| Author | Thread |
|
|
12/12/2005 02:05:57 AM · #1 |
| OK, I am sure I am gonna get blasted for this question, but can someone tell me why I can't simply print my pictures with an inkjet printer? I'm not talking gallery quality, I'm talking frame it and hang it at home. Is it really anything different than I would get from Walmart or Wolf Camera? Thanks for your answers. |
|
|
|
12/12/2005 02:06:59 AM · #2 |
If you have a decent printer, for what you want to do with the prints, go for it. But having them done at a shop almost always comes out a bit better, and is often cheaper.
|
|
|
|
12/12/2005 02:08:41 AM · #3 |
An inkjet printer is quite capable of printing museum quality archival prints much better then what you will get back from wally world or wolf. You just need the right printer.
Originally posted by OdysseyF22:
having them done at a shop almost always comes out a bit better, |
How do you figure? You have no control over the final product when you let someone else print your images. I would never send work off.
Message edited by author 2005-12-12 02:11:07.
|
|
|
|
12/12/2005 02:10:53 AM · #4 |
You should be able to print something nice if you have more variety of inks in the printer. More colors.
They may not last as long as a print made from a store, but it depends on the kind of printer you have or they have. Cheaper to print at a store. Ink can be rather expensive.
Message edited by author 2005-12-12 02:16:29.
|
|
|
|
12/12/2005 02:15:19 AM · #5 |
There are lots of ways a professional printing photographic and wide format printer (like our company) can print stuff.
We could print on a fancy/smancy Epson that is just a huge version of what you can buy. We print our Giclee artist stuff on that up to 50 inches wide with archival inks just like the smaller Epsons do.
We also print on a Mimaki dye sub process. It's also an ink jet but uses solvent based inks so we can print on all kinds of weird substrates or take a print on paper and then transfer to cloth up to 50 inches wide.
Then...the coolest printer is our Light Jet 430. It is a laser that burns the image into photo paper which, in turn, is processed just like photos in a chemical baths. Sizes up to 50 inches x 100 feet or more feet (Big Murals!) :-D
We have a mural going in over at UVA that is a pano of the UVA - Florida State Footbal game. 12 feet high x 30 feet long!
Message edited by author 2005-12-12 02:17:00.
|
|
|
|
12/12/2005 02:20:05 AM · #6 |
Originally posted by nsbca7:
How do you figure? You have no control over the final product when you let someone else print your images. I would never send work off. |
I only say that because when I send mine off, I'm reasonably sure they're the way I want them. And my inkjet is a good one, mid-range HP, but I just prefer the results I get from lab-printed photos, in terms of quality, durability, and how long they last. Personal taste, I suppose :)
|
|
|
|
12/12/2005 02:23:15 AM · #7 |
Originally posted by nsbca7:
An inkjet printer is quite capable of printing museum quality archival prints much better then what you will get back from wally world or wolf. You just need the right printer.
How do you figure? You have no control over the final product when you let someone else print your images. I would never send work off. |
Try it and see. I have had prints made 3 different places and they always match my monitor in color etc. They never run out of ink, and i don't have to pay for the upgrade of equipment either ;)
I have had b&w, color, and combinations of both, sepia and montages all done without a single issue. I gave up trying to print on inkjet printers - too expensive, more hassle that it's worth getting the right paper in the right size w or w/o border, getting it to feed strait, waiting for it to print, etc. No thank you very much.
My next printer is out there - a duplexing color laser. HP has one for $700. I think that is how MyPublisher and many others print their books (well, not on that printer, but color laser). Not frameable quality maybe, but fine for proofs.
|
|
|
|
12/12/2005 02:26:06 AM · #8 |
Originally posted by OdysseyF22:
Originally posted by nsbca7:
How do you figure? You have no control over the final product when you let someone else print your images. I would never send work off. |
I only say that because when I send mine off, I'm reasonably sure they're the way I want them. And my inkjet is a good one, mid-range HP, but I just prefer the results I get from lab-printed photos, in terms of quality, durability, and how long they last. Personal taste, I suppose :) |
I guess I'm am just a bit too neurotic much of a prefectionist to let anyone else print my work. I guess I would if I didn't have access to a decent printer.
|
|
|
|
12/12/2005 02:26:34 AM · #9 |
Originally posted by nsbca7:
How do you figure? You have no control over the final product when you let someone else print your images. I would never send work off. |
Woah.....You must not deal with companies like us. We print for museums like the Smithsonian, major university archives like UVA, Va Tech, Randolph Macon, RIT, and dozens of other fine art galleries all over the country.
It really depends on the what you are trying to acheive but if you are re-selling large prints (16 x 20 and over) it pays to go to professional services.
|
|
|
|
12/12/2005 02:29:01 AM · #10 |
Originally posted by hokie:
Woah.....You must not deal with companies like us. |
And what companies are you?
Message edited by author 2005-12-12 02:29:19.
|
|
|
|
12/12/2005 02:43:47 AM · #11 |
Originally posted by nsbca7:
Originally posted by hokie:
Woah.....You must not deal with companies like us. |
And what companies are you? |
I work for a company that specializes in photographic services and wide format graphics specific for dispay (like galleries, corporate, education, etc). When film was the deal we were known as a prepress lab but we have morphed into a more specialized company. Lightjets like ours run about $250,000 and we have specialized equipment we have made ourselves (our owners are both RIT grads from the '80's).
We are not unique. There are probably a few companies like us in every state. The thing that makes us different is we are owned and operated by professional photographers so we combine pro studios .
Anyways...I am sure you have a company something like us in Alabama...definitely in Atlanta if not closer.
As we grow we are like a small version of a Pier 59 with printing thrown in.
Photoworks Creative Group
Message edited by author 2005-12-12 02:45:18.
|
|
|
|
12/12/2005 03:39:32 AM · #12 |
Originally posted by hokie:
Originally posted by nsbca7:
Originally posted by hokie:
Woah.....You must not deal with companies like us. |
And what companies are you? |
I work for a company that specializes in photographic services and wide format graphics specific for dispay (like galleries, corporate, education, etc). When film was the deal we were known as a prepress lab but we have morphed into a more specialized company. Lightjets like ours run about $250,000 and we have specialized equipment we have made ourselves (our owners are both RIT grads from the '80's).
We are not unique. There are probably a few companies like us in every state. The thing that makes us different is we are owned and operated by professional photographers so we combine pro studios .
Anyways...I am sure you have a company something like us in Alabama...definitely in Atlanta if not closer.
As we grow we are like a small version of a Pier 59 with printing thrown in.
Photoworks Creative Group |
Well the OP mentioned Wal Mart and Wolf. I own an Ultrachrome 7600, so I doubt either of those companies can outdo what I have. When I print I sometimes go through one or two proofs before I get perfect. Few people will do that for you sending your work off. The $6 hr slobs at Wolf and Wal Mart least of all.
|
|
|
|
12/12/2005 04:32:24 AM · #13 |
Regarding printing of pictures, then my personal experience is that for the standard 6x4 it is alot cheaper to get them printed by the local photostore, but then again full detail is not easily visible there. But on bigger prints like 6x8 or Letter sized picture up to 10 meter Banners, I can print at home and get better quality at home then from the photostore. It might be just a little bit more expensive but like I said: Better Quality at home!
But recently 2 companies have risen and specialized in bigger printing / and better for smaller sizes. And if I now need A3 or bigger I shop at Dikta (one of the better printers in Iceland)This store specialized in Photo Printing !
BTW, the printer I have is a Epson Stylus 950 (960 in the US) |
|
|
|
12/12/2005 07:09:52 AM · #14 |
I take my stuff to Office Depot, and let them print it on their color lazer printer. I also haven't printed anything really large either, only letter size and smaller.
|
|
Home -
Challenges -
Community -
League -
Photos -
Cameras -
Lenses -
Learn -
Prints! -
Help -
Terms of Use -
Privacy -
Top ^
DPChallenge, and website content and design, Copyright © 2001-2024 Challenging Technologies, LLC.
All digital photo copyrights belong to the photographers and may not be used without permission.
Current Server Time: 04/24/2024 05:33:53 AM EDT.
