color printing at CVS (Page 2): I think the point of the original question is who he could use instead of Costco which gave him good prints at a good price. There is a big difference...

Ednsb Loc: Santa Barbara

I think the point of the original question is who he could use instead of Costco which gave him good prints at a good price. There is a big difference between a pro selling his prints and a person doing personal printing. I softproofed my images with the ICC info for Costco printers and paper from a calibrated monitor. The prints i got from them were as good as what i got from pro printers at 4x the cost plus shipping. I too am looking for a replacement and have sent a number of images out to multiple printing companies. Burk gave him a number of printers to look at.

DRM Loc: NC

epd1947 wrote:

I don’t understand the logic in using the kind of high end gear that cost many thousands of dollars and then having cheap machine prints done at a drugstore - totally illogical- CVS is ok for 4x6 prints to give away to family of friends but for serious work you need to work with a professionally staffed lab.

Completely agree. For single prints, WHCC charges $1.09 for a 4x6, $1.59 for a 5x7. In quantities of six or more of the same image, those prices drop to $.40 and $.70, respectively. Plus relevant sales tax in each case, of course. These prices are for lustre paper.

jkm757 Loc: San Diego, Ca.

Harvey, you might want to check Nelsons Photography on Midway drive, Georges Camera on 30th st. or Chrome Digital on Kettner Blvd.

cahale Loc: San Angelo, TX

hjkarten wrote:

I am one of many photographers searching for a suitable replacement for COSTCO. COSTCO provided good service with helpful suggestions about corrections and moderate prices.
In the course of searching for suitable replacement for Costco printing services, I recently started to use a local CVS printing facility in Del Mar, California. To date I have printed the total of about 40 digital images at CVS. I have printed Mainly pictures of birds in flight.
Images taken with either a Sony A1 or SONY A7R4, mainly using a Sony 100 to 400 GM or the Sony 200 to 600 G. images all originally captured as ARW (raw) files and processed with Adobe Lightroom classic. Processed on a Microsoft laptop with high end screen. Results of images we're compared to those viewed on a professional workstation with a calibrated BenQ 32” monitor; Modifications were limited to simple cropping, adjustment of color temperature minimal changes to exposure and other basic modifications of light balance, saturation, etc. Original exposures were generally found to be satisfactory with ISOauto ( from 100-3400)., in Manual Mode (usually shutter speed of 1/1600, f stop of f 6.3 to 8.0, White Balance of camera adjusted relative to conditions when shooting. (i.e., cloudy, sunny, etc.)

My general procedure is to export a high resolution JPEG file from Lightroom (as sRGB). I then print a copy of the same file at three sizes: 4x6 (glossy and matte). 8x12 (glossy and matte), 16 by 20 Matte finish poster size. The CVS printing facility is a Kodak commercial throughput system with different printers for each of these three major sizes. This allows me to compare the results of the exact same data file and Matt vs glossy, and different size output machines.

The results have been most disappointing. despite my best efforts to provide suitable digital files well within the gamut range with the printer saturation of the Blues and the Reds and the spectrum differing drastically with each size printer. The technicians running these printers at CVS explained that they have minimal training in modifying the resulting prints. In notable contrast to this, the technicians at Costco carefully matched the color coding in each output size. In general the 4x6 was satisfactory, and the goal was then to adjust the 8x10 and 20x 30 to matchd those those results. This allowed me to confirm that the color values in different parts of the final photo of the 4x6 closely matched that of the 20 x 30. The COSTCO technicians I was fortunate to work with we're committed to high quality results. Unfortunately I don't recall which brand of printer they were using. I vaguely recall that it may have been a Fuji printer. but they clearly knew what they were doing. In fairness to the technicians at CVS, they made every effort to try to improve things, that explained that they had not been trained in any aspects of the machines other than restocking the paper and replacing the dyes. They indicated that they ran a routine test every morning when turning on the machine, but that was the limit of their knowledge of what was going on inside the box.
in general the four by six prints provided the best results. when printing pictures of a large white egret against the blue sky on a 8 by 12 the blue sky often presented as a purple sky!
the CVS Prints were listed at the same price as the Costco, though on occasion CVS would have a reduced price sale if ordered on the Internet. But they were all printed on the same machine as the regular production item.
I would hope that other UHH people will share their experiences with CVS, COSTCO, Shutterbug (?) or other companies.
BTW, I also spoke with the photo desk at a different branch of CVS and was informed that they had the same limited training.
Many thanks
Harvey

I am one of many photographers searching for a sui... (show quote)

Consider Epson wide format. Then you control everything, including some weird print size you might want.

burkphoto Loc: High Point, NC

Ednsb wrote:

I think the point of the original question is who ... (show quote)

Costco had a great reputation for quality work at low prices. That's one of many reasons they quit doing it! They had priced the service lower than the cost of doing it. Many stores do this. It is called "loss leader" marketing. You take a loss on one product or service so you can lead people to your more profitable categories. Unfortunately, it can start a "race to the bottom" that benefits no one in the long run. In the short run, the customers get what they want.

Henry Nguyen Loc: Houston, Texas

Do you know any specific model?
Thanks

cahale Loc: San Angelo, TX

If Henry is questioning me, I use an Epson P6000 24" wide format. This means I am limited to 24" only on the narrow side, while up to 100' is available on the wide side. Excellent printing, and while the ink is expensive, the outside printers have to add the same ink costs to their product.

MJPerini

You have very high end cameras & lenses, you probably bought them because you are willing to pay for quality.
Why would you expect to get quality printing results from the lowest cost provider ?
Use a professional lab and provide them with color managed files.

User ID

epd1947 wrote:

I don’t understand the logic in using the kind of high end gear that cost many thousands of dollars and then having cheap machine prints done at a drugstore - totally illogical- CVS is ok for 4x6 prints to give away to family of friends but for serious work you need to work with a professionally staffed lab.

Now that youve prodded the elephant in the room, please give him some peanuts (he eats them by the bagful).

IOW, acoarst you are correct to question the point of this thread. But BS threads are a UHH Sacred Tradition, so the True Believers just dive right in as if a solution were a worthwhile goal.

(Download)

Sidwalkastronomy Loc: New Jersey Shore

Henry Nguyen wrote:

Do you know any specific model?
Thanks

I bought an Epson ecotank 8550 that can print 13 x19. Since June 2023 I've had 5 machines, first 4 replaced due to problems. Was expensive, $850.00. I needed a photo printer plus copy, scan. A lot of photo printers just print photos. 11 x 14 Prints are excellent when the machine doesn't have ink smears.

Henry Nguyen Loc: Houston, Texas

Thanks, everyone.

redlegfrog

hjkarten wrote:

I am one of many photographers searching for a suitable replacement for COSTCO. COSTCO provided good service with helpful suggestions about corrections and moderate prices.
In the course of searching for suitable replacement for Costco printing services, I recently started to use a local CVS printing facility in Del Mar, California. To date I have printed the total of about 40 digital images at CVS. I have printed Mainly pictures of birds in flight.
Images taken with either a Sony A1 or SONY A7R4, mainly using a Sony 100 to 400 GM or the Sony 200 to 600 G. images all originally captured as ARW (raw) files and processed with Adobe Lightroom classic. Processed on a Microsoft laptop with high end screen. Results of images we're compared to those viewed on a professional workstation with a calibrated BenQ 32” monitor; Modifications were limited to simple cropping, adjustment of color temperature minimal changes to exposure and other basic modifications of light balance, saturation, etc. Original exposures were generally found to be satisfactory with ISOauto ( from 100-3400)., in Manual Mode (usually shutter speed of 1/1600, f stop of f 6.3 to 8.0, White Balance of camera adjusted relative to conditions when shooting. (i.e., cloudy, sunny, etc.)

My general procedure is to export a high resolution JPEG file from Lightroom (as sRGB). I then print a copy of the same file at three sizes: 4x6 (glossy and matte). 8x12 (glossy and matte), 16 by 20 Matte finish poster size. The CVS printing facility is a Kodak commercial throughput system with different printers for each of these three major sizes. This allows me to compare the results of the exact same data file and Matt vs glossy, and different size output machines.

The results have been most disappointing. despite my best efforts to provide suitable digital files well within the gamut range with the printer saturation of the Blues and the Reds and the spectrum differing drastically with each size printer. The technicians running these printers at CVS explained that they have minimal training in modifying the resulting prints. In notable contrast to this, the technicians at Costco carefully matched the color coding in each output size. In general the 4x6 was satisfactory, and the goal was then to adjust the 8x10 and 20x 30 to matchd those those results. This allowed me to confirm that the color values in different parts of the final photo of the 4x6 closely matched that of the 20 x 30. The COSTCO technicians I was fortunate to work with we're committed to high quality results. Unfortunately I don't recall which brand of printer they were using. I vaguely recall that it may have been a Fuji printer. but they clearly knew what they were doing. In fairness to the technicians at CVS, they made every effort to try to improve things, that explained that they had not been trained in any aspects of the machines other than restocking the paper and replacing the dyes. They indicated that they ran a routine test every morning when turning on the machine, but that was the limit of their knowledge of what was going on inside the box.
in general the four by six prints provided the best results. when printing pictures of a large white egret against the blue sky on a 8 by 12 the blue sky often presented as a purple sky!
the CVS Prints were listed at the same price as the Costco, though on occasion CVS would have a reduced price sale if ordered on the Internet. But they were all printed on the same machine as the regular production item.
I would hope that other UHH people will share their experiences with CVS, COSTCO, Shutterbug (?) or other companies.
BTW, I also spoke with the photo desk at a different branch of CVS and was informed that they had the same limited training.
Many thanks
Harvey

I am one of many photographers searching for a sui... (show quote)

If you have an Amazon account give them a try. Their prices are low and with the account the postage is free.
If you like their work the free freight will pay for your membership pretty quick.

14kphotog Loc: Marietta, Ohio

I have used " PRO PHOTO", in Lakeland Florida. for all of my wedding photos. They do a perfect job and cost about the same as most good print places.

hjkarten Loc: San Diego, California

Many thanks to the various UHH participants for their useful hints, judgments and evaluations.
I am considering pursuing the purchase of a suitable printer, but am a bit hesitant because of the steep learning curve. Do any of you have suitable beginner's level primer on color printing that you might recommend?

With apologies to the people who point out the paradox of spending a lot of money on gear, and hesitating on spending money on printing, my goal is to find the most economical protocol for my everyday images. I might suggest that the vast majority of digital images of field photographers are posted on internet sites, and are only very rarely actually printed as hard copies. Under the critical assessment of evaluating hard copies of seemingly desireable photos, I am benefitting from learning about a totally novel aspects of looking, learning and finally seeing yet another set of skills associated with photography.
As an example of such a learning curve, I delight in realizing that my photos have greatly improved as a result of shifting from film to digital images. This is partly due to the major difference, when shooting a bird in flight, in the cost of shooting 30 to 50 photos on film, versus shootiing that many photos of a bird with a digital camera. The digital images are essentially a "free" set of images. This encourages exploration, and is evident to my various bird watching photographer-friends, as they all comment on how their photos are greatly improved since the introduction of the latest generation of mirrorless digital cameras. As I now greatly increase the number of photos that I consider worthy of printing, it includes consideration of what I should be looking to see in the final prints. One of the many points that I now include, when assessing my images, is a far more critical attention to white balance, ISO, noise levels, background, color contrast, focus, tracking, etc. THe use of inexpensive 4x6 prints, (even from CVS) has been helpful. I don't think it requires an apology for trying to keep costs down while pursuing my learning curve.

Artcameraman Loc: Springfield NH

Hi, lots of pro printers that do fantastic work out there. 4X6 OK at Cosco and CVS but 16X20 or larger? I do my own at home on Epson 2880 and a 4900 but when I looking to sell or have a show I go pro. Hope this helps.