COSTCOS PRINTING

[jfrancho]

What feature from WHCC do you find worth the price difference?

I'm not sure there is that much of a price difference when printing 8x10 and larger. As for features that WHCC offers, its all about finishing. Prints can be lustre coated (different than lustre paper), textures applied, mounting on mat, foam core and other materials, proofs can be spiral bound, they also offer several press printed products such as cards, announcements, books and more. Having all these services in one stop is very convenient and I really haven't seen that its more expensive. An 8x10 on E-paper is $2. However, if you need 100 4x6 prints, there are less expensive options. I use Shutterfly's prepaid prints for that. That said, if we had a Costco here, I'd probably try them as well.

[livelovelaugh photography]

For me the paperweight is different. Its probably not noticeable to my clients but .. for me knowing I am using a professional lab and not Costco is a personal prefernce.

Costco has a feature to add your own text to the back so all my photos have my biz name on them no matter what they are printed for.

Also with WHCC i am able to order things like 10x20, larger prints mounted on 2mm matboard, etc. Canvas, proof books, etc so its worth it.

[LeeF]

I was my local Costco's first "on line" customer when they went live a couple of years ago. I've had well over 100 prints done with about 2% returned. I downloaded their printer profile for the papers I use and now I soft-proof through CS2 before uploading to them.

They do great work.

[mimiya]

I've had prints done at Costco and have always been pleased. I am interested in the idea of downloading printer profiles and soft-proofing in CS2 as I have not done this. How do you go about this procedure?

[jfrancho]

In Photoshop, hit F1 and type in soft proof and click search. All the details are in there.

[Marc Kurth]

Since this thread is still alive.........

I most certainly do not wish to twist anyone's arm to move their printing work over to Costco, but I will stand behind MY experience at MY local store. All of my stuff gets printed by an employee who is a pro sports shooter. He loves working weekdays at Costco to get his benefits - and access to printing large quantities of his own work. If there is something I don't like, they will run them again while I wait.

As far as profiles, go to Dry Creek Photo and follow their simple instructions to download and install their profiles. For Costco, they provide profiles for individual machines at individual stores and they are kept up to date. This is how my billboard images are handled - I DO NOT upscale/up-rez at all.

For higher end printing, WHCC is the champ in my view, but I crank out a lot of prints so the cost does make a very big diffrence over the long haul. If I only printed a dozen or two per year, WHCC would do them all.

For really, really inexpensive large prints, see: El-Co Color Labs Poster Special you simply can't beat $10. for a 20"x30" and they do a very, very good job. When going for 30" and larger, DON'T try to up-rez using PhotoShop. Let their commercial RIP do what it was designed to do. Just send in the the cleanest file that you can produce at its native resolution - you will be amazed at how big you can go.

OK, off my soap box now. Hopefully someone finds this information useful.........

Marc

[jfrancho]

It isn't worth the $.50 per 8x10 to go to Costco.

[dougsmit]

Originally Posted by jfrancho

It isn't worth the $.50 per 8x10 to go to Costco.

That opinion must come from someone who does not like hot dogs (the other reason I like Costco - does your lab have $1.50 hot dogs including drink?).

[brian.austin]

Originally Posted by dougsmit

That opinion must come from someone who does not like hot dogs (the other reason I like Costco - does your lab have $1.50 hot dogs including drink?).

I don't care if the things are free. I don't touch hot dogs. Ugh. Meat scraps and...other stuff.

[SecondFocus]

I did a somewhat impromptu review of prints including from Costco on my Blog just a couple of months ago. Here it is (just scroll down)...

SecondFocus: November 2007

[unkleStew]

I use Millers Lab for a lot of my printing and press needs and actually gave a client a print on Kodak Endura paper and she liked the same print I had done at Costco on Fuji Crystal better. I asked why and she said the feel of the paper was the determining factor. I thought wow she likes the cheaper paper over the more expensive paper.

[jfrancho]

Originally Posted by dougsmit

That opinion must come from someone who does not like hot dogs (the other reason I like Costco - does your lab have $1.50 hot dogs including drink?).

My family owns four old school burger joints. I get my Texas and Pork hots there. Anything other than Zweigle's Red and Kaufmann's White are not "hot dogs."

[kkart]

I lucke dout at my local Costco as the lady thatheads the photo department used to work at Seiss-Sexton Pro Photography Lab in downtown Denver! Needless to say she knows what the heck is up! I tried Costco just before the holidays for some 12x18s, using the profiles from Dry Creek Photo, I asked them to be run on the Noritsu. Hot damn, they came out good. In fact, great. I had a line of people around me in the store asking about my photography lol They also printed on Fuji Crystal Archival paper for me....a better price and a better looking print, I would be hard pressed to find!

[Lor]

I tried some test prints recently after reading this. The result is pretty close to WHCC. The difference that I can tell is that the black from Costco is not as black as WHCC. One question to you who frequent their service. Where do you mention for them to print on the Noritsu when ordering online?

[jfrancho]

Where do you mention for them to print on the Noritsu when ordering online?

I have no clue. I let them decide what machine to make my prints on since they are the pros.

[Lor]

Originally Posted by jfrancho

I have no clue. I let them decide what machine to make my prints on since they are the pros.

But on their website, they said to specify the printer since most of us photographers are using their printer profiles.