OT: Digital photo prints.

I'd quite like to get a few prints made up, and whilst an inkjet printer
is fine for something temporary, I'm fairly certain the results will
fade quite rapidly... So I think it's a job for t'Internet.

I'm not at all sure why you would think this. I've recently bought an
HP photosmart 5180 and am astonished at the quality (especially, but o
solely, for the price). If you print directly onto proper photo paper
I don't see why this won't last just as well as a 'professional'
print.

Things might have moved on, but I tried this several years ago using
photo paper and an epson something or other, to print a couple of A4'ish
sized photos that ended up framed on my parents wall... Well, that's
where they spent a month or so, before the ink faded and they turned
sepia.

It could be down to the ink, I quess.

Could be. Having only had it since March, I can't really comment on
their longevity, but they've moved forward by a country mile since the
last time I looked at ehm about 3-4 years ago. This particular one is
designed as a photo printer, with scanning and copying facilities too.
I'v copied a couple of 6x4 piccies from old film prints, onto proper
HP paper, and honestly can't tell which are the originals.

I've had some A4 sized prints on my wall for probably well over 12 months
now, and they haven't faded at all as far as I can tell. These were
printed on my Canon IP4200 onto pukka photo paper.

I'm guessing the likes of photobox.co.uk might be alright, but can any
of you give recommendations of companies that you've used for photo
printing, and what the results were like?

If you're just printing off a handful then those Kodak or Boots things
you get in Boots are fine. The Boots ones seem to be connected to
their main printers, not a pretty inkjet, whereas the Kodak ones will
print directly from the machine, but lack a selection of paper, IMHO.

I only want a handful, but I'll probably go for 10x8's or thereabouts,
I'm not sure the little machines can do that.. suppose i can ask at the
counter though.

I guess it shows I have no clue about this kind of thing any more. The
last time I got photos trinted must have been in the late 90's, and it
was from 35mm film.

In Boots they normally have two machines. The Kodak one and their own
Boots branded one. The Boots branded one lets you stick a memory
card, CDR, etc. in and then you collect your photos from the counter.
As I say, you can get proper sized prints if you order from this
machine as they come out on the same photo printer that they use for
everyone elses prints.

I may order some on line and do a comparrison, Boots sound ideal for a
visit at the weekend though, thanks Nick.

I wonder if these things take USB memory keys as well, I'll have to have
a look when I next go shopping.

Aren't all these store machines just dressed-up high-end inkjet
printers though?

I don't think so. According to Nick the boots ones use the big photo
printing machine behind the scenes, that certainly won't be an inkjet.

Also according to a brief web-search, even the basic kiosk ones at ASDA use
dye sublimation, which is a whole world beyond inkjet printing.

The Sainsburys machines will do all kinds of memory cards, USB sticks,
IRDA, Bluetooth and CD / DVD.

Yeah, my home printer also takes about four formats of memory card,
and has a built-in menu, with screen, for cropping, resizing, etc.

Good people. Good prints.

Local too. Put the kettle on geezer.

I'm not at home. The key is under the mat. I'll see you Thursday.

I use Sainsburys - had 22x 5x7s and 2x 10x8s done in half an hour, for
just over 9 quid last week.

If you want a stack of 6x4s done, they're Ł5 for 50 on a 48 hour
service.

Whilst getting prints done outside the home will almost certainly be
cheaper, they won't necessarily be any better.

Newer inkjets and the later dyes they use will last as long as many
commercial printers (and some of them just use better inkjet printers
anyway). My current Epson's inks are expected to last for 70 years
(or something like that), according accelerated tests, which is longer
than conventional prints when exposed to light. I regularly print A4
or A3 prints, which look stunning (certainly photo quality). A friend
uses Photobox and I printed the same files he had had printed by them
and we couldn't tell any difference (apart from the fact that his were
cheaper) :)

What about digital albums? These guys (not available in the UK)
make the finest albums I've seen. Print quality may not meet the high
standards of some photoisti nazis, but common human beings are delighted
when they receive one album as a gift.

Believe it or not, Jessops are doing a good deal ATM

5 or 7 p each

Photobox are good. I've been using them for a couple of years and have
had hundreds of prints from them in that time, some of which were for
paying customers and I've never had any complaints. Usually next day
delivery if ordered by lunch time-ish the previous day.

Used photobox several times. Very quick with good quality. Also increase
online webspace by 50 Mb for every order regardless of size.

A while back I did a test run with both photobox.co.uk and
snapfish.co.uk. I decided that photobox were better than snapfish and
have stuck with them ever since, also using them as an online album.

I think it was Adie that preferred snapfish over photobox, however.

I've used photobox and the results were good with a quick turnaround.

Jessops were good when I used them for some passport photos. I took a
head and shoulders photo against a white wall with my digital camera;
took resulting image on a memory stick into Jessops; used their DIY
machines and picked up 8 passport piccies for 54p

I used Jessops in Bristol for scanning in a very old print, smartening it up
a bit and printing it at about A4 size - cost about a fiver. It was for the
FiL, a pic of his cousin and him on a beach in the '30s, as a gift for the
cousin. Delivered the other day, said cousin was extremely pleased.

I have use Photobox in the past and been satisfied with the results.
Usually next day delivery.

A friend just did a lot with Tesco and they came out really well. I
can't comment on the price or delivery etc.

Never had a bad experience with Photobox. But also have found Bonusprint
marginally cheaper on occasion - and I'd judge their colour control to be
slightly better. But based on a couple of years back etc

I have absolutely no complaints about photobox - excellent quality and
fast turnaround.