2007-11-01 10:32:58 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Visual Arts ➔ Photography
A lab.
Lightjet, ie, light sensitive photo paper prints, Last longer, look better and don't have deposits from the inks on the surface.
The labs have the really expensive light jet machines that print on fuji crystal active paper and give me the colors I want.
Just my two cents.
2007-11-01 10:44:12 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Generally a lab, as the equipment costs far exceed the profit unless there is a very high volume. When I did package printing for HS seniors, I had a package printer that made it feasible to do it in studio.
To justify printing in-house, you can't let the total price of the printer, supplies, repairs and labor to exceed 30% of the retail of the prints you would be making over the life of the printer (I use 5 years).
I do some "exhibit portraits" off my Epson 3800 as the images can make up to 17" x22" and has excellent quality.
2007-11-01 11:08:54 · answer #2 · answered by Lou 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If I'm printing it to give away, I prefer to use a commercial lab so I don't have to worry about someone smudging their prints. It's way cheaper anyway.
If I want a stack of my own snapshots printed, it's still nice to use a pro lab for the cost savings.
If I am going to frame something in the 5x7 to 8x10 range, I print them at home. I do some full format prints that are 10x6.667 inches and you'd play h-e-double-hockeysticks to get that from most labs.
If it's going to be any bigger than that, I have no chioce but to use a pro lab.
http://www.mpix.com is great.
2007-11-01 16:40:32 · answer #3 · answered by Picture Taker 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I use a professional lab - www.mpix.com
The output varies depending on the customer wants. Mostly prints, but sometimes canvas or photobooks are needed.
Inkjet printers are not all their cracked up to be and are expensive both to purchase and maintain. Dye sub printers are better, but again, expensive.
There are just too many good options coming out of a pro lab.
2007-11-02 02:09:10 · answer #4 · answered by gryphon1911 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
On a rare ocassion a client needs a hard copy print, I take it to one of many service bureaus, because their equipment is much better than anything I can afford in my office/studio. Depending in the client's need, I may take the file to FedEx/Kinko's, or, if a better quality is needed, my area has hundreds of professional labs; dozens within 10 miles.
Keep in mind that my business is only marginally involved in photograpy. My desktop printer is used, only, for comps.
2007-11-02 07:50:08 · answer #5 · answered by Vince M 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I do both !
I print some of my own work where I want to keep control.
I send some of the very big work out to a reputable lab.
No-one takes as much time and effort over your work as you do yourself. That is, if you have time, the equipment and the expertise to do all the complicated stuff like monitor calibration etc.
2007-11-01 11:00:32 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I use a lab for most things.
However, my personal stuff,I print myself. If the photos are for showing then I also print them myself, especially the B&W's, and I print anything ordered from them.
It depends, I guess. If it's a very high end print, I prefer doing it myself.
Vance
2007-11-01 22:31:31 · answer #7 · answered by Seamless_1 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A professional lab, with printers worth hundreds of thousands not just hundreds like home printers
a
2007-11-01 12:24:53 · answer #8 · answered by Antoni 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋