home-print photos or shop print better?

[jtan4]

I'm seeing many people purchasing photo printers like the Canon Selphy to print photos at home. I'm really tempted to purchase one. HOwever, I'm wondering how's the quality of these prints as compared to getting them developed in shops? Is it worth the while to get a home printer?

Thanks in advance.
Cheers
Jinny

 

[raptor84]

The selpy is mor useful for parties when you want to give your guests sometihng to take home as a keepsake. Its also relative hassle free as the cartirges and paper are 'synced' so you know exactly how much paper/ink you have left. Its good if you dont print large sizes or not often/large volume.

I still prefer lab prints for clients or when doing large amounts of prints (>50) or anything bigger than 5R =p

 

[jdredd]

I'm seeing many people purchasing photo printers like the Canon Selphy to print photos at home. I'm really tempted to purchase one. HOwever, I'm wondering how's the quality of these prints as compared to getting them developed in shops? Is it worth the while to get a home printer?

Thanks in advance.
Cheers
Jinny

4R, i think home printing is ok... but i still think home printing got some way to go to match the printing on a properly calibrated fuji frontier with a good operator.. and good paper.

 

[diediealsomustdive]

4R, i think home printing is ok... but i still think home printing got some way to go to match the printing on a properly calibrated fuji frontier with a good operator.. and good paper.

Properly calibrated ... with a good operator ....
Somewhat hard to find.
Good paper should be a given.
I have stopped going to the shops as even the best I had been to had not given me consistent results. Struggled a bit with larger printer for 4R, cost more as well, for a while, and finally bought the Selphy CP-510 after a visit to Canon showroom at Funan. Very satisfied user, although the prints can come out funny when the image is not "normal" - like shot is predominantly blue printer will try to be too smart and correct for it. Beautiful normal prints on dye sublimation process, will not produce crisp text.
Now printing everything at home, up to A4. So much control over the final outcome and probably cost less as well.
If you are wondering, the solution is not to take the words of forumer, but pop down to Funan Canon showroom and say you want to try before you buy - they will oblige. Bring your camera along and print a few, FOC. Decide for yourself.

 

[titan7x]

How about those DIY kiosks and photo labs?
Those DIY kiosks also uses normal photo printers? :dunno:

 

[diediealsomustdive]

How about those DIY kiosks and photo labs?
Those DIY kiosks also uses normal photo printers? :dunno:

My limited experience with such kiosk were not positive. Others may have positive experience. Home printing allow me to do the tweaking I want and then print. Of course you can tweak and then print at the kiosk.

 

[Hitman]

I'm seeing many people purchasing photo printers like the Canon Selphy to print photos at home. I'm really tempted to purchase one. HOwever, I'm wondering how's the quality of these prints as compared to getting them developed in shops? Is it worth the while to get a home printer?

Thanks in advance.
Cheers
Jinny

I have been making 4R prints myself since the day I had my first photo printer - HP Photosmart 130 (4 years ago). I prefer to adjust the photo to my liking before printing, so it works for me.

I'm now using the Canon Selphy 730, quality of the printouts are very good for 4R, you can't really tell the difference from a lab print without comparing side-by-side. And besides, it's really great when you have a family gathering or outing, or company event, photos gets printed and distributed immediately. The cost is also extremely affordable at 30 cents per print. There is a intangible difference in - physically holding a photo and looking at it compared to viewing on a monitor.

But for best quality, I have to say that the inkjets photo printers that produce the best output for home printing, but they do cost a bit more than the dye-sub printers.

 

[jtan4]

How about those DIY kiosks and photo labs?
Those DIY kiosks also uses normal photo printers? :dunno:

Nah, those DIY kiosks aren't very good at all. Not sharp, and the quality of the photos is very grainy.

Chrs
Jinny

 

[palvin]

Ever since i stopped using film SLR, i've also stopped printing from the shops. I changed to printing at home.

The photo papers i used were Konica Premium Photo Silky @ 255 g/m^2 and Epson Premium Glossy @ 255 g/m^2.

Still prefer the Epson one.

With home print, you are more flexible with the sizes you want. Not only limited to 4R, 5R, 8R etc.

Just my 2 cents worth...

 

[lsisaxon]

I have been making 4R prints myself since the day I had my first photo printer - HP Photosmart 130 (4 years ago). I prefer to adjust the photo to my liking before printing, so it works for me.

I'm now using the Canon Selphy 730, quality of the printouts are very good for 4R, you can't really tell the difference from a lab print without comparing side-by-side. And besides, it's really great when you have a family gathering or outing, or company event, photos gets printed and distributed immediately. The cost is also extremely affordable at 30 cents per print. There is a intangible difference in - physically holding a photo and looking at it compared to viewing on a monitor.

But for best quality, I have to say that the inkjets photo printers that produce the best output for home printing, but they do cost a bit more than the dye-sub printers.

I think the Selphy seems to produce more accurate colour outputs than the Pixma.

 

[diediealsomustdive]

I'm now using the Canon Selphy 730, quality of the printouts are very good for 4R, you can't really tell the difference from a lab print without comparing side-by-side. And besides, it's really great when you have a family gathering or outing, or company event, photos gets printed and distributed immediately. The cost is also extremely affordable at 30 cents per print. There is a intangible difference in - physically holding a photo and looking at it compared to viewing on a monitor.

I'll second that - agree whole heartedly.

But for best quality, I have to say that the inkjets photo printers that produce the best output for home printing, but they do cost a bit more than the dye-sub printers.

I'll second that too - although in my case the "pain threshold" for print cost limits me to the lower of the 2 Canon photo papers and the paper's a bit thin for my liking.

Finally I do both for 4R, and inkjet only for A4. If I want A3 I have to go to Canon PhotoHub.