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Dayhike Mike
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Dayhike Mike
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PostSun Jan 18, 2004 1:42 am 
Decided to check out local services for digital photo output and was shocked to find Costco offering 4x6 photos for $0.18 a print (Tukwila store, I've heard that Tacoma and perhaps others are $0.19 each) and 12x18 is $2.99. (woohoo! a mere pittance!) Printed up a few of last year's shots at 12x18 and was floored...absolutely stunning results from a 4 megapixel camera. (The 4x6 images I've done weren't quite as impressive, but they're still decent, especially for the price.) Have any of you been printing photos using the services at Sam's Club, Walmart, etc. etc.? Have you been happy with the results, color, consistency, etc.?

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke "Ignorance is natural. Stupidity takes commitment." -Solomon Short
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marta
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PostSun Jan 18, 2004 11:19 am 
I've tried WalMart on-line and they sucked. I had some 4x6 printed and they were so glossy and bright. Cost was .25. I had the same set printed locally at Kits (Ritz) and really liked the matt finish. But they were really pricey (.49). Recently I tried Costco.com which partners with Kodak. They did a great job and are a winner for me. Current price is .24 for 4x6. I think this is a different service from the instore processing. Kodak @ costco.com also allow you to store up to 500 pictures on line as long as your account stays active or 6 months if inactive. I like these services because you can have picture set shipped directly to family. My mil is not on line and it is a nice way to get copies of pictures printed and mailed to them.

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Alan Bauer
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PostSun Jan 18, 2004 2:31 pm 
While not as cheap as, well, Costco and Wal-Mart (which I have seen and won't call them very high quality) I'd also look at places like ezprints.com They passed my test of 3 different places where I could upload a large file and see what I got on a 12x18. I did the same print to the three places. Not bad for $10 on nice matte paper. If you expect a print which you can mount and hang on the wall for 25 years without fading you are going to have to go to a different league than even them possibly, but they do a good job. I can't vouch for certain but can't believe a Costco print will do nothing but fade within a few years.

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mb
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mb
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PostSun Jan 18, 2004 3:36 pm 
why would a costco print fade? i assume most places would use similar chemicals and papers--these are photographic prints, right, just generated with a digital projection system instead of a film negative. apparently costco poached some employees from one of the better chain photo shops in town.

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Dayhike Mike
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Dayhike Mike
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PostSun Jan 18, 2004 6:19 pm 
All photos fade eventually, but I'd also be interested to hear why the Costco print might be more likely to fade than from some of these other mail-based shops. The prints I received were on nice Fuji paper and were indeed photographic prints generated from a digital projection system. Not that it's all that critical -- at $3 a pop, I'm pretty sure that I'll want to put up new photos by the time these are looking a little ragged 'round the edges. wink.gif Even then, if I want to reprint and replace them they'll be ready to go with whatever is the latest and greatest in photographic reproduction technology... Now to find a good way to frame them inexpensively... Ikea had frames that fit 12x16 prints. Might have to look into framing the three vertical 12x18 prints in a single picture...with a nice neutral mat to tie them all together...

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke "Ignorance is natural. Stupidity takes commitment." -Solomon Short
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marta
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PostSun Jan 18, 2004 7:23 pm 
Alan, ezprints looks interesting. I'm going to give them a try. I'm still looking around and they definitely have more options than kodak@costco.com. Thanks!

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Sore Feet
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PostMon Jan 19, 2004 12:45 am 
I'm curious about the enlargements. I had some 8x10s done for xmas presents at Kinkos, and the detail turned out great. There was, however, a problem with the contrast. The white point of the machine was set significantly lower than my computer, so there were excessive highlights, and the areas which should have been more shadowed were shown with more detail. Anybody have any similar issues? Any place specificly that has been good in avoiding such issues?

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Dayhike Mike
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PostMon Jan 19, 2004 1:09 am 
The 4x6 shots I did came out a little on the darker side. The three shots I blew up to 12x18 were brighter pics and looked pretty well balanced in both highlights and darker areas. I'm not sure whether the size or the subject matter made the difference, but time will tell. Size of the print does have one drawback...every little flaw that might have hidden in the smaller prints can be picked out with close examination. At 12x18, my 4 megapixel shots were effectively printed at 126ppi. I could see a light halo effect in a couple areas of high contrast and a little blotchiness in some of the skies.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke "Ignorance is natural. Stupidity takes commitment." -Solomon Short
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catwoman
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PostTue Jan 20, 2004 10:40 am 
Kinko's does photo printing? I know they do color copies, but photo printing?

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Dayhike Mike
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Dayhike Mike
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PostTue Jan 20, 2004 10:42 am 
Yep.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke "Ignorance is natural. Stupidity takes commitment." -Solomon Short
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Sore Feet
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PostWed Jan 21, 2004 9:44 pm 
catwoman wrote:
Kinko's does photo printing? I know they do color copies, but photo printing?
They've got one of those do-it-yourself machines like at Fred Meyer.

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catwoman
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PostThu Jan 22, 2004 3:38 pm 
I don't know what's at Fred Meyer. But is it the same do-it-yourself kiosk like at Costco where you digitally input your images?

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Dayhike Mike
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Dayhike Mike
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PostThu Jan 22, 2004 5:02 pm 
Nope.

"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke "Ignorance is natural. Stupidity takes commitment." -Solomon Short
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MooseAndSquirrel
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PostThu Jan 22, 2004 7:31 pm 
Why not stop by a Kinkos and find out? dizzy.gif It's probably like every other do-it-yourself photo machine seen everywhere.

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catwoman
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PostThu Jan 22, 2004 7:42 pm 
MooseAndSquirrel wrote:
Why not stop by a Kinkos and find out? dizzy.gif It's probably like every other do-it-yourself photo machine seen everywhere.
Because I don't have the reason nor the time to GO to Kinko's to find out! dizzy.gif I hardly think professional photographers would use the service. I was just curious. And it sounds like they're the scanned version, which makes not so great quality. down.gif

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