Just ordered Spyder 4 Elite on TDP's reccomendation; used TDP link

[Scott Stephen]

We have been using Walgreen's. Just this week I ordered a photobook from Shutterfly. I don't have it yet. That is what made me worry; did I blow $50 on an album with bad prints?
I see Shutterfly has a process for generally synching your monitor to their printing. I don't thing Walgreen's does.

[shutterdown]

This is sort of off the topic just a bit, but what are some of the print labs that do well?

I found that Walgreen's prints are muddy and dark, even when I tell them to turn off the auto correct.

Walmart does a much better job, but they still are a bit darker than what my monitor shows (Spyder calibrated). The histograms look good, but I ran an experiment where I increased the brightness by +50 (photoshop), then sent both prints to Walmart. The brightness enhanced photo looked much better, but the histogram showed blown highlights (I just ignored that, and sent the prints in anyway).

I've just ordered some prints from Shuttterfly, and sent two sets: one without added brightness, one with it. I also told them to turn off their "vivid" correction.

I'll see what happens.

Anyway, back to my question: who does a good job of printing?

[Sean Setters]

We have been using Walgreen's. Just this week I ordered a photobook from Shutterfly. I don't have it yet. That is what made me worry; did I blow $50 on an album with bad prints?
I see Shutterfly has a process for generally synching your monitor to their printing. I don't thing Walgreen's does.

I think we've hit the nail on the head here. First of all, Walgreen's applies an auto-correction routine to images sent to its lab. They generally do not tell you about this. Typically speaking, their correction routine will bump up contrast significantly and change the overall color of your images. If you want the prints closer to what you're seeing at home, you need to ask them to turn off all auto corrections or auto enhancements when doing the prints.

To see what kind of a difference it makes, try walking into the Walgreen's and asking for 1 image to be processed both ways--auto correct on and auto correct off. The difference will probably be very noticeable.

If the images are processed without corrections (as-is), then there's another reason why they appear dark compared to the monitor. Keep in mind that your monitor is back-lit. Everything image seems brighter on a back-lit screen than the same image viewed on a flat, reflective surface. At least that's what I've always attributed it to...

Anyway, back to my question: who does a good job of printing?

Personally, I use AdoramaPix. I'm a huge fan of their Kodak Metallic paper. I've always been very satisfied with prints done through them.

[Scott Stephen]

I think we've hit the nail on the head here. First of all, Walgreen's applies an auto-correction routine to images sent to its lab. They generally do not tell you about this. Typically speaking, their correction routine will bump up contrast significantly and change the overall color of your images. If you want the prints closer to what you're seeing at home, you need to ask them to turn off all auto corrections or auto enhancements when doing the prints.

To see what kind of a difference it makes, try walking into the Walgreen's and asking for 1 image to be processed both ways--auto correct on and auto correct off. The difference will probably be very noticeable.

If the images are processed without corrections (as-is), then there's another reason why they appear dark compared to the monitor. Keep in mind that your monitor is back-lit. Everything image seems brighter on a back-lit screen than the same image viewed on a flat, reflective surface. At least that's what I've always attributed it to...



Personally, I use AdoramaPix. I'm a huge fan of their Kodak Metallic paper. I've always been very satisfied with prints done through them.

Very interesting information Sean; thanks. I lived in Texas until 3 years ago, and had the same trouble with Walgreen's there, straight out-of-camera. I had one particular super shot with my baby daughter looking through a green country fence that was amazing, but Walgreens turned it black, even after I complained and sent it back twice.

[Sean Setters]

Sometimes you'll get a new lab processor that doesn't know that auto-enhancements are being applied. In that case, they only know how to push a button to print the image or minimal machine maintenance (replacing cartridges). In that case, they would be unable to help you without the proper training.