From Pixels to Print: We Explain Your Best Options for Photo-Printing

Posted 12/08/2009 at 8:30am | by Loyd Case

11

Comments

Print

Photography has gone digital, but the need for printed photos still exists. We search out the best way to make hard copies of your digital pic

Printing digital photographs seems so last century.

These days, we all carry at least one smart device, whether it’s an iPhone, a Zune, an MID, or something else. We all use Facebook. And those with a more serious photographic bent might also use an online photo service like Flickr or SmugMug. Indeed, a vast array of methods for showing off your photography without actually handing someone a print now exists.

There are good reasons, however, to have photographic prints—even in the 21st century. Grandparents and other family members often like to have something to put in a frame that they can hang on a wall. Another other reason is size. There’s something compelling about a really large print—8x10 inches or beyond. An iPod or laptop screen might be an acceptable replacement for the common 4x6- or even 5x7-inch print. But holding up a 13x19-inch print suddenly makes a half-decent photograph seem almost like a work of art.

So, for those times when you want a print, what’s the best way to get it? Is it worth paying $400 or more for a large-format printer, and then paying again and again for the ink? What about large-volume or professional online photo-printing services? Are they cost-effective, and can those prints measure up to a good-quality home printer? And how about those photo kiosks you find in places like Target and many grocery stores?

On the following pages, we’ll take a look at the various methods for putting that hard-copy photo print in your hands. We’ll look at variations in color fidelity, the overall cost, and take a stab at trying to understand how well the prints last over time.

Your Printing Options: An Overview

Today, you have a plethora of printing choices. Photo-quality inkjet technology has become substantially better, with longer-lasting, pigment-based inks. Online photo printing services have sprouted like virtual weeds. Photo-printing kiosks can be found in stores and shopping centers. Even entry-level inkjet printers can dash off quick, small prints, if you don’t need permanence.

Home Printers

These days, all-in-ones—those devices with a built-in scanner, color printer, and possibly a fax machine—often cost no more than a dedicated inkjet printer. Many of these offer wireless or wired network connections. If you don’t need prints larger than 8x10, and can use a scanner for either faxing or scanning photos into your PC, an all-in-one can be worth considering.

Moving up the scale a bit are the relatively affordable, large-format printers. These can print at sizes up to 13x19 inches. HP offers an entry model for less than $150 (after a $150 rebate), with prices going up to around $650 for the higher-end, professional model. Canon offers a pair of models ranging from $500 to $900. Epson offers the widest range of products, from $250 to $995.

Retail Chains

Big-box stores like Target, Wal-Mart, and Costco offer online printing services. You can order your prints and either have them shipped to you or ready for pickup at the nearest retail outlet. The prices are relatively affordable—about on par with the consumer-oriented online services.

Online Photo-Printing Services

Online photo-sharing, popularized by sites like Flickr and SmugMug, offer printing services, though the actual printing is often handled by a third party. For example, if you’re a Flickr user and want to order prints, Flickr redirects you to Qoop.com.

Facebook is the single largest online photo-sharing service, due to its huge user base, but there’s currently no way to order prints from Facebook’s default photo album. You can install a Facebook app like Photobox, which allows you to order prints, but then you have the annoyance of managing a separate Facebook app.

There are also a number of dedicated online printing sites if you just want to print photos you have stored on your PC. Examples include HP’s Snapfish, Shutterfly, Kodak Gallery, and PhotoDirect. They all offer relatively low prices and subsidiary services, like online photo albums, custom framing, and related products.

Professional Photo Printing

Online printing services are available for more professional needs. One example is PhotoWorks, which offers custom printing services for many pro photo shops. The quality of these prints may be a notch above the typical volume online service. For more discriminating pros, localized companies like San Francisco’s Dickerman Prints (www.robyncolor.com) can be found in larger cities. You can upload your photos there, or even bring them into the local office and manually manage the printing yourself.

Photo Printing Kiosks

If you wander into any Target store, you can usually find a Kodak printing kiosk. Other companies, like Fuji, HP, and Epson either have their own kiosk hardware or supply to kiosk manufacturers. The kiosk consists of a dedicated PC embedded in a cabinet with a touch screen and photo-printing hardware. Pictures uploaded from a memory card or CD are printed in less than a minute.

Next, find out how photo-printing technology works.