I loaded up a bunch of digital photos yesterday to take to the photo machine at the local grocery store. I put 153 photos onto my new flash drive and inserted it into the machine. The machine said that most of them wouldn't turn out, so I printed out the "good" ones. I was very disappointed with the quality. My very good pictures came out fuzzy and the wrong colors! There was an "edit picture" screen, but I decided that since I did that at home it wouldn't be necessary. My questions are: Does it make any difference what size the pictures are? Would a larger picture be more clear? Is there any way to make sure the colors are right before printing? The thumbnails displayed looked OK. Anyone have any tips?
I've never used one of those, though I've looked at them curiously. Any way to get your money back if it cranks out icky pictures?
Netty if I want to get actual photographs from my digital camera then I either print them on photographic paper myself or take them to a chemist to have them developed. I've heard quite a few people over here saying that photo boothe are a waste of money as the photographs they produce are always of a poor quality. It's such a pity as they are quick and easy to use. It's about time they upgraded them isn't it?
I upload the pics I want to be real pics to an online store. I use snapfish and they are fast and excellent. They tell you before you order the prints the ones that are poor quality. 8)
Thanks for your input. I wonder if there is a difference in quality between the instant pictures and the 1 hour service? I got mine instantly so I thought I would try again using the 1 hour service. I have a coupon for 50 free prints so I've got nothing to lose!
I used one at Wal*Mart and the pics came out beautifully. Maybe it was the machine you were using that had a problem. You shouldn't have to pay for the ones that weren't good.
I have used those booths a bunch. I think that the quality is slightly lower but not much. The one other tip I have is to save only the pictures you want to print on your memory card when you take it-- I find it difficult to sort through them on that screen if I have 50 or more pics. It also takes a while for each picture to print out so if you are printing more than 15 or so, you may just want to the people behind the counter to do it for you. ...I have spent way too much time hanging out waiting for all my prints to come out!
Thanks for your input. I'm going to try again with the settings on my camera set a little better. I need to go thru my pictures again first.
Photo booths, and photo labs in general, are only as good as the person maintaining them. Two systems are used to make prints at photo booths and print stations. The older method is to make prints with photo paper and chemicals. The new method is similar to a computer printer. There are two types of printers, inkjet and dye sublimation. Inkjet printers are the poorest of all and are rarely used in commercial settings. Dye sublimation printers do a good job, but the pictures will fade after three to five years. Dye sub printers use a four step process. Each color (Cyan, Magenta, and Yellow) is put down in a separate process using heat. The paper moves past the print mechanism, is retracted, and another pass is made. The final pass puts down a clear overlay to protect the color layers. If the printer isn't well maintained, or is well worn, the colors won't quite line up. The print will be blurry if the mechanism that heats the dye is too hot or too cold. The best method (in my opinion) is the old fashioned method. The prints last for decades and the machines are very consistent when properly maintained. On the down side, the chemicals in use have to be checked and either replaced or filtered and "replenished" on a regular basis. The developer, fixer, and stop bath can only be replenished a few times before the entire batch has to be replaced. They can be replenished well beyond the manufacturers recommendations, but the quality of the prints will really suffer. The tanks that hold the chemicals also have to be thoroughly cleaned. A sludge builds up in the bottom that throws the Ph balance of the chemicals off and, again, the print quality will suffer. When a print is made, the image is projected on the paper. If the adjustments to that projector are poorly done, the print will be fuzzy at best. Dust and oils from the air that settle on the projector lens will lead to spots and smudges. Few of the big box stores and drug stores want to pay the price to keep these machines in top shape. They cut corners on chemicals and cleaning. If you find one that does a good job, stick with it and make sure the store manager knows you appreciate the quality of service. Some of the photo lab managers understand that better pictures lead to referrals and more customers. Other managers were selling shoes last Tuesday and haven't quite figured out the basics of customer care.
Thanks for the info/insight! Hey Evil Roy- Thanks for your great info. I had been reading all the posts re: photos and image quality and you really gave some great (and new to me) information. I can honestly say that I learned something new today before I 'hit the sack' tonight! Thanks for your post.
I have used the photo booth quite a few times, the quality is OK compared to the price. I think the photo needs to be taken in high pixels, i.e. the photo is large enough, so when it is condensed, it could be clear.
