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

[Scott Stephen]

I don't print a lot, and in fact only lately have I ordered many at all. On my photo book I checked "yes" the box in Lightroom about "sharpening for prints" for the first time. Hopefully that makes things better rather than worse. Also wonder exactly what the Shutterfly "vivid" will do to me. I didin't even see an option for "added brightness".

[shutterdown]

I don't print a lot, and in fact only lately have I ordered many at all. On my photo book I checked "yes" the box in Lightroom about "sharpening for prints" for the first time. Hopefully that makes things better rather than worse. Also wonder exactly what the Shutterfly "vivid" will do to me. I didin't even see an option for "added brightness".

Scott, that added brightness....I put that on the photo before I send it to Shutterfly, or whoever. It's not a option with Shutterfly. But, if you click on each photo (while in Shutterfly) it will allow you to edit the photo, and then it will let you choose to shut off their auto-correct.

[shutterdown]

Well, my very first Shutterfly order arrived today. Interestingly, the images that I bumped up the brightness on? They looked washed out, just like on my monitor.

The ones I left alone? They looked great. Color, contrast, highlights where they were supposed to be.

As I mentioned, I purposely turned off the "vivid" correction on all images.

Shutterfly is now on my top list. Next up, Adoramapix. I'll run the same experiment.

[Scott Stephen]

Well, my very first Shutterfly order arrived today. Interestingly, the images that I bumped up the brightness on? They looked washed out, just like on my monitor.

The ones I left alone? They looked great. Color, contrast, highlights where they were supposed to be.

As I mentioned, I purposely turned off the "vivid" correction on all images.

Shutterfly is now on my top list. Next up, Adoramapix. I'll run the same experiment.

Sounds good, but I believe you had already calibrated your monitor? I hope my photo book arrives from Shutterfly looking OK (neither muddy nor over-saturated) for my Dad's 80th birthday.

[shutterdown]

Sounds good, but I believe you had already calibrated your monitor? I hope my photo book arrives from Shutterfly looking OK (neither muddy nor over-saturated) for my Dad's 80th birthday.

Yes, it was calibrated, but the Walgreen's photos were just like yours: dark, unacceptable. And, that was with me standing in front of the lab guy, telling him to shut off the auto correct. Maybe it's as Sean says, and they aren't trained on how to use it. Don't know if that's what happened in my case, but they have been consistently bad from Walgreen's. Walmart was better, but still too dark.

[shutterdown]

Shutterfly is now on my top list. Next up, Adoramapix. I'll run the same experiment.

Well, I ran the experiment with Adoramapix. Great results from them (I usually print matte or lustre). These prints also mimicked my monitor. Good color and contrast.

When I placed the order, I had them turn off the auto-correction.