illinioms

Can someone recommend good photo labs to print enlargements of JPEG photos. I am interested in good quality at a reasonable price.

Whuff Loc: Marshalltown, Iowa

Mpix is my go to printer. Their customer service is second to none. great quality and quick turnaround. Their pricing is also reasonable.

Walt

PixelStan77 Loc: Vermont/Chicago

I and several club members use COSTCO.

Feathered Friends Loc: Dunbar, WI

labapollo.com professional lab 8X10 = $3.10

sb Loc: Florida's East Coast

I have used Nations Photo Lab with great results. I also sometimes have them mount the enlargements on 1/2-inch "Gator Board" - very rigid but lightweight. I then glue dome 1x2" strips of wood on the back and string wire between them for hanging - this makes the photos stand out from the wall in a dramatic way.

illinioms

Thank you to all for your replies and suggestions.

rmalarz Loc: Tempe, Arizona

Tempe Imaging Center (part of Tempe Camera)

www.tempecamera.biz

--Bob

elliott937 Loc: St. Louis

Okay, I have to toss this one in there too. Clarkcolor.com I've used them for large prints, like poster size. Very happy with them.

AND, permit me to say.....thank you for the new website format. There are many many things that I like that are very new. But let me mention one that will be (perhaps) overlooked by many. The visible type font size, what I see as I type in this box. I have to think that the reason for typing errors in the past were not due to actually spelling errors, but due to the font size was so tiny, it was difficult to read and proof read. THIS type font is very user friendly. Thank you Mr. Administrator.

CAS1951 Loc: San Diego

I agree! Thank you!

ronichas Loc: Long Island

I have used Adoramapix for many years. Professional printing at it's best.

http://www.adoramapix.com/app/home/

MTG44 Loc: Corryton, Tennessee

Can you post a picture of your finished product. Thanks

Reinaldokool Loc: San Rafael, CA

Costco. Fancy selections are limited. They will not do a lot of corrections for you. But the quality is every bit as good. Just don't expect them to correct problems. They'll take your jpeg and make a good print. I use them often. And the price is right.

abc1234 Loc: Elk Grove Village, Illinois

Costco for service, quality and price. They are great for most prints. If they cannot do it, they do not charge you and then you can go elsewhere.

deepdiverv Loc: arizona

Hard to beat Mpix

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

mPix/Miller's Professional Imaging
Bay Photo
Full Color
CPQ
WHCC (White House Custom Colour)
H&H
ACI --- American Color Imaging
MasterColor Professional Labs
Simply Color Lab

There are dozens more. Do an Internet search for Professional Color Labs.

Since I once ran the digital side of a pro lab, I have to make a few comments about working with labs:

Virtually all mainstream professional labs will use silver halide printers and process RA-4 compatible chemistry. All of them want to print from color corrected JPEG images in the sRGB color space, and most of them will provide you with their ICC printer profiles to use as Proofing Profiles in Photoshop or other post-production software.

Some labs will accept 8-bit and 16-bit TIFF images as well. If you tell them, most will accept Adobe RGB as the color space, but they have to know up front!

Some labs provide color correction services, but they charge extra for that. They also have no idea what you were looking for in the scene, so this can be hit or miss. It is MUCH better to calibrate your monitor and adjust your own images in post-production software.

Almost NO labs accept raw files because there are too many variables there. Many pro labs use Kodak Alaris DP2 software internally, connected to the Internet with Softworks ROES (remote order entry system). Others use Softworks ROES Client and Server. Net result is they don't like to use Adobe products, save for retouching.

If your camera is not white balanced properly, or if your monitor is not calibrated correctly when adjusting images, your prints may not look natural. DO NOT blame your lab. It is your responsibility to achieve correct exposure, white balance, and brightness in your JPEG files, and unless the lab is explicitly told to use another profile, the files will be interpreted as referenced to the sRGB standard. BE SURE you get their proofing profiles and use them correctly. Labs should be willing to help you get set up to do that.

Buy and use a monitor calibration system! To get accurate color, your monitor must be calibrated AND PROFILED, using a colorimeter or spectrophotometer and software. Kits are available from around $89 up. Really decent ones cost around $150. Do an Internet search for monitor calibration kits...

To reduce post-production time and improve quality, use a white balance and exposure reference target at the camera. If you NAIL your exposure and perform a custom white balance, you will be far, far down the road after your "field capture experience." The target can be as simple as a sub-$10 Delta-1 Gray Card, or as sophisticated as the Photovision One Shot Digital Calibration Target, or the ExpoDisc. Lots more: http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/buy/Light-White-Balancing-Accessories/ci/12260/N/4077634549

If you record JPEGs in-camera, and wish to adjust them, you need an application that converts them ONLY ONCE, after making all adjustments to a proxy image. Lightroom, SilkyPix, and several other packages can do that. If the app converts the original JPEG to a 16 bit uncompressed bitmap, then applies the adjustments, then re-writes a JPEG, you'll get the least degradation. You can do that yourself if you use an app that does not do it for you. To eke out the best technical quality from your camera, record in raw and post-process to JPEGs for the lab. Raw capture gives you the most flexibility in post production to adjust color and contrast and exposure.

Finally, understand that working with a lab involves a relationship. COMMUNICATE with your lab about your photographic intentions, your files, your knowledge level... They will help you succeed! They want more of your business, and the only way to get it is to help you get the best from them.