originally posted by ckiang What's "Lustre"? Is it what people normally called "Matte"? Regards CK

Yes, but more like semi-gloss. It has that matte feel, but with a little more "glowy" look to it than that yucky matte look I use to get from Kodak matte.

Well hopefully, I'll be getting back my print outs by Wed, so can bring along. If anybody goes to the SEED can show you lor.
..... then again, probly too lah.

[ckiang]

Quote: Originally posted by Azure Yes, but more like semi-gloss. It has that matte feel, but with a little more "glowy" look to it than that yucky matte look I use to get from Kodak matte. Well hopefully, I'll be getting back my print outs by Wed, so can bring along. If anybody goes to the SEED can show you lor. ..... then again, probly too lah.

Well, it's to show the paper, not the photo mar, so dun need to feel

Yeah, the Kodak Matte doesn't look good, the Fuji Matte looks better for me. I use Fuji matte for weddings most of the time.

Regards
CK

[Azure]

Quote: Originally posted by ckiang Well, it's to show the paper, not the photo mar, so dun need to feel Yeah, the Kodak Matte doesn't look good, the Fuji Matte looks better for me. I use Fuji matte for weddings most of the time. Regards CK

you'll be going?