Pictures developed at the Pharmacy look horrible!

[Lonnie1212]

Hi Folks,

A few weeks ago I took a few moon pictures. They came out just fine and they look really nice on Facebook and on the home computer. Took the flash drive with the jpeg images to a local pharmacy to have prints made. The attendant brought the prints to me and they were horrible. They look like cartoon pictures. They have that painted or animated appearance. The full silver moon picture looks over exposed on the print. But on Facebook it looks totally awesome. I am not sure what to do. Can anyone make any suggestions? Could it be the camera settings?

Thank you,

Lonnie

 

[480sparky]

Find a different lab.

 

[Lonnie1212]

Find a different lab.

I was hoping you wouldn't say that. We have lost all our camera shops in Springfield, Illinois. All we have is Walmart, Walgreens, and CVS pharmacy. There one camera shop in Peoria, Illinois. I may be able to contact them. I might even be willing to email the jpegs to a developer.

 

[AlanKlein]

Cartoon pictures?? Maybe you;re working with too small of resolution. What were the size of the picture in bytes and the resolution size that the store worked with? If the final print was larger than the web posted, and the size of the file is too small, your could be getting those kind of results.

 

[Lonnie1212]

Cartoon pictures?? Maybe you;re working with too small of resolution. What were the size of the picture in bytes and the resolution size that the store worked with? If the final print was larger than the web posted, and the size of the file is too small, your could be getting those kind of results.

I can show you the information listed on the properties.

 

[480sparky]

2061 pixels on the long side is rather small.

 

[AlanKlein]

That's about 2.9mb, pretty small. Why is the image only 2161x1329=2.9mb? What was the setting in your camera? what kind of camera? Model? Make?

Also you show the file size at 62.1kb. If the file used to print was that size, it sounds like you may have compressed it too much when you created the jpeg image.

The other problem especially with exposure is the printer may be set to adjust the exposure automatically. Since you have a completely dark picture with just a white spot the moon, and no mid range grays, the extreme range may be creating an exposure issue with their machine. You may have to discuss it with the technician if they know what they're doing and require them to do a manual adjust for that particular shot.

 

[480sparky]

That's about 2.9mb, pretty small. Why is the image only 2161x1329=2.9mb? ......

mp, not mb.

 

[Lonnie1212]

That's about 2.9mb, pretty small. Why is the image only 2161x1329=2.9mb? What was the setting in your camera? what kind of camera? Model? Make?

Also you show the file size at 62.1kb. If the file used to print was that size, it sounds like you may have compressed it too much when you created the jpeg image.

The other problem especially with exposure is the printer may be set to adjust the exposure automatically. Since you have a completely dark picture with just a white spot the moon, and no mid range grays, the extreme range may be creating an exposure issue with their machine. You may have to discuss it with the technician if they know what they're doing and require them to do a manual adjust for that particular shot.

I am using a Nikon D610. The image size is set to Large 6016 x 4016 24.2 M. The jpeg compression is set to Optimal quality. There is also another choice and the is 'Size Priority'.

 

[480sparky]

With a watermark, the image file isn't SOOC. You've edited somewhere along the line, and saved it as a low-resolution image.

 

[Derrel]

When you say cartoon pictures I think I know what you might be referring to. At times some automated machines from both Kodak and Fuji will make a print from the thumbnail of a jpeg, and will create a cartoon-like picture,even though the original photo might have quite a bit of detail. How many images did you have printed, and were they all similarly of the Moon?

 

[Derrel]

It would actually be helpful to see the actual print rather than the source file properties list. If the problem is in the prints, then we should see the prints.

 

[Soocom1]

First question: Is the lab using wet printing or is it inkjet printing, screen dye-sublimation?

Second question: When you handed over the pictures, were they in jpeg format? it is very possible that the image handed over may have been in a duel format where the jpeg was only a thumbnail.

 

[Lonnie1212]

I talked with a photo developer in Peoria, Il. He said I saved the photo too small when I put my signature on it. He asked me to send him the original jpeg from the camera. One that I haven't messed with. I will let him make an 8 × 10 the right way. I want a picture to hang on the wall.

Thanks guys,

Lonnie

 

[Lonnie1212]

First question: Is the lab using wet printing or is it inkjet printing, screen dye-sublimation?

Second question: When you handed over the pictures, were they in jpeg format? it is very possible that the image handed over may have been in a duel format where the jpeg was only a thumbnail.

Hi Soocom,

I am not sure what they are using or how they are using it. The customers pictures come out of a big machine. Everything is automatic. I think I heard the photo technician in Peoria mention spraying onto photo paper.