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October 1, 2006
• Vol.3 Issue 10 Page(s) 56-58 in print issue | |
Want Prints? With So Many Photo Printing Options, Which One Is Right For You? | |
Back in the day of film cameras, getting photo prints was simple because there was only one choice for most of us: drop off the film at a local store, choose the size and number of prints, wait a week, and go back and pick them up. With digital cameras, however, things have changed. Not only can you drop off your digital “film” (media card, USB flash drive, or CD/DVD) at a photo retailer, mass merchant, or even a drugstore to be printed, but you can also use a store’s photo kiosk, upload images to a Web site and have them mailed to you, or print them at home.
 Print & Grocery Shop At The Same Time Most retailers that offer digital photo processing can make prints from your memory card, a USB flash drive, or a CD/DVD. When using a digital media card, use the DPOF (digital print order format) option in your camera’s playback mode to mark the pictures you want printed. On other media (USB flash drive, CD/DVD) put your images in a single folder so the retailer can identify the pictures you want printed. Photo kiosks offer a slightly more economical, but often more time-consuming, onsite option. Check with your store to see if it does any color balancing as the print is going through the lab; it’s often better to let the professionals take care of color management than try to do it yourself. Free-standing photo kiosks allow you to do the same as the countertop models, but they deliver your prints on the spot; use a credit card to pay for them. You may spend a little more for the convenience, however, so compare the prices if you’re planning on printing a lot of photos. Print quality at these kiosks is generally good, although there are two things that can make a difference. The first is whether the monitors are well-calibrated, which is why it’s usually better to let the lab professionals adjust color balance. A monitor that isn’t calibrated well can lead to color distortion, and you might mistakenly correct the color on an otherwise fine photo. The second is how well the inks/chemicals are maintained. You might want to try printing a couple of test images first before you commit to a large batch of prints. Our Favorite Photo Web Sites Storing, sharing, and printing photos from Web sites is becoming more and more popular. These Web sites’ prices are usually highly competitive (on average 19 cents or less), but check shipping rates, which can substantially increase your total. Most online stores, such as Kodak EasyShare Gallery (www.kodakgallery.com), also offer free online photo sharing, online printing, and an array of fun and interesting photo gifts. You’ll have to register on the site and, in most cases, you’ll have to download special software to upload and edit your images. Uploading images is easy but sometimes time-consuming; consider sites that let you upload more than one image at a time, such as Winkflash (www.winkflash.com). The software generally has only basic image-editing capabilities, but you can always tweak your images with a program such as Adobe Photoshop Elements ($90; www.adobe.com) before you upload them. Most sites, however, only allow you to upload JPEG images. A few sites, such as Smug-Mug (www.smugmug.com), charge a fee for their online galleries (prices start at $39.95 per year), but these are ad-free and allow you to upload non-JPEG images so you can use the highest resolution files for large prints. We haven’t found much difference in the quality of prints between sites such as Kodak Gallery, Shutterfly (www.shutterfly.com), or Winkflash because they all utilize either Kodak or Fujifilm processing. But, we must admit, we were pretty impressed with the matte print and white border options from Wink-flash. And finally, as always, make sure you read the site’s agreement policy carefully; at Kodak EasyShare Gallery, you must make one purchase every 12 months to be able to share your albums.
Digital Darkroom At Home Printing your photos at home--whether you have a fancy setup with a large-format inkjet printer or a small, standalone dye-sub printer--is a mixed bag. It’s often the most convenient and most immediate, and it may be the most flexible printing option, depending on what equipment you have. For a quick and easy way to print, you can bypass the computer and print either using PictBridge or a media card slot, if your printer has either of these two features. But even if some cameras and printers allow you to perform some image editing (removing redeye, lightening an underexposed image, putting a frame around the picture) on the device itself, these functions are limited compared to the types of editing you can do with software on your computer. You generally can’t print much larger than 4 x 6 inches, either. Some printers, such as the Canon Selphy CP-710 ($149.99; www.canon.com), are a bit more versatile; you have a small selection of papers from which to choose, including a greeting card set ($32.99). If you’re looking for versatility and control, consider using a computer and a wide-format inkjet printer (which will print larger than 8x10) like the Epson Stylus Photo R1800 ($549.00; www.epson.com), which lets you make prints as small as 4x6 inches and up to 13 x 44 inches on a wide variety of paper (including canvas and watercolor paper) in black and white or color. It even comes with a roll paper holder: Just attach the roll holder to the printer, load it with a roll of paper (just like you do with a roll of paper towels), and print a long strip of 4x6 prints. We’re fortunate to live in an era where there is really no wrong way to get your photos printed. When choosing how, decide on how much time, effort, and money you’re willing to spend. by Theano Nikitas
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