Is Costco Good for Prints?

astrostu · Jun 7, 2007

First, I'm not sure if this is the proper forum, so if a mod feels it's not, feel free to move it. Anyway ...

I was just in Costco yesterday (great blueberries, by the way, if anyone goes to the ones in central Colorado) and noticed that their photo prints prices were incredibly cheap - like, 15¢ for a 4x6 (as opposed to 9¢ at Wolf/Ritz) or $2.99 for a 11x14 (as opposed to $12.99 at Wolf/Ritz). And they go up to 12x18 for the same $2.99, too!

I do a lot of landscape panoramae and astrophotography montages, and so I'm really into the large prints and would love to use Costco and their literally 25% cost of most anywhere else. However, I'm worried that there's a catch ...

What's the quality of their stuff? What kind of ink/paper do they use, and will it last? If anyone has experience here, let me know!

Big Mike · Jun 8, 2007

From my experience and what I've heard...Costco does often provide decent quality prints. As with just about any print/labs...it comes down to how it's managed and how it's run. If they have good techs that know what they are doing...you can get pretty good results.

Actually, I've been disappointed with them lately, maybe I'm missing something...but their touch screen kiosks were not taking orders for regular prints...only enlargements. I assume the only other way to get 4x6 prints would have been to give them my CF card, onto which I had loaded my print files. And there is no way I'm leaving my CF card with them.

You can upload directly via their web site, but last time I check...I couldn't do that because they didn't have it set up for Canadian Costco stores.

mysteryscribe · Jun 8, 2007

since it doesnt hurt your negs, or files, I would just take ten prints in and decide for myself. What is acceptable to me I assure you wouldn't be to someone else.

MPowerM3 · Jun 8, 2007

I use Costco and I really like it. Its faster (turnaround time) then my in town shop and the people at Costco and I are on a first name basis. They'll get my money for awhile!!

Sw1tchFX · Jun 8, 2007

Costco does their prints on light sensitive paper, and the only way you'll get good results is if you have their color profiles.

astrostu · Jun 8, 2007

I took the advice of mysteryscribe and brought 9 photos of different color schemes and sizes to print in glossy and lustre. I'm pretty pleased with the results, I must say. It would just be nice if the techs used gloves when handling the prints and took care not to bend the giant ones (I did a few 12x18).

When picking them up, I asked about color profiles of the printers, and they referred me to the website drycreekphoto.com, which actually has their store listed, the printer model they use, the type of paper they use, and downloadable color profiles both for their lustre and glossy prints that I can use in the future. So I thought that was pretty cool, and for 5 12x18, 1 8x10, and 3 5x7 coming to $18.99 with tax, I'm pretty darn happy.

loves_guitar · Jun 8, 2007

Good to know about their color profile and stuff. Thanks for sharing!

(that's why I love this forum!)

mysteryscribe · Jun 8, 2007

When ever you have question it is always better to test if possible. Your opinion is the only one that counts in the end. Sometimes that isn't possible but when it is, the test is always the best evidence.

Peniole · Jun 8, 2007

I wonder where this falls into all this...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Windows_Color_System

I've been using Vista and the pre-calibrated LCD on my laptop has a custom profile preloaded into windows vista. Thus far I haven't had any issues no matter which programme I use for viewing my images. I've taken an image directly from my camera, and printed to an inkjet (from another computer), and it looked exactly as it did on my laptop screen (as far as I can see anyway).

Here's the snag, what if I do some post processing in PS? (from what I've read it's better to turn off the ICC profile that comes with PS and let vista handle the ICC profile accross multiple programmes). So far it's been working for me on screen.

I'm thoroughly confused. Can someone explain???

I mean I understand that with everything connected to vista it will all look the same as long as vista is giving/receiving the orders. What about printing in a lab?

punkrockatielsmom · Jun 17, 2007

Costco's prices are great. For digital, I would always go to costso and have them printed rather than do the online cropping that is available. They have a service where you upload digital images and do the cropping online and that was a failure - I spoke to the guy and he said if there are specifics always come in.