Online Printing sites

[sjt]

Can anyone recommend a really good online printing site? We are looking to print off some reasonable size prints (around A4 size). Just find photobox rather expensive.

[wizzair]

Only one for me:

http://www.dscolourlabs.co.uk/

Found them through this forum and printed hundreds since, very quick, excellent quality, good price. If you are doing your own processing use the Pro setting to get them back as you sent them.

Steve W

[Vodka]

I would certinly reccomend DS colour for prints. Excellent service and superb quality.

If you were looking for photobooks I would perhaps look elsewhere though.

[shaggie]

Stu ,i use Dscl too ,can't fault them !!

[sjt]

Thank you for the replies and the link. Looks a good site and so much easier to use than Pro Am imaging which we tried and had a domestic over!

[flatfoot471]

If you want some really high quality prints try http://www.loxleycolour.com . Their quality is superb and their customer service is second to none.

However if you're concerned about prices at Photobox, then you'll be getting a shock and a second mortgage to use with Loxley.
Used them many times for my top images/prints & competitions. I use DSColour for normal printing.

If you use Smugmug Pro for photo website hosting, then you may already be aware that Loxley have teamed up with Smugmug for printing from a Smugmu account.

[scwheeler]

Used http://www.dscolourlabs.co.uk/ for my wedding prints and a photo book from Albelli.com.

DSC was very good.

[Exiler]

There are several good value online print labs. I personally use either, SnapMad, part of the seven day Shop group or The Printspace, based in Shoreditch. There are others, one of which I cannot remember but I always used for test prints.

[Blackdog]

viewtopic.php?f=27&t=16112&hilit=online+print

see my reply to an earlier query like yours. I've used dscolour labs ever since. Very good indeed.

[DanBeeden]

I've used DSCL for all my printing over the past year and have been delighted except for the last lot, which came back so dark I ditched them all. Herein lies my question, having spoken to DSCL I understand that they do not do any modification of your image - what you send is what you get. What I've not been able to get my head around is why one batch came back so dark when all the others I've sent came back as they looked on the PC - spot-on?

I'm now slightly hesitant to send any more in case have the same problems. Someone above said you should use the 'pro' setting if you are doing your own editing. I am really struggling to get my head around what (to me at least!) are confusing and poorly explained instructions on things related to RGB settings and downloading a tool so that my monitor colours match the printers. Is there anyone who can or already has provided a simple and easy to follow tutorial for printing images so that what you see and are happy with on screen is what you get back in hard copy a few days later? Arrrgghhh!

Any advice would be hugely appreciated!

[Vodka]

I would wholly reccomend first having a decent screen to start with. Then a colour calibration device to ensure your screen is profiled as required. The native setting compared to a properly calibrated screen can be akin looking at somehting that is more often than not oversaturated and false compared to the returned printed result. Get a proof print from your preffered supplier. I use DS colour but always compare to a check proof i get them to supply once every quarter aproximately.

Once your happy with your settings then you should be confident with your screen giving you an acurate result. Make sure your viewing conditions are good too. Not too bright or too dark. Spydercolour has an ambient light reader which is very good for this.

For lower end cost for screens I would suggest the Samsung range. Around £300. These perfectly good for personal use. For high end commercial your'e into the Eizo and Lacies of this world.

What I would to start with is too get Ds colour to send you a proof image A3 size will do and perform a manual corrcetion to your eye to get a reasonable start point/ benchmark.

And yes , use their pro service or you will have them shifting image curves to 'what we think best' . All colour control just needs is the least amount of variables and only one peron to be in control of colour

[Vodka]

Another point. Your graphic card software will have a colour calibration mode but this will not be anywhere near as good as a stand alone spyder or monaco etc. Check once youv'e calibrated your screen, that each time you switch back on that the settings from the spyder etc are installed. Nvidia gfx cards I have had in the past have needed to be toggled off to prevent them restarting with the gfx colour control software. ATI cards are far less annoying on this one. As of yet I've not had one ATI card overrule the spyder settings.

Some of the colour wotk can be done by the Mk1 eyeball to be fair if you don't have a spyder et al' etc comparing to a proof sheet. BUT. . .you will struggle on Black and Whites without a decent calbration on your screen. Srgb screen will have a tendency to give a warmer image from the outset if not checked.

Ds colour have profiles but if you supply within a Srgb profile you should be pretty much there.

check your profile settings with your workong colour software. Photoshop etc.

Also check your camera settings from the start whether or not you decide to work in a Adobe rgb colour gamut or Srgb colour gamut.

[Vodka]

summary

for DS colours pro service.

1. check camera is SRgb.
2. check photoshop working space is Srgb and paper simulator is off.
3. send proof image to ds colour
4. check and manually adjust contrast of rgb and brightness. Check grey points for bias of colour and reduce accordingly. Check White point and correct contrast & brightness. Black point should hopefully fall in line afterwards. Might need a very slight tweak in brightness ONLY
5. compare with proof sheet and adjust accordinlgy as above.
6. points 4/5 , if you have a colour calibatrion device use but also check too returned proof.

7. optional. load the icc profiles from ds colour and place into profile window for PS . But check again.
8. If you use Adobe Rgb on camera with the wider gamut and run a Srgb image to print, with the colour conversion I have found some saturation in the shadow tones and reduced highlight points.

To be fair DS colour have been pretty much great for my purposes. Any slight variance ive found has been down to me with incorrect work space in p.shop at the front end of the work flow.

[DanBeeden]

Vodka,

Many thanks for the clear and detailed instructions. I'll digest and come back you if I may with any queries.

Dan

[Vodka]

Also, give Ds colour a buzz if your'e unhappy or having problems. Theyr'e a very good bunch up there

[sjt]

We've just had our first few photo's from DSCL. A couple were a bit dark but nothing that we can't fix and re-order I think. Very impressed by their service.

[Sambuca1]

http://www.theprintspace.co.uk/

[Zen Dragon]

http://www.snapfish.co.uk has 10 x 8 prints for 99p, which is affordable.

If you are looking to create business print products, this list of sites looks pretty well thought out:
http://www.onlineprintingservices.net/custom/

However, I would stay away from VistaPrint. They may be cheap, but have a bad reputation for service and quality.

ThePrintSpace site mentioned above looks like a nice site, but doesn't look cheap when you look at the price page.